Acupuncture and Natural treatment for the Thyroid

The thyroid gland is responsible for metabolism in our body. Overactivity of the thyroid (hyperthyroidism) or reduced function (hypothyroidism) may cause physical and emotional problems. Thyroid therapy in modern medicine is mainly through medications, hormones, and long-term drug dependency. This is not an optimal route as they carry many side effects and can cause long-term imbalance. Natural thyroid treatment can heal the thyroid or reduce the side effects of the medications.

This article is meant to introduce the most effective methods for the natural healing of the thyroid. It should be noted that natural therapy, especially for hypothyroidism, will be more effective when thyroid drugs have not been used for many years. This can lead to atrophy of the thyroid in the long term and is harder to treat.

What is the Thyroid gland?

The thyroid, which is also called the thyroid gland, is a four to five-centimetre butterfly-shaped gland located under Adam’s apple’s skin. In every cell in our body, many chemical processes are called metabolism. The thyroid secretes hormones that control the rate of metabolism in the body. Its function is to define the pace of activity in the whole body.

The thyroid gets its orders from the pituitary gland by the Thyroid stimulation hormone (T.S.H) hormone. This hormone arrives at the thyroid and causes the T3 and T4 hormones, which are the thyroid hormones. The combination of T4 and iodine (which is received through food and water) creates the active hormone T3.

Average values in a blood test are:
T4 values – 4.6-12 mg/dL
TSH values – 0.4 – 4.0 mu/mL
The values vary slightly in various medical facilities and countries. There are two kinds of primary diseases of the thyroid – hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism.

 

What is Hypothyroidism?

Hypothyroidism causes a decline in body functions. The common signs are weight gain (despite low appetite), fatigue, weakness, low blood pressure, slow pulse, sensitivity to the cold, anemia, hair loss, fragile fingernails, dry and cold skin, low libido and more.
Although it is not a life-threatening illness, hypothyroidism can damage the quality of life. Therefore many people prefer a drug treatment if they do not know about natural therapy for hypothyroidism.

The disadvantage of drug treatment is that it is very coarse with the body’s delicate balance. Naturally, the brain keeps the gland’s secretions in a very delicate balance, which changes throughout the day and depends on activity, nutrition, sleep, etc. So even those people who are “balanced” through medication and have average blood test results could still feel, in many cases, symptoms of an imbalance in the thyroid.

What is Hyperthyroidism?

Hyperthyroidism causes an excess of metabolic activity in the body. The common signs are high blood pressure, accelerated heartbeats, shaking, increased perspiration, moist skin, sleeping difficulties, nervousness, increased appetite with weight loss, diarrhea, weakness and eyes sensitivity to light, and often bulged.

One of the leading causes (70%) for the creation of hyperthyroidism is Graves’ disease. Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the gland and manufactures large quantities of thyroid hormones. Graves’ disease has three typical signs – bulging eyes, goitre and swollen skin in the calf area.

Aggravated hyperthyroidism can lead to an uncommon condition of “thyroid storm,” which is an aggravation of all the symptoms and is a life-threatening situation requiring immediate medical intervention. Because of this, doctors generally prefer getting the patient to a condition closer to hypothyroidism through medications or surgery.

Practical Methods in alternative medicine

 

Alternative medicine provides, in many cases, effective treatment for the thyroid. The treatment will be more effective when close to the diagnosis (not after many years).
A natural treatment for the thyroid will improve the symptoms and the blood tests. Sometimes the symptoms are alleviated before we see improvement in the blood tests, which should be regarded as a good sign of improvement.

In alternative medicine, every treatment method has its own diagnosis configuration. First, we must diagnose the cause of the thyroid imbalance: Is it connected to nutrition, drinking, inactivity, an emotional or mental reason? What kind of inner imbalance in the body it’s connected to? And so on. When giving treatment according to the diagnosis, we allow the body to restore the gland’s hormonal balance, which may prevent the use of hormones.

There are several methods in alternative medicine that give better results for thyroid therapy. In many cases, it is recommended to combine two methods or more to maximize results.

 

Chinese medicine for Thyroid

Chinese medicine divides the two thyroid conditions are into the most basic division: Yin and Yang. Hyperthyroidism – is considered as a Yang (representing warm, active energy) condition.
Hypothyroidism is considered as a Yin (representing cold, passive energy) condition.
Generally, Chinese medicine therapy for the thyroid will be as follows:
In hypothyroidism, we will strengthen Yang and disperse Yin, and in hyperthyroidism, we will reinforce Yin and weaken the Yang. The concept of Yin and Yang is very general, of course. In every organ in the body, there is Yin and Yang, and in most cases, there are both excess and deficiency at the same time in several organs. After a thorough Chinese Medicine diagnosis, the patient comes to a complete picture of the condition that created the thyroid imbalance.

