Toronto-Centre Naturopathic Medicine is a Toronto naturopathic clinic dedicated to providing safe and effective treatment of a wide variety of health conditions using natural therapies and the principles of naturopathic medicine.
Hypothyroidism is well treated using naturopathic medicine. Hypothyroidism, or under activity of the thyroid gland, is a condition in which your thyroid gland produces too little thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). Insufficient thyroxine and triiodothyronine levels result decreased metabolism, and all the symptoms associated with low metabolism. The most common cause of hypothyroidism is autoimmune disease in which your immune system acts against your thyroid gland, but is sometimes also the result of aggressive treatment of hyperthyroidism, a deficiency of dietary iodine, a complication of pregnancy or a failure of the pituitary gland to signal the thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormones. Untreated, hypothyroidism can lead to minor consequences such as goiter (a lump at the base of the front of your neck, or a number of serious consequences including depression, infertility, birth defects and coma. Professional healthcare should be sought out if you notice unexplained fatigue, dry skin, constipation or other symptoms that cause you to suspect you may have hypothyroidism
Seek emergency medical care if your hypothyroid symptoms suddenly become very intense, including:
- Intense sensitivity to cold
- Drowsiness
Symptoms of hypothyroidism
Possible symptoms of hypothyroidism include:
- Fatigue and sluggishness
- Dry skin
- Brittle hair and fingernails
- Constipation
- Unexplained weight gain
- Facial puffiness
- Hoarseness
- Muscle pain and weakness
- Joint stiffness and swelling
- Heavy menses
- Depression
- Elevated blood cholesterol level
- Thyroid gland enlargement (goiter)
Hypothyroidism treatment at Toronto-Centre Naturopathic Medicine
At Toronto-Centre Naturopathic Medicine, the goals of hypothyroidism treatment are to correct thyroid hormone balance, thereby eliminating hypothyroidism symptoms, and managing consequences of low thyroid activity (e.g., elevated blood-cholesterol, weight gain, depression).
Conventional treatment for hypothyroidism is a medication called levothyroxine (e.g., Synthroid).
Naturopathic treatment of any chronic health concern must be recognized as a process that involves identifying specific treatment goals, and the development and execution of a comprehensive treatment plan through periodic monitoring and adjustment.
At Toronto-Centre Naturopathic Medicine, a number of therapeutic options may be used in treatment of hyperthyroidism, alone, or more often in a complementary fashion, including:
- Acupuncture
- Nutritional supplements
- Botanical (herbal) medicines
- Homeopathic medicines
- Lifestyle counseling
- Exercise prescription
- Hydrotherapy
Reference
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Hyperthyroidism (underactive thyroid) [Online]. [cited 2009 Feb 18]; Available from: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hypothyroidism/DS00353