Hypothyroidism
- Overview
- Introduction
- Symptoms
- Causes
- Complications
- Homoeopathic Treatment
- Do's and Don'ts
- Diet and Nutrition
What is Hypothyroidism?
Hypothyroidism is a common clinical syndrome which results due to low levels of circulating thyroid hormones or from resistance of the body to respond appropriately to thyroid hormones.
Since the main purpose of thyroid hormones is to "run the body's metabolism", people with hypothyroidism have symptoms associated with a slow metabolism. Click to read about Causes of Hypothyroidism.
What Happens In Hypothyroidism?
QUICK LOOK
- Increased sensitivity to cold
- Unexplained weight gain
- Irregular and/or heavy menstrual periods
- Pain, stiffness or swelling in your joints
- Thinning and brittleness of hair
- Dryness of skin
Click to know more about Symptoms of Hypothyroidism
What Can Hypothyroidism Lead To?
- Goiter (swelling of thyroid gland)
- Peripheral neuropathy (tingling and numbness in limbs)
- Infertility
- Heart diseases, including problems in the heart muscle and rhythm of heart.
How Well Homeopathy Works In Hypothyroidism?
- Homeopathy has more than 50 preventive and curative medicines in Treatment For Hypothyroidism that work very well for children and adults.
- Every remedy is carefully prescribed on the basis of the patient's history in Homeopathic Treatment For Hypothyroidism and the correct medicine can even prevent complications.
Few of our amazing remedies include:
- Calcarea carbonica: It is indicated in obese patients who cannot tolerate cold air. Usually used for constipation in children and also in women with profuse menses and general sense of chilliness.
- Iodum: High affinity for enlargement or atrophy of thyroid gland. Loss of flesh with good appetite and great emaciation. Patient cannot tolerate warm surroundings and feels better by going in cold air.
- Thyroidinum: Excellent remedy for thyroid troubles including myxoedema and cretinism. Sensitive to cold air, emaciation with cold hands and feet. Acts well in arrested development in children.
- Graphites: For fair, stout ladies with history of delayed menses. Constipation with hard, difficult stools and late, scanty menses. Complaints worse in warmth and at night.
Every remedy prescribed is unique, because every individual is unique!
When your thyroid is unable to produce sufficient quantities of thyroid hormones, you land up gaining weight, losing appetite and in general, feeling lousy! Your thyroid gland may be small, but it can create some of the biggest problems in you!
Hypothyroidism is a common endocrine disorder resulting from deficiency of thyroid hormones.
It is a disease encompassing all the socio-economical and cultural groups and is more commonly seen in women and people over the age of 50.
Hypothyroidism is a global disease having multisystemic involvement, varied presentations and hazardous complications.
Homeopathy has been found to be very effective in the treatment of Hypothyroidism. Homeopathic medicines will not only help to maintain thyroxine levels in the body but will also eventually heal the thyroid gland naturally so that it is able to sustain itself and produce adequate amount of hormones.
More than anything, Homeopathy avoids the use of hormones given externally, and eliminates unnecessary dependency.
GENERAL
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SKIN
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CARDIORESPIRATORY
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REPRODUCTIVE
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NEUROMUSCULAR
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GASTROINTESTINAL
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HEAMATOLOGICAL
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PSYCHOLOGICAL
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It is a condition resulting from long-term hypothyroidism going undiagnosed. It is predominantly seen in women and symptoms of Hypothyroidism include low blood pressure, decreased breathing, low body temperature and even coma. In extreme cases, myxedema can be fatal.
Congenital Hypothyroidism
Some babies are born with a thyroid gland that does not develop correctly or doesn't work properly or with relative absence of thyroid gland. This type of hypothyroidism is called congenital hypothyroidism.
- One of the earliest important symptoms of Hypothyroidism in babies is widened skull sutures.
- Skin becomes thick and dry.
- The babies sleep most of the times, cry little and feed poorly.
- Sustained jaundice is one of the characteristic symptoms of Hypothyroidism in babies.
- By 8-10 weeks, frank symptoms of Hypothyroidism like puffy face, swollen eyelids, broad nose, with thick protuberant tongue become evident.