The thyroid and the connection to emotions

In thyroid diseases, we must also not forget the connection to emotions, and from an alternative perspective, a throat is a place where emotions accumulate. We can see that when we are emotional in times of sadness or insult, we will experience distress or suffocation in the throat.
Generally, emotions of internalization and suppression for an extended period of time may cause hypothyroidism.
Emotions of temper tantrums and nervousness may cause, in the long run, a condition of hyperthyroidism.

 

Acupuncture for Thyroid

The recommended therapy in Chinese medicine is acupuncture, medicinal herbs and correct nutrition.
Choosing the acupuncture points and medicinal herbs are done personally for each patient and dependent on the personal diagnosis. Not all patients of the same disease receive the same treatment. The treatment is always unique and connected to the diagnosis.

In Chinese medicine, it is not enough to know the blood test values to have a diagnosis. Still, it is necessary to perform a Chinese Medicine diagnosis to determine which organs in the body are imbalanced and choose a treatment plan. Treating the source of the problem is necessary to fix the behavioural factors that contributed to the damage of the gland-like heavy emotions, poor nutrition and lifestyle, physical activity, etc. If the patient has not yet started taking medication, the Chinese medicine treatment would be faster. If the person is taking medication, the impact of the therapy might be slower. However, changing the intake of drugs should not be done without consulting a physician first.

A Case Study: Acupuncture for hypothyroid

 

Lisa, 39 years old, is a mother of three children and works in a computer company’s high-stress job. She was referred by her husband, who received treatment from me for a herniated disk. Lisa called me in a bad mood: she said she was exercising four times a week, keeping good nutrition but cannot lose weight. She complained that she is also tired and absent-minded throughout the day.
After performing blood tests that revealed a low thyroid function -hypothyroidism, her doctor recommended taking medication daily for the thyroid – a drug called Eltroxin. Lisa did some short internet research and understood the dependency that is caused as a result of taking medicine. After consulting with her physician, who said it would be okay for her to try an alternative treatment for a few weeks to see if it helped, she decided to try Chinese medicine to balance the gland naturally.

According to the pulse and tongue, a Chinese medicine diagnosis showed the spleen and kidneys’ weakness and internal dampness in the digestive system. We started a series of treatments that included reinforcing body metabolism, strengthening the digestive system, removing dampness and balancing the thyroid gland and hormones.
The treatments included acupuncture, medicinal herbs and nutritional instructions. After a few weeks, Lisa began losing weight and started feeling more energetic and vibrant. Later, the fatigue was almost completely gone, and after three months, blood tests showed that the thyroid hormones were balanced, without the need for any drug treatment.

Read more about Balance Method Acupuncture.

Recall Healing for Thyroid problems.

The thyroid and our hormonal makeup are linked to our mental and emotional states. According to Recall Healing, diseases are formed in our subconscious and are related to an emotional conflict. Most of our brain is subconscious – we are not aware of why we think specific thoughts, why we have certain emotions or even why we make confident choices in our lives. According to Recall Healing, a disease is not a mistake. A condition is a biological solution of the brain to an inner conflict that we could not resolve ourselves. The body is trying to help us solve it.

 

Recall Healing is done through conversation and after completing a detailed questionnaire. The questionnaire helps us to gather information about the individual and the context around their illness or ailment. This includes their childhood and events that happened around conception, through their mother’s pregnancy and their birth, and their family tree and significant events in the individual’s life.

Subconscious belief or conflict

In Recall Healing for the thyroid, we will find the subconscious cause that creates the gland’s imbalance. The thyroid is connected in our subconscious to these main aspects: Rhythm, time and protection. Hypothyroidism – An example of an emotional conflict that can create hypothyroidism is a woman who wants to “slow down time” to prevent getting old so that she could be fertile and bring a child into the world.

In hyperthyroidism – one of the conflicts in men is “I should have been faster.” An example of that is a man who wanted to see his mom in the hospital before she died but couldn’t make it.
When the problem’s direct cause is identified, often in a few sessions, the thyroid gland can restore its balance.
Recall Healing’s disadvantage is that it takes the patient’s participation in speaking about emotional places that are sometimes unpleasant. For those who are open to recall healing, it is very much recommended to combine a process of this kind for the thyroid with acupuncture or naturopathy.

 

A Case study: addressing hypothyroidism through Recall Healing

Robert, 58 years old, came to the clinic with a new hypothyroidism condition, diagnosed a few weeks earlier. He didn’t start with Eltroxin intake, which his physician had recommended, as he didn’t want to develop a dependency on the drug. Robert felt tired and heavy for the last few months. He had gained some weight, had less motivation and felt “mildly depressed.” Everything seemed ok in his life – no significant events or dramas. We found only one issue that seemed to be bothering him: his wife couldn’t drive, and she had an essential role in her company.

Every evening, he had to drive and pick her up from work, but she was always late since she was busy. He used to sit in the car waiting for her every day… It was worse when they needed to go to social events, and he would be waiting for her in the car a long time, becoming very upset. They were late to most social events, and because he liked to be on time, it caused him much distress inside. But Robert is a nice guy, and he repressed his emotion since he felt the situation and his wife couldn’t be changed. To help him deal with this daily stress and this conflict in his life, his brain had to  “slow him down.” Hypothyroidism is the brain’s way to “slow downtime.”

