25th May was World Thyroid Day which kickstarted World Thyroid Awareness Week, but for me every day is thyroid awareness day!
I’ve written about underactive thyroid / Hashimoto’s disease here, but this article is going to explore some of the other thyroid conditions that I often see in practice.
Hyperactive thyroid / Grave’s disease:
Put simply, this is the opposite of underactive thyroid / hypothyroidism / Hashimoto’s disease. With hyperthyroidism, the thyroid gland is producing too many thyroid hormones. The symptoms can be the opposite of underactive thyroid, but fatigue and insomnia can be common to both.
As with hypothyroidism, the Nutritional Therapy approach to hyperthyroidism involves investigating and addressing the potential underlying reasons too many thyroid hormones are being produced. This includes establishing whether the immune system is involved and triggering autoimmunity and testing for the relevant antibodies.
Thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb) indicate Hashimoto's and sometimes Grave's Disease
Thyroid stimulating hormone receptor antibodies (TRAb) are raised in Grave's Diseases.
Partial or Full Thyroidectomy:
A thyroidectomy is the removal of part or all of the thyroid gland, which may be recommended as treatment for thyroid cancer, goitre or hyperthyroidism.
With a partial thyroidectomy, thyroid hormone replacement therapy (thyroxine) may or may not be required and thyroid function should be monitored regularly. With a full thyroidectomy, replacement hormone therapy (levothyroxine) will be necessary as there is no thyroid gland to make it. The most common issue I find when working with post-thyroidectomy is symptoms of underactive thyroid. Just like thyroxine that is made by the thyroid gland, levothyroxine also need to be converted to active T3, so factors that affect conversion such a nutrient deficiencies, stress and gut health often need to be addressed.
Thyroid Nodules:
Thyroid nodules are lumps in the thyroid gland which are usually benign, and as with most thyroid conditions, are more common in women than men.
Nodules may be caused by Hashimoto's disease, inflammation and/or nutrient deficiencies. They may result in difficulty swallowing and/or breathing and should be investigated by a medical practitioner in the first instance.
More information on thyroid nodules and swellings
See what my clients with thyroid conditions say about working with me here.
If you are concerned about your thyroid function for any reason, please speak with your GP in the first instance.
The content on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
If you have been diagnosed with one of the above conditions, why not book a FREE discovery call to discover how nutritional therapy may help?
And if you're not already receiving my monthly emails, you can sign up here to ensure you don't miss out on future articles.