Traditional Chinese medicine such as acupuncture, Tuina Massage, and herbal therapy do not treat symptoms the way western medicine does. Chinese medicine actually treats the root causes, which have led the patient to suffer from ailments. Acupuncturists will understand all the symptoms, medical history, and lifestyles to find out which system is out of balance.
Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is an autoimmune thyroid disease that leads to the gradual destruction of the thyroid gland. Known to be caused by genetics and environmental factors, this disease, if left untreated, may lead to hypothyroidism, which is indicated by the following symptoms:
- Weight gain that is difficult to lose
- Fatigue
- Constipation
- Hair loss
- Heavy menstrual flow or irregular periods or infertility
- A non-painful goiter (neck swelling) may be present
- Depression, anxiety and panic attacks
- Difficulty in concentrating
If you have a family history of thyroid problems or your parents had another auto-immune disease, you are predisposed to getting this disease. Some of the auto-immune diseases that are related to Hashimoto’s are type 1 diabetes, alopecia, celiac disease and vitiligo. Western doctors diagnose this condition through a blood test, in which the level of TSH, T3, T4, and anti-thyroid antibodies are checked.
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Conventional medicines focus solely on managing thyroid hormone levels and patients are recommended to be on lifelong thyroid replacement hormones instead of balancing the immune function and maintaining the thyroid function. Acupuncture can help reduce the inflammation in the thyroid so the remaining healthy thyroid can still produce a small amount of thyroid hormones. On the other hand, if patients take a high dosage of thyroid hormones, they will lose their thyroid function completely after a few years. They will have to rely on the medication forever. Research has indicated that estrogen dominance and insufficient adrenal gland function can lead to Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
It is very important to consult a renowned acupuncture clinic or an experienced acupuncturist who can help you remove the symptoms and rebalance Yin and Yang by using acupuncture, herbal medicine, and dietary therapy. The acupuncturist stimulates the energy channel present in the kidney, stomach, and liver through inserting fine needles at specific acupoints and providing Chinese herbal preparation.
People with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis may be able to reduce their medications when they work with acupuncturists in Boston area. The lowest possible medications will help patients maintain some level of thyroid function and reduce the side effects of synthetic thyroid hormones.
This autoimmune disease affects women more than men. Getting periodic routine spot checks of the thyroid through blood test can help you be aware of the problem before it manifests in form of symptoms. This will caution you to start acupuncture or Chinese herbal treatment in the early stages, so women can avoid a higher dosage of the medications and lose their thyroid function completely.