Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3...Part Two: Miscellaneous Tests

Other fun stuff to do:

Complete Blood Count (CBC)  This is the basic blood lab you get every so often with a physical examination and it will tell the doctor about your blood chemistry.  Accuracy depends on the experience of the phlebotomist drawing the blood and the knowledge of the health care provider reading the lab results. Both could screw up big time. I once had someone tell me I was dying based on a CBC lab and then yelled at me when I started laughing. I was laughing due to excessive stress, not because it was a fun experience. Needless to say, I lived through it!


Pulmonary function tests  These tests measure your respiratory function in various ways. The simplest is with a Peak Flow Meter which is a little plastic device that will cost about $70.00 (!).  The health care provider will have you breathe into it several times a day and log your measurements.

Another method is using a Spirometry which is an elaborate telephone booth-type sitting cubical and you breathe into a respirator. The technician does all kinds of secret things until your breathing is affected. They wouldn't tell me what they were doing in order for the test to be scientifically objective. I know they applied chemical gasses into the breathing apparatus. It doesn't sound safe at all, but at the time I was new to everything , very naive and desperate for answers. I assumed since the test was being done in a hospital I would be safe if anything went wrong. I'm not so naive anymore!

Hair analysis A clip of your natural hair is tested for heavy metals. Usually this hair is taken from the back of your head at your hair line. If your hair is dyed or treated in any way then you must give them pubic hair. Weird, uh? I've heard from people who have had both blood and hair analysis tests for heavy metals at the same time and the two results didn't match. This is due to the specimen tested: hair is not part of the "living" body and blood is. The blood test is much more accurate.

Gastro-intestinal (GI) panels  Fecal matter is tested for digestive function as well as Candida, parasites, SIgA digestion time, and gliadin which indicates gluten allergies.  A well-known theory is leaky gut (a permeable digestive tract) is responsible for chemical sensitivity among other things so finding out what is going on with your intestines is helpful.

Muscle testing, or applied kinesiology. This is a form of energy testing, related to bioenergy sans technology, based on Chinese medicine and a whole lotta faith. The technician has you hold a herb or herb formula in one hand and applies pressure to the opposite arm which is extended. If you are able to resist, you don't need that herb; if you can't resist, you need it. I've had this done and I've watched friends have it done. I'm intrigued by Traditional Chinese Medicine because it's been around for centuries and I don't know enough about it to discount its value. My skepticism is from watching friends walk out of the clinics hundreds of dollars poorer and carrying bags of expensive herbal supplements. Too much capitalism to make me a believer in that it's anything but a money-making scheme and with all that investment, I've never known anyone's health to improve.

Yelp test - I once worked for a wonderful naturopath who would come in to work in the morning and poke our livers. He called it the "yelp test." If it hurt, you needed a good liver cleansing. I've often tried to figure out how to do it on myself, but can't. You need an expert. The premise is if your liver is not functioning properly it becomes inflamed and swollen. Pressure will cause pain. Without a optimal functioning liver, your body can't clean out the garbage, or detox out the toxins.

There were many, many other tests I had done in the early stages of my health journey. These are those that I felt were most relevant to my MCS issues. Testing may or may not contribute toward a Multiple Chemical Sensitivity diagnosis which is incredibly helpful for legal accommodations you may need in the future. Without a diagnoses, it will be very hard to protect yourself.

Any other tests I missed?