Stool Testing
The Advantages of Testing Stool
- Stool testing is a method with proven success in determining a number of parameters relating to digestive and immune health.
- The sample is easy to obtain in the patient’s own home without the need for specialist equipment. This, in turn, makes the pricing of this test very competitive.
- The underlying cause(s) of a health problem can be found, aiding therapy success in difficult cases.
- Stool testing is cost effective compared to many other forms of testing, with the added advantage of selecting as many or as few parameters as needed to meet therapeutic aims.
Our Stool Tests
The following is an example of the popular stool tests we do at The Hering Clinic. The full list of tests is extensive and can be discussed further with your therapist. As an additional service, a mouth swab is investigated with the stool test free of charge.
Complete status of intestinal colonisation (£150.00)
This test analyses 11 bacterial strains, which scientists consider as representative for the gut ecology. These bacteria are physiological in normal numbers, but cause problems if their counts are out of balance. In this test, stool pH is also measured and a full fungal analysis for all yeasts and moulds, like in the mycology, is performed. With the increasing knowledge about the importance of the micro-flora, this test has become the most important basic test.
Mycology- Candida Test (£1000.00)
One of the best-known stool tests, (apart from the one for occult blood which is often performed by GPs) is probably the mycology analysis or “candida test”.
This stool test will analyse a fungal colonisation including all Candida species and other yeasts or moulds in the intestinal lumen, as well as looking at the environment in which the candida requires to thrive. When testing for fungal overgrowth it is advisable to use a service that carries out a concomitant mouth swab in case fungi are missed in the stool and to determine if the mouth might be the cause of the fungal problem. This is standard at The Hering Clinic.
Intestinal parasites (£95.00)
This test is a microscopic investigation for worm eggs and protozoa cysts. The analysis involves a complicated procedure of concentrating and filtering the stool, which is carried out by specialists. Due to the very hardy nature of worm eggs and protozoa cysts, worms which lay eggs into the intestine and protozoa which form cysts can be detected in this way. The test can be useful in all cases of persistent diarrhoea or alternating diarrhoea and constipation, attacks of sweating or feeling cold, possibly with fever, colicky pains, hunger attacks which alternate with times of no appetite, persistent cough, weight loss, anal itching, anaemia and symptoms following foreign travel.
Celiac Test: Anti-transglutaminase-sIgA (£95.00)
This test can detect celiac disease by measuring specific intestinal sIgAs against the enzyme tissue transglutaminase, a method which was only devised in 1997. In case of a positive result, a biopsy and an additional blood test is recommended to verify the diagnosis. Unfortunately, the patient has to consume gluten for at least one week prior to the test to provoke the antibodies. This test is indicated in all cases where celiac disease is suspected, which can cause different typical or sometimes non-typical symptoms.
Leaky Gut: Alpha-1-Antitrypsine (£85.00)
This enzyme is synthesised in the liver and it is a non-specific protease inhibitor in the serum. With inflammation, or when the intestinal lining has an increased permeability this enzyme can be found in the stool, as it is basically not broken down in the GI tract.
Think you need a stool test?
Please contact the team to discuss your symptomology and to determine the most appropriate test. The Hering Clinic will provide a test and the instructions on how to perform the test.
Once complete, the sample is returned to the lab in a self- addressed package and results will be returned to The Hering Clinic, within two weeks of it arriving at the lab. We will then arrive a time to discuss your lab results and the most appropriate protocol (if appropriate) to support your health.
Stool Testing FAQs
Finding the cause of a health problem is a difficult task. Stool testing can help eliminate the guesswork of diagnosis and improve therapy results through the naturopathic principle of treating the underlying cause of a problem.
As in conventional medicine, it is possible to test for pathogenic bacteria, viruses and parasites in cases of diarrhoea symptoms or to check for digestive enzymes in case of dyspepsia (indigestion) or other digestive problems.
The Hering Clinic can test physiological microflora, fungal overgrowth, immune parameters, inflammation markers and many other parameters. This increases the number of indications for stool tests from those disorders that are obviously located in the Gastro-Intestinal system, to numerous other health problems that are not primarily connected to the gut.
The relevant stool test for you will be determined by your practitioner based on the symptoms you are experiencing. This will be discussed with you during your treatment.