Can you naturally treat thyroid diseases?
Can you naturally treat thyroid diseases?
thyroid diseases often have a negative impact on the quality of life of a patient. You can influence the energy level, the mood, weight, the digestive system, libido, the sleep cycle and much more of a patient. In addition, conventional treatment protocols often include longer use of synthetic medication or even surgical interventions in certain cases. It is not surprising that many patients with thyroid diseases are looking for natural alternatives.
The most common forms of thyroid diseases are primary hypothyroidism, hashimoto thyroiditis and disease Basedow. Unfortunately, the medical community is often clearly divided between two stems on health and illness: the medical model or the alternative model.
The medical model
In the medical model, the doctors focus on analyzing the symptoms and then narrowing down the possibilities until they make a diagnosis. The doctor then follows a defined treatment protocol to treat the disease. Treatment often includes medication.
The standard treatment protocol for hypothyroidism and hashimoto thyroiditis is hormone replacement therapy. The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists recommends synthetic T4 levothyroxine for clinical hypothyroidism to bring the thyroid stimulating hormone back to a normal level.
At the Basedow disease, the thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone. The standard treatment protocol includes medication to suppress the thyroid gland or operations to remove the thyroid gland. Many doctors in the USA prefer the use of radioactive iodine as first -line therapy.
The alternative model
Unfortunately, the alternative model is often thrown into a large pile if there are actually several models in it. This includes naturopathy, acupuncture, herbal science and functional medicine. This article focuses on the functional medical approach in thyroid diseases.
Functional medicine
In the functional model, the doctor examines all aspects of a person's health. You are looking for the basic cause of a problem instead of treating the symptoms. For example, there are many possible causes if a person suffers from depression. One person can have an imbalance of the blood sugar, while another can have a mineral deficiency. It does not make sense to treat all depression in the same way if the basic cause is different.
Some alternative models use similar paradigms. For example, herbal practitioners could recommend St. John's wort for a patient with certain types of depression as soon as they have understood the underlying cause.
I believe that this model uses the wisdom of other alternative disciplines and combines them with the scientific data that has been obtained from functional laboratory tests. It also integrates the patient into a therapeutic partnership in which he actively participates in his well -being, which is important for recovery.
hashimoto-thyroiditis & disease Basedow
In Hashimoto disease and the Basedow disease, the functional approach is looking for stress sources for the immune system. Grave and Hashimoto are autoimmune diseases and not at all thyroid problems. A functional disorder of the thyroid gland is only a symptom of the underlying cause: a disturbed immune system.
autoimmunity develops for many reasons. Here, too, every person is unique and requires special tests and treatments, depending on the underlying cause. If, for example, a person suffers from a disease that is referred to as "Leaky Gut syndrome", this can lead to undigested food residues in the blood and trigger an immune response.
food allergies or food sensitivities can also cause a reaction of the immune system. If you continue to eat disruptive food, this may lead to an autoimmune disease.
Since these thyroid problems can have many causes, we cannot define a standard treatment protocol or a standard for the treatment of thyroid diseases. Unfortunately, the numerous factors that contribute to these diseases also make self -treatment.
How can functional medicine help you?
Understanding the underlying influences that influence the thyroid gland requires some physiological knowledge and the ability to interpret functional laboratory tests. An experienced doctor can ensure the right care and correct the functional disorder of the immune system, which primarily led to her diagnosis.
The restoration of the full function naturally depends on whether you still have a thyroid gland and in what condition you are. If you have no thyroid or it is badly damaged, you need medication to support the thyroid function.
Nevertheless, the functional approach can help patients if they do not process medication efficiently and correctly. Doctors usually prescribe a synthetic version of the thyroid hormone T4, which is, however, physiologically less active than T3. As a result, your body has to convert it, but some people cannot convert it well.
Other patients convert T4 instead of T3 into reverse T3. Reverse T3 does not support the thyroid gland. Fortunately, I can tackle these two problems through functional medicine, so that they draw the greatest benefit from their medication and the greatest relief.
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Experience has taught me that the medical model has its place. It can help patients treat symptoms and it can provide a diagnosis for thyroid problems.
Nonetheless, the root of the problem is not addressed. A functional model examines the underlying causes to avoid further problems and reverse existing problems instead of treating symptoms.
Of course I am looking forward to a time when the medical and functional models combine for seamless and effective patient care. Both have many advantages, but together they could enable targeted, optimized care and recovery.