Start with exposure history, not a detox
A clinician should begin with likely sources: work, hobbies, contaminated food or water, imported products, old paint, or a known industrial event. The metal and exposure route determine which blood or urine test is useful.
Hair testing can document some exposures, but it should not be treated as a stand-alone diagnosis or used to justify treatment without clinical confirmation.
Chelation is medical treatment—not a wellness cleanse
Chelating medicines can be appropriate for specific, confirmed poisonings. They can also cause serious adverse effects and should be prescribed and monitored by a qualified clinician. Over-the-counter binders are not interchangeable with medical chelation and do not prove that a person has heavy-metal poisoning.
If exposure is still happening, removing the source comes before any treatment plan. Never remove dental amalgams or start chelation solely because of nonspecific symptoms.
Why symptoms need context
Fatigue, brain fog, tingling, mood changes and digestive symptoms can occur with metal toxicity, but they are not specific to it. A defensible workup connects symptoms to a plausible exposure, the right specimen and laboratory method, and a clinician who can interpret the result.
For infection-specific evaluation, use the Lyme Disease Center. For building moisture and mold exposure, use the Mold & CIRS Center.