What is Hypothyroid ?

It is an illness characterised by abnormally low thyroid hormone production.

This can be due to the problem with thyroid gland itself wherein it cannot produce sufficient hormones due to certain reasons or due to a problem with the pituitary gland wherein the basic stimulus for the hormone secretion is lacking.The incidence being much higher in women.

If not treated in time, it can effect:

• Brain development
• Breathing
• Heart and nervous system functions
• Body temperature
• Muscle strength
• Skin dryness
• Menstrual cycles
• Weight
• Cholesterol levels.

 

Diagnosis of Hypothyroid:

The most common blood test used is the TSH test. If the TSH report is above normal then you may be diagnosed as having hypothyroidism.

Additional blood tests used to confirm the diagnosis or determine the cause of hypothyroidism are the free T3 & free T4 test and the thyroid auto-antibody test.

• Fatigue- the patient feels tired and fatiguued easily. The stamina for work goes down and is unable to work his or her normal routine.
• Weakness- there is a feeling of weakness in the body. This is also a slow and insidious development and is often neglected by patients.
• Obesity or weight gain- the patient starts gaining weight despite eating little. In some cases, the weight gain may not happen but the patient finds it difficult to lose weight even after keeping a strict exercise and diet regimen.
• Dryness of skin-the skin of the patient remains dry and rough. At the same time, there may be paleness of the skin
• Hair loss- hairfall is often seen and may be quite easily noticed by patients.
• Intolerance of cold- the patient is unable to tolerate cold and feels unduly chilly as compared to other people around him or her
• Constipation- the bowel movements are also altered and one feels constipated or unable to pass stool easily. The stool may be hard or even soft but one may have to strain to pass stool.
• Depression-one tends to feel low and depressed for no rhyme or reason. Even if one does not have any problem in life, one feels sad and low.
• Disturbed menses- in females the menstrual cycle gets disturbed. The periods may be scanty or delayed.
• Irritability- there is increased irritability and one gets irritated at trifles. One may feel repentant later on but at that moment, one is unable to control one’s irritability.
• Decreased libido-there is little desire for any sexual activity.

Causes of Hypothyroidism:

Hypothyroidism is caused when the functioning of the thyroid gland is inadequate to produce the thyroid hormones T3 and T4. This may be due to the problem in the functioning of the thyroid gland or due to inadequate stimulation of the thyroid gland by the pituitary gland. As mentioned earlier, the pituitary gland releases the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone or TSH which causes the thyroid gland to produce more T3 and T4. So if the levels of TSH are low, the thyroid may not be able to produce enough thyroid hormones.

• When the deficiency of thyroid hormones is due inadequate production of thyroid hormones by the thyroid gland, it is known as primary hypothyroidism. When the deficiency is due to inadequate stimulation of the thyroid gland by the pituitary, it is known as secondary hypothyroidism. The prevalence of primary hypothyroidism is much more than secondary hypothyroidism. It is close to 1000 times more common than the secondary one.
• When it comes to primary hypothyroidism, deficiency of Iodine is the most common reason. In areas where the levels of Iodine are low in diet, there is an increased prevalence of hypothyroidism and goitre. Adding iodine to common salt in such areas has shown marked decrease in the incidence of goitre and hypothyroidism.
• In areas where Iodine is adequate, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is the most common cause of hypothyroidism. Thyroiditis means inflammation of the thyroid gland. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune disorder, which means that the problem occurs when the natural immunity of the body starts attacking the body organs or systems itself instead of protecting them from foreign invaders.
• Viral infections or other respiratory disorders may also sometimes cause hypothyroidism.
• Certain medicines may also cause hypothyroidism. A medicine called lithium used to treat psychiatric disorders has been known to cause hypothyroidism.
• Radiation therapy for some cancers may also induce hypothyroidism.
• Treating hyperthyroidism with anti-thyoid medicine can also cause a shift from hyperthyroidism to hypothyroidism.
• Some people may be born with an underactive thyroid gland
• In some cases, the hypothyroidism develops during pregnancy.

Homeopathic treatment for Hypothyroid:

In Homeopathy, we propose to treat the problem not by supplementing the deficiency or surplus but by reactivation of efficient glandular function.

Homeopathic medicines for Hypothyroid act on the body at the level of immunity and restore the deviated function.They also help to control the symptoms of Hypothyroid without any side effects. The treatment for Hypothyroid also helps in overcoming complications of under active thyroid, thus helping in illnesses like chronic fatigue, infertility and obesity.

In Homeopathic medicines for Hypothyroid have to be specific to every individual person. That is the reason a detailed history is required to customise the treatment for Hypothyroid. The Homeopathic treatment for under active thyroid is chalked out after a detailed analysis and review of your past treatments for psoriasis and medicines for psoriasis taken by you.