If you are experiencing some combination of the symptoms of Sickness Syndrome depression for more than two weeks, take the Sickness Syndrome Inflammation in the Brain and Depression Assessment. The graded questionnaire takes into account the mechanisms involved in Sickness Syndrome-including symptoms specific for the DSMIV criteria for major depression, adrenal function, Vagus nerve function, stress-related lifestyle factors, and hormone function.

Your healthcare professional can review the results of the assessment and if necessary, pair the results with the findings from a 24 hour salivary cortisol/DHEA and urinary neurotransmitter (serotonin, GABA, dopamine, nor-epinephrine, epinephrine and glutamate) test. These diagnostic aids provide a clear picture of whether or not a patient is challenged with Sickness Syndrome.

Follow-up tests to further confirm the condition and to assess successful treatment outcomes may include estrogen, progesterone and testosterone levels, a CBC chem panel with 24 hour fasting glucose, and C reactive protein. These all provide data on the level of inflammation in the body but the Sickness Syndrome depression Inflammation in the Brain and Depression Assessment, paired with cortisol/DHEA and urinary neurotransmitter testing provides the information that is specific for Sickness Syndrome depression.

Once the diagnosis is confirmed, patients can then be educated as to the available natural treatments, therapies and lifestyle guidelines that can help ease or eliminate the emotional and physical symptoms of Sickness Syndrome depression.