Because your adrenal glands control so many aspects of your metabolism, any adrenal issues could greatly affect your quality of life. Adrenal fatigue occurs when your adrenal glands, located above your kidneys, are greatly overworked to the point that they essentially suffer from exhaustion.
This exhaustion can throw many of your bodily systems out of sync. While serious illness is the result in the later stages of adrenal fatigue, in the earlier stages it is more like feeling “not quite right.” A bioidentical hormone therapy doctor could test your adrenal levels, help you find relief, and help you prepare for any potential impact of adrenal fatigue on quality of life.
The lives of most people in the 21st century are stressful. With the advent of modern technology, many people are never really away from their jobs, and trying to balance work, family, and relationships requires considerable effort.
All that stress means the adrenal glands are often performing their duties at top speed, especially when it comes to the production of cortisol, the stress hormone. Cortisol helps keep the immune system healthy, protecting people from inflammation and chronic conditions.
However, when the adrenal glands are too overworked, they stop producing necessary hormones in the amounts needed. When a person is particularly stressed at any point in their life, some form of adrenal fatigue generally exists.
There is no one-size-fits-all standard when it comes to adrenal fatigue symptoms. Since the adrenal glands influence so many bodily functions, many people develop symptoms involving different parts of the body. Some suffer difficulties or loss of function in the digestive tract, while for others the circulatory system is more impacted.
For most people, symptoms involve a combination of factors. Patients experiencing any of the following symptoms may have reason to suspect they are suffering from adrenal fatigue:
The impact of adrenal fatigue on quality of life is typically found in other conditions, but certain signs or behaviors are more common in adrenal fatigue. The appearance of vertical lines on the fingertips indicates possible adrenal fatigue. A patient should tell their doctor if they crave salty or sweet snacks, or if they consume caffeine all day long just to stay awake.
Since adrenal fatigue affects the immune system, those constantly dealing with colds or respiratory issues may also have to deal with adrenal fatigue. The same holds true for people fighting numerous allergies.
Even if a patient’s cortisol levels are technically within the normal range, that does not mean adrenal fatigue is not present. Sometimes, a patient whose primary symptom is feeling overwhelmed by any slightly stressful situation may be a victim of adrenal fatigue.
Bioidentical hormone therapy can aid patients with adrenal fatigue, but lifestyle changes are also often necessary. To help avoid a potential negative impact of adrenal fatigue on quality of life, a doctor may recommend an exercise and diet program for each patient, with an emphasis on healthy food as a form of medication.
A high-quality supplement plan to help a patient reverse the effects of adrenal fatigue could also be developed. When doing so, the doctor would discuss the stress triggers occurring in each patient’s life and see how they could best be eliminated or reduced for overall health.
If you think your quality of life is being disrupted because of adrenal fatigue, call the offices of Dr. Edward Jacobson today. Bioidentical hormone therapy could make you feel like yourself again, so do not delay in scheduling a consultation with Dr. Jacobson at his home office in Greenwich, Connecticut. Alternatively, Dr. Jacobson is also available periodically for remote consultations and services in Newport Beach and Beverly Hills, as well as in Manhattan.