For the past several months, I have had the opportunity to utilize a cutting-edge diagnostic and monitoring tool with my patients for their thyroid health and metabolism.
The Thyroflex is a simple in-office test that checks the speed of the reflex in your wrist. Interestingly, all of your reflexes are associated with your thyroid function. Your reflexes are a reflection of your metabolism and your metabolism is directly related to your thyroid function. If your reflex speed is slow, your metabolism is slow and therefore your thyroid is slow. If your reflex speed is fast, your metabolism is fast and your thyroid is too fast.
The great thing about this clinically is that the Thyroflex test allows me to do two key things for my patients:
1. The Thyroflex test helps to reveal and assist in the diagnosis of thyroid abnormalities when conventional blood tests demonstrate it to be “normal.”
2. The Thyroflex test aids in the on-going monitoring of the dose of thyroid hormone medication someone is taking. In other words, if the reflex speed is too slow, it suggests that you may need more thyroid hormone. And, if the reflex speed gets too fast, then the dose should be considered to be lowered.
The science behind the machine is very sound and now that I have had more and more clinical experience with the test, I am even more of a believer in its ability to aid in helping my patients with thyroid disorders. However, it is still a “tool” and should be utilized within the context of sound clinical judgement with other supportive evidence. As I have said this before about all clinical and laboratory blood tests, etc., no one singular test is perfect.
The results of the test are virtually instant, with the whole test taking only about four minutes. One of the added benefits of the test is the “Resting Metabolic Rate” analysis that is provided. It will provide a reading of a highly accurate estimation of how many calories your body is burning at rest! Often people think they are burning more calories than their metabolism is actually capable of burning. It’s great information.
The Thyroflex is another amazing tool in the arsenal to help those with thyroid disease and metabolic disorders and I am very happy to offer it as an option for my patients!
To have a Thyroflex test done with me, be sure to ask…if I haven’t already mentioned it anyway! 🙂
Dr. Robinson
For more information: www.thyroflex.com