After talking about his emotions and feelings around the situation and connecting to various events in his life related to time, he also faced a similar inner conflict. After a few more sessions, his blood tests came up typical symptoms disappeared. His brain realized that it didn’t need to store the conflict in the body, and in speaking about it, the inner tension was released, and the body healed.

Naturopathy for Thyroid Treatment

Naturopathy and nutrition as a natural thyroid treatment are very important. In many cases, patients say that food affects thyroid symptoms, both negatively and positively. At the end of the article, there will be general nutrition recommendations for thyroid conditions, but it is, of course, advisable to see a naturopath.

Naturopathy treatment for the thyroid is effective because of the direct link to nutrition, vitamins, supplements and medicinal herbs. For example, in hypothyroidism, it is possible to recommend certain foods and supplements that contain iodine, like algae. An iodine deficiency can contribute to hypothyroidism. Many people with hypothyroidism come to treat weight gain and have great difficulty in losing weight. Until the gland is balanced, it won’t be easy to lose weight. The disadvantage with nutritional therapy is that it can often take an extended period to yield results, and one needs to maintain dietary changes for a long time. Therefore, it is recommended to combine nutritional changes with another therapy method.

It is important to note that alternative medicine treatment for the thyroid aims to treat the source that created the thyroid condition and alleviate the symptoms. Alternative medicine therapy treats the whole person and not the disease. So the treatment is more profound and provides long-lasting results, not just about the illness. Still, the person will often feel an overall change in their life and a general improvement in their overall condition and function.

Medical Treatment for Hypothyroidism

Western medical treatment for hypothyroidism is most commonly the administering of artificial hormones, often Eltroxin, to replace those which the gland usually secretes naturally. Giving Eltroxin may fix the hormonal imbalance but at the same time creates gland degeneration, particularly when taken in high doses, which can create a lifelong dependency on the drug. It is important to note that taking chemical medications can cause damage the function of various organs in the body, such as the liver, which breaks down the medicines.

In the natural state of thyroid hormonal secretion, the thyroid hormone levels in the blood are perpetually monitored by the brain, which changes the amount of the hormonal secretion from the thyroid with the TSH hormone. This specific perpetual change is impossible to recreate through medication because medication delivers a fixed-dose, regardless of the body’s changing needs. So often, people who take hormones cannot stabilize themselves, or the blood tests are standard, but the hypothyroid symptoms remain. In such cases, it is also advisable to do an alternative medicine therapy to work on the symptoms even if the medication is still being taken.

Medical Treatment for Hyperthyroidism

In severe hyperthyroidism cases where prescription drugs do not help, it is considered a risk from Western medicine, and it is necessary to destroy the gland. The doctors will usually give a radioactive iodine treatment that will destroy the gland or carry out its surgical removal. Although this will lead to an extreme hypothyroidism condition, it is considered safer, and the person will take hypothyroid replacement hormones for the rest of their life.
From a natural treatment point of view, we will see faster results in treating hyperthyroidism conditions. Unless it is an extreme medical condition of hyperthyroidism, it is recommended to try an alternative treatment before taking drastic actions.

 

Nutritional recommendations for the thyroid

Hyperthyroidism

Avoid consuming oily and heat stimulating food such as alcohol, dairy products, spicy and dry dishes, various stimulants like Red Bull, caffeine, deep-fried food, preservatives.
Avoid foods that contain iodine, like fish and algae.
It is recommended to eat foods that inhibit the thyroid function like cruciferous, cabbage, kohlrabi, cauliflower, turnip, broccoli, soy and soy products, millet, pine nuts and mustard.

Hypothyroidism

Avoid consuming foods that produce dampness and are cooling, such as dairy products, white flour, white sugar and white sugar products, fresh and cold vegetables and fruits, preservatives, processed food and preserved foods.
It is recommended to avoid gland-inhibiting foods like cruciferous, cabbage, kohlrabi, cauliflower, turnip, broccoli, soy and soy products, millet, pine nuts, mustard.
Eating fish and algae that contain iodine is recommended.
It is recommended to take vitamins like B, C, A, E, Zinc and Selenium.

For nutritional changes, it is essential to follow your therapist’s recommendations.

Physical activity for the thyroid

In hypothyroidism, it is important to do physical activity to improve the body’s metabolism, preferably aerobic and active exercise like brisk walks, running and swimming. It would help if you were careful not to over-exert yourself, as it can create fatigue.
In hyperthyroidism, physical activity like running or swimming is good. It will help you release energy, and it is recommended to combine it with relaxing and gentle exercises like Yoga, Qi Gong, meditation, etc.

Summary

As you can see, natural thyroid treatment is abundant and the path to explore if you are looking for a holistic approach that targets the cause of the condition. Thyroid natural treatment can help to restore balance on many levels. We hope this article has helped inform you of different natural treatment options available to you, and we wish you the best for a full recovery!