- If untreated, the child may develop more serious symptoms of Hypothyroidism like physical and mental retardation.
Hypothyroidism in Children and Teens
The usual symptoms of Hypothyroidism are same as adults. Other signs include:
- Poor growth, resulting in short stature
- Delayed development of permanent teeth
- Delayed puberty
- Poor mental development
Cretinism
- It is a condition where physical and mental growth of a child is stunted due to untreated congenital deficiency of thyroid hormones usually due to maternal hypothyroidism.
- It is characterized by poor growth in first year of life with thickened skin and protruded abdomen. Puberty is delayed and infertility is common along with other symptoms of Hypothyroidism.
- Autoimmune Thyroiditis: When the body starts attacking its own cells, the phenomenon is called autoimmunity. When such a situation arises in the thyroid gland and causes hypothyroidism, it is called autoimmune thyroiditis or Hashimoto's thyroiditis, which is one of the commonest causes of Hypothyroidism.
- Surgery / Radiation of Thyroid Gland: Certain conditions like cancer of thyroid, thyroid nodules and goiter may be subjected to surgery or radiation therapy. Post such procedures, the functioning of the gland may be hampered leading to hypothyroidism.
- Conventional treatment for Hyperthyroidism: People suffering from Hyperthyroidism are often treated with radioactive iodine or anti-thyroid medications to normalize their thyroid function. This can sometimes go overboard and cause hypothyroidism.
- Medications for other diseases: Drugs like Amiodarone, Lithium, Interferon-Alpha inhibit the production of thyroid hormones and figure prominently as one of the causes of Hypothyroidism.
- Pituitary abnormalities: Diseases of the pituitary including tumors, as well as pituitary surgery can affect TSH secretion, and in turn decrease secretion of thyroid hormones.
- Iodine deficiency: This is amongst the most preventable causes of Hypothyroidism. Iodine is essential for the synthesis of thyroid hormones and inadequate iodine will lead to inadequate hormone production.
If Hypothyroidism is left untreated, it may lead to a number of other conditions like
Goitre
- It is the abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland that appears as a swelling in the neck.
- It can be associated with underactive or hyperactive thyroid and deficiency of iodine in the diet.
Heart problems
- Hypothyroid sufferers have increased risk of heart disease primarily because of elevated blood cholesterol level that predisposes them to heart attacks.
Infertility
- Females with Hypothyroidism usually suffer from infertility because low levels of thyroid hormones interfere with the ovulation process (process in which the egg is released from the ovary for fertilization)
Birth Defects
- It is seen that babies of mothers with untreated thyroid disease may have a higher risk of birth defects than babies born to healthy mothers.
- These children are more prone to develop intellectual and developmental problems.
Peripheral Neuropathy
- Uncontrolled Hypothyroidism can cause damage to the peripheral nerves leading to pain, numbness and tingling in the affected area.
Mental Disorders
Sometimes Hypothyroidism causes slowness of mental functioning resulting in Depression. Alzheimer's disease is also a possibility.
- Homeopathy is the science of holistic treatment and works, not by the external administration of hormones, but by actually stimulating the body to correct the hormonal imbalance and deficiency within.
- Homeopathic treatment for Hypothyroidism reawakens the intricate hormonal axis of the body and corrects it. Homeopathic approach considers the physical, emotional and intellectual sphere of the individual to prescribe the accurate remedy.
Have a look at some amazing remedies in homeopathic treatment for Hypothyroidism
- Calcarea carbonica: It is indicated in obese patients who cannot tolerate cold air. Usually used for constipation in children and also in women with profuse menses and general sense of chilliness.
- Iodum: High affinity for enlargement or atrophy of thyroid gland. Loss of flesh with good appetite and great emaciation. Patient cannot tolerate warm surroundings and feels better by going in cold air.
- Thyroidinum: Excellent remedy for thyroid troubles including myxoedema and cretinism. Sensitive to cold air, emaciation with cold hands and feet. Acts well in arrested development in children.
- Graphites: For fair, stout ladies with history of delayed menses. Constipation with hard, difficult stools and late, scanty menses. Complaints worse in warmth and at night.
More than 50 remedies can be potentially given in homeopathic treatment for Hypothyroidism. Each remedy and its indications are unique to the individual and help in providing lasting relief to the patient.
