Homeopathic Medicine for Thyroid Gland Problems
Thyroid gland is situated just below the larynx and just above the windpipe. Thyroid disease either under production (hypothyroidism) or over production (hyperthyroidism) of hormones is often hereditary and is on account of a defective immune system, stress or changing hormone levels.
Three steps control the way your thyroid gland functions:
- First, hormone released from your hypothalamus travels to your pituitary gland (see diagram). This hormone signals the pituitary gland to release another hormone. Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH).
- Second, TSH travels from your pituitary gland to your thyroid gland. TSH triggers your thyroid gland to make the hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3).
- Third, thyroid hormones T4 and T3 are release from your thyroid gland into your bloodstream. T4 and T3 travel throughout your body and regulate the rate at which many different organ systems works.
Hypothyroidism results when your thyroid gland is underactiveтАФit does not produce enough thyroid hormones for your body to function at the right level. Some of the symptoms of hypothyroidism include fatigue, weight gain and intolerance to cold. Treating hypothyroidism is simple. Medication can replace the thyroid hormones your body is missing.
A lack of sufficient production makes the body use energy slower and it results in easy weight gain, tiredness, forgetfulness, dry coarse hair and skin, heavy menstruation and constipation. It can cause cholesterol levels to rise or trigger depression.
Over-production makes the body use the energy faster and causes nervousness, irritability, bulging eyes, scanty menses, diarrhea and warm moist palms. It can cause heart rhythm irregularities and osteoporosis.
Goitre or swollen thyroid gland can occur in both the forms of the disease.
The old school treats hypothyroidism with the drug levo-thyroxine and hyperthyroidism with anti-thyroid drugs, radioactive iodine or a partial thyroidectomy. This is a lifelong treatment.
Homeopathy treats such diseases successfully, and though it is a lengthy treatment, it is surely not for the whole life.
HYPOTHYROIDISM (MYXEDEMA)
Imperfect or complete loss of function of the thyroid gland or under production of the thyroid hormones.
Baryta iod. 3x (Thrice a day): When the inflammation is accompanied with the inflammation of tonsils.
Belladonna 1x (Thrice a day): Thyroid secretions becoming poisonous and spreading poison throughout the body via blood stream. Extreme thyroid toxaemia and anemia due to mal-functioning of the thyroid gland and abnormal protrusion of eyeballs and increased heart action.
Calcarea carb. (Thrice a day): Increase of fat in the abdomen. The patient is fat, flabby, fair colored and perspires easily. Thyroid dysfunction. Sweating on palms and soles.
Calcarea fluor. (Thrice a day): Stony hardness of the inflamed glands.
Calcarea iod. 3x (Thrice a day): Thyroid enlargement, about the time of puberty.
Cistus can. (Thrice a day): Inflammation, swelling and suppuration of the gland.
Ferrum phos. 6x (Thrice a day): Inflammation – face flushed and bright red. Menses too profuse and too frequent.
Iodium (Thrice a day): Inflammation and enlargement of the gland.
Kalium carb. (Twice a day): Imperfect or complete loss of function. Do not repeat too often in old gouty and tuberculosis patients.
Kalium iod. 3x (Thrice a day): Inflammed hard gland with swelling. It also protects the thyroid gland in case of radiation.
Petroleum 200 (One dose only) Repeat once a week: Tendency to thyroid diseases.
Sepia (Thrice a day): Low thyroid hormones with low blood pressure and tired feeling.
Thyreoidinum (One dose daily) For 3 days. Repeat after 15 days: Its effects are striking in this disease. The patient craves sugar and is inclined to excessive obesity and gain in weight. Arrested mental and physical development.
Tuberculinum 1M, CM (One dose only): Start the treatment with this medicine. No other medicine should be given for the next 24 hours.
HYPERTHYROIDISM (EXOPTHALMIC GOITRE)
Over-production of thyroid hormone.
Alnus 3c (Thrice a day): Goitre with indigestion due to imperfect secretion of gastric juice.
Bromium (Thrice a day): Enlarged parotid gland and goitre. Dilatated blood vessels on the throat.
Echinacea Q: Goitre with exophthalmic symptoms and protruding eyeballs. Dose 5-10 drops at intervals of 2 hours.
Ephedra: Heavy eyes, starting from their orbits, as if pushed out. Pain in the eyes. It causes loss of weight but sometimes increases palpitations of the heart.
Fucus ves. (Thrice a day): Obesity and non-toxic goitre. Protrusion of eyeballs. Thyroid enlargement.
Iodium 2x (Thrice a day): Rapid emaciation notwithstanding a good appetite. Obesity. Great debility A slight exertion produces perspiration. Loss of breath on going upstairs. Goitre is cured with Iodium CM, one dose given for four nights after the moon has fulled.
Lycopus (Thrice a day): Useful in cases of exophthalmic goitre with heart disease.
Natrium mur. 200 (One dose daily): Exopthalmic goitre. Increased nervousness. Excessive sweating with weight loss. Increase of bowel activity. Excessive hunger.
Petroleum 200 (One dose daily): Tendency to thyroid diseases and affected with goitre. Gastric acidity and skin eruptions. Excessive hunger.
NOTE: Thyroid problems can somewhat be determined by self-examination in the following way:
- Exact problem can only be found out by clinical laboratory tests under the supervision of an endocrinologist.
- Under a hand mirror, focus on the area of the neck just below the AdamтАЩs apple and immediately above the collar bone, tipping the head back. Take a drink of water and swallow. Check for any protrusions on the neck while swallowing. If there are any bulges, there may be an enlarged thyroid gland or a thyroid nodule.
- A malfunctioning thyroid can be identified through a simple TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) blood test that indicates if the hormone level is too high or too low.
- In the most common Surgery for thyroid cancer, complete thyroid gland is removed and it is followed by giving radioactive iodine to the patient. Any remaining cancer tissue absorbs iodine and the radioactive substance destroys the cancer cells.
- The following are the principal hormones secreted by the thyroid gland:
T3-Tri-iodothyromine.
T4-Tetra-iodothyromine or Thyroxine (normal range 9-23. 8)
TSH-Thyroid stimulating hormone (normal range 0. 30-4. 70)
T4 is connected with hypothyroidism. - Most thyroid function tests are unreliable to contain circumstances. They may be influenced by the patient having been exposed to organic or inorganic iodides or to drugs that interfere with the binding capacity of serum protein.