Many today struggle with fatigue and our Functional Medicine department in Greenville, SC specializes in it!
One of the biggest misconceptions when treating fatigue is to treat symptoms. Patients will take energy supplements, excessive B vitamins, IV therapy of supplements for energy or start on synthetic hormones.
In our practice we believe that approach is treating the cause and not the symptoms of Fatigue.
Where does energy come from?
The ability to produce energy and focus comes from many different systems working together, when any one system is not communicating properly with the others it begins to effect all of your body systems like a chain reaction.
You may be feeling fatigue from imbalances in your brain, hormones, digestive imbalance, inflammation and immune system or your body may not be getting key nutrients.
Patients will come to our office having tried adrenal supplements and possibly even been to another practitioner, but the key to fixing fatigue is in a systematic approach of history taking, testing and connecting many systems together. Fatigue rarely from one imbalance in the body.
Common causes of Fatigue that often go overlooked:
-Food Sensitivity or Allergy: When you are eating foods that cause an immune reaction in your body the only way you may feel a negative response is fatigue. This is from the inflammatory signals that begin after being exposed to what your body believes is a foreign invader. You don’t have to have swelling or a typical allergic response to be sensitive to certain foods.
For many, the only way they show that they are reacting is with inflammation, fatigue and brain fog.
To assess this we use Sig A testing, GI Map stool testing, and the IgG and IgG antibodies test from Genova.
-Neurotransmitter Imbalance:
There are numerous causes for brain chemicals to be diminished, some are more geneticially susceptible and others are lacking from long term stress, poor diet or poor lifestyle.
Without healthy Neurotransmitter balance it can be hard to focus and have good cognition which can lead to the feeling of low energy.
To assess this we use the Organic Acids Comprehensive Test from Genova Diagnositics and detailed history.
-Poor Gut Health:
Your digestive system and it’s ability to break down and digest nutrients from food is imperative to having good energy.
If any step in the gut’s ability to assimilate what you eat is poor, your energy could suffer.
To asses for Gut health we may recommend, Biome FX, GI Map, or SIBO testing.
-HPA axis blunting or “Adrenal Fatigue”:
The ability of the glands called the hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenals to cross talk is a feedback loop mechanism similar to your thermostat in your home.
In order to feel energy again you may need to address this feedback loop and heal its signalling.
With times of immense stress, certain precursors to HPA axis health and signalling can become downregulated causing the “thermostat” to malfunction.
Your HPA axis can be analyzed using salivary and urinary testing of Cortisol, OH-Progesterone, and DHEA.
-Liver Detoxification and Inflammatory Health:
Many today are inflamed and their detoxification ability is under fire from the barrage of modern day toxins, stress, and diet.
Inflammation is one of the most common predictors of chronic disease and pain in modern day. Both inflammation, the livers ability to function and the gut go hand in hand in Functional medicines approach to fatigue.
We can assess Liver function with bloodwork, the Organic Acids test, and GI Map.
-Thyroid Function:
We offer expanded Thyroid testing as TSH is often not enough to truly take a look at your metabolism. Low Thyroid can effect every system of your body, including energy.
By testing Free Thyroid and T3 uptake we can begin to get a better clinical picture of Thyroid health.
To test Thyroid health we can analyze using expanded bloodwork from Direct Labs.
-Anemia, absorption and Oxygen:
If you are not oxygenating the body your doctor may look at your cardiovascular health, breathing rate, stress level and also screen for anemia.
If anemia is present we may assess for absorption capacity as this can drastically effect the presence of adequate B vitamins, Folic Acids and/or Iron.
We assess anemia using expanded bloodwork, B vitamin status with Organic Acids testing, and Cardio health with expanded customized anti-aging blood labs.
-Hormone imbalance
When hormones are off everything is off. After trauma, or with other imbalances in the body hormones can become diminished.
Our office analyzes hormones using the Dutch test to see the balance of each male or female hormone and how to fix it.
-Physical Alignment and balance of Movement:
Our office also uses Myofascial therapy and Chiropractic to help calm the nervous system and reset the way your brain and body communicate. This can have drastic effects on your overall feeling of energy. Poor muscle function or areas that are tight are like energy sinkholes causing valuable nerve energy to be wasted on dealing with imbalanced areas.
What Does a Functional Medicine Visit to Mountain Movement Center Look Like?
Your visit starts with submitting all testing you’ve ever had done and completing detailed paperwork. Your doctor will go to work like a health detetective studying your case before your first visit.
During your first visit after taking a detailed history your doctor will make recommendations about what tests they think may be a good fit for you along with lifestyle, diet and nutritional recommendations.
We have helped with thousands of cases of fatigue and want to help you!
How is this different from a typical doctor visit?
First we commit to spend a full hour with you your first visit, a rare thing in modern healthcare! Second, many of these tests although well researched and utilized in cutting edge Functional Medicine settings are not used currently in mainstream healthcare. As two doctors who have slipped through the cracks of the healthcare system, we feature these tests because they were life changing in our lives and gave us the answers we searched for for so long.
How Long will it take me to feel well?
Every case is different and some patients have imbalances in every system listed in the article above. Those cases may take more time to balance each system sequentially.
Others feel better right away because of our recommendations after 1 or 2 key tests and analyzing missing links in your history and intake.
Our Team:
Myra Manley M.D.
Michael Day D.C.
Book with us:
First 1 hour visit: $300
Must submit all paperwork 2 weeks prior to visit to allow time for doctor analysis and plan design/research.
Call: 864-448-2073
email us at: mountainmovementgvl @ gmail.com
