Thyroid Health

Naturopathic Doctors take a comprehensive medical and personal history and look at the whole picture to optimize your health. Thyroid conditions require a holistic treatment approach since your glands don’t work in isolation and virtually every system in your body is affected in one way or another by thyroid hormones. Naturopathic treatment aims to support your immune and endocrine systems, and manage some of the symptoms of thyroid disease. Sometimes medication is the best option, and a Naturopathic Doctor can help clarify when to make this decision.

Diagnosis of thyroid conditions is controversial between Naturopathic Medicine and conventional medicine. There is even disagreement among endocrinologists as to appropriate levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). Before the advent of blood tests, physicians tested thyroid function by taking basal body temperature (normal basal body temperature is 97.6° F to 98.2° F), assessing the quality of the Achilles reflex and looking at the clinical picture.

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism is a deficiency of thyroid hormone. Hashimoto's Thyroiditis is a type of autoimmune thyroid disease in which the immune system attacks and destroys the thyroid gland. Wilson’s syndrome is a type of subclinical hypothyroidism.

Symptoms of hypothyroidism include:

• Moderate weight gain with a tendency to having cold hands and feet
  
• High cholesterol and triglycerides
  
• Menstrual abnormalities such as prolonged and heavy periods and shorter cycles
  
• Infertility
  
• Dry, rough skin with fine superficial scales
  
• Coarse, dry, brittle hair and sometimes quite severe hair loss
  
• Thin, brittle nails that typically show transverse grooves
  
• Depression with weakness and fatigue initially, then difficulty concentrating and forgetfulness
  
• Muscle weakness, joint stiffness, tenderness

Treatment of hypothyroidism can include:

• Nervine herbs for nervousness or insomnia
  
• Invigorating activity and cold hydrotherapy to stimulate thyroid function
  
• Nutritional therapy to ensure nutrients required to make and convert thyroid hormones are present
  
• Nutritional assessment to ensure that food allergies are not contributing to the problem (especially helpful with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis).

Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism is an overabundance of thyroid hormone. Graves' Disease is an autoimmune disease that causes the thyroid to enlarge and overproduce thyroid hormone.

Symptoms of hyperthyroidism include:

• Diffuse, non-painful goiter
  
• Changes in the skin and nail changes
  
• Nervousness
  
• Irritability
  
• Sweating
  
• Palpitations
  
• Insomnia
  
• Tremor
  
• Frequent stools
  
• Weight loss despite a good appetite

Treatment of hyperthyroidism may include:

• Hydrotherapy
  
• Acupuncture
  
• Nutritional counseling
  
• Herbal medicine