HYPOTHYROIDISM: 1Aeth, 1Alum, 2Anac, 1Ange-s, 1Aq-mar, 1Arg-n, 1Arn, 1Ars, 1Aur, 1Ba-sv, 1Bac, 1Bad, 1Bar-c, 2Brom, 1Bufo, 3Calc, 1Calc-f, 3Calc-i, 1Calc-p, 1Calc-s, 2Calc-sil, 2Carc, 1Cist, 1Con, 1Cortico, 1Cortiso, 1Ferr-i, 1Fl-ac, 1Form, 1Fuc, 1Gels, 3Graph, 1Hell, 1Hist, 1Hypoth, 1Ign, 1Iod, 1Kali-c, 3Kali-i, 2Lach, 2Lap-a, 1Levo, 2Lith, 1Luf-op, 2Lyc, 1Lycps, 1Merc, 1Nat-c, 3Nat-m, 1Nux-v, 1Oxyt, 1Ph-ac, 1Phos, 1Pineal, 1Plb, 1Psor, 1Rib-ac, 3Sep, 1Sil, 3Spong, 1Sulfa, 1Sulph, 1Syph, 1Thal, 1Thiop, 1Thuj, 3Thyr
MYXEDEMA, THYROID: 2Ars, 1Cortico, 1Dor, 1Pen, 1Prim-o, 1Sep, 1Sulfa, 2Thyr
GOITER: Children, in: 1Apis, 1Bar-c, 1Calc, 1Calc-f, 1Calc-i, 1Caust, 1Con, 1Hep, 1Iod, 1Kali-i, 1Lap-a, 1Lyc, 1Nat-m, 1Nit-ac, 1Sulph
THYROID, GLAND: Cretinism: 1Absin, 2Aeth, 2Anac, 1Arn, 1Bac, 2Bar-c, 1Bar-m, 2Bufo, 1Calc-p, 1Hell, 1Ign, 1Iod, 2Lap-a, 1Lol, 1Nat-c, 1Oxyt, 1Ph-ac, 1Plb, 1Sep, 1Sulph, 2Thyr
The remedy abbreviations with
- 4 marks- most effective,
- 3 marks- quite effective,
- 2 marks- less effective,
- 1 mark- least effective.
No other system of medicine shows such a fine and focused differentiation between remedies.
Do's
- Help your thyroid gland. Go for walks, do mild to moderate exercises to pep up your metabolic rate and mood.
- Yoga therapy will help in increasing tissue sensitivity to thyroid hormones.
- Monitor your thyroid levels every 6 months.
- Keep up a positive attitude and do not lose hope. Hypothyroidism can be managed.
Don'ts
- Avoid food such as turnips, cabbage, mustard, broccoli, cassava root, soybeans and peanuts. These foods naturally block the utilization of iodine in the body and can aggravate a hypothyroid condition.
- Avoid smoking since the chemicals unleashed in the body can harm the functioning of the thyroid gland.
- Do not self-medicate or discontinue medicines without your doctor's prior consent.
- Increase consumption of food rich in Iodine like seafood, meat, milk and milk products and sea plants.
- Replace normal salt by iodized salt. This will ensure daily intake of Iodine as no food is complete without salt.
- Consumption of nutrients copper, selenium and zinc are essential for normal thyroid hormone production and metabolism. Hence food rich in copper such as eggs, lamb, soy products, nuts and seeds, beans, legumes, almonds, broccoli, cereals and dried fruits should be eaten regularly.
- Food loaded with Selenium include grains, brazil nuts, garlic, wheat germ and fish, shellfish, eggs, red meat, chicken and liver.
- Good intake of zinc can be ensured through seafood (especially oysters), beef, oatmeal, chicken, liver, spinach and nuts.
- Omega-3 fatty acids are important for normal thyroid function and thyroid hormone activity. Make sure to include flaxseeds, walnuts, beans and fish in your diet.
- Tyrosine is an amino acid that is the precursor of thyroid hormones. Amino acids are the basic constituents of proteins. So make sure that you include milk and milk products, eggs meat, fish, nuts and oilseeds, pulses and cereals in your diet.