Thyroiditis - Alternative Medicine.com

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Thyroiditis JoAnn Guest

Jun 10, 2006 18:00 PDT

 

 

Also Listed As: Thyroid Inflammation

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Thyroiditis is an inflammation of the thyroid gland. There are

several

types of thyroiditis, but each of them generally produce three

phases:

 

overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), underactive thyroid

(hypothyroidism), and return to normal. It usually takes one year to

complete this cycle. Young to middle-aged women seem most at risk,

although some forms of thyroiditis are seen in both men and women of

all

ages. With some forms, hypothyroidism may develop years later even

if

the thyroiditis has resolved.

 

 

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Signs and Symptoms

 

Depending on the type of thyroiditis, the thyroid gland can have one

of

the following characteristics.

 

Firm and enlarged, but not tender

Enlarged and painful, with pain extending to the jaw or ears

Enlarged but not painful; or enlarged on only one side, hard like a

stone, and sticking to other neck structures

You may also have one or more of the following symptoms.

 

Cool, dry skin, slow pulse rate (less than 60 beats per minute),

swelling around the eyes, hoarseness, or slow reflexes

No desire to eat, feeling tired and unenergetic, and a slight fever

A rapid heartbeat, slight nervousness, anxiety, weight loss of 5 to

10

pounds, and increased sweating

 

 

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What Causes It?

 

Thyroiditis can be caused by immune disorders, viruses, and fever

disorders. Sometimes thyroiditis develops if you have Graves'

disease (a

thyroid disorder). In some cases, there is no identifiable cause.

 

 

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What to Expect at Your Provider's Office

 

Your health care provider will feel your neck to see what the

thyroid

gland feels like and may order blood tests to check the levels of

thyroid hormones and other factors. You may be given pain medication

or

something to help you feel more normal.

 

 

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Treatment Options

 

Thyroiditis generally involves three phases: overactive phase,

underactive phase, and return to normal. Treatment is individualized

to

type and phase.

 

 

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Drug Therapies

 

Depending on the particular type of thyroiditis, a physician may

prescribe one or some of the following treatments:

 

Levothyroxine: 0.1 to 0.15 mg daily if hypothyroidism or large

goiter

present

Aspirin: two tablets (325 mg) three to four times daily as needed to

relieve pain and inflammation

Corticosteroid medications (such as prednisone or dexamethasone): at

lowest dose that relieves pain; gives relief in 24 hours, but

continue 4

to 6 weeks after pain is gone; severe cases only

Propranolol: 10 to 40 mg every six hours for thyrotoxic symptoms

Thyroxine: 0.05 to 0.1 mg/daily for hypothyroidism symptoms

Short-term beta-blockers: for hyperthyroid symptoms

Antibiotics

 

 

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Surgical and Other Procedures

 

Partial thyroid removal: to relieve pressure

 

 

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Complementary and Alternative Therapies

 

Alternative therapies can help when used along with the medications

your

provider prescribes.

 

 

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Nutrition

 

Foods that depress thyroid activity are broccoli, cabbage, brussels

sprouts, cauliflower, kale, spinach, turnips, soy, beans, and

mustard

greens. These foods should be included in the diet for hyperthyroid

conditions and avoided for hypothyroid conditions.

Avoid refined foods, sugar, dairy products, wheat, caffeine,

alcohol.

Essential fatty acids are anti-inflammatory and necessary for

hormone

production. Take 1,000 to 1,500 mg flaxseed oil three times per day.

Calcium (1,000 mg per day) and magnesium (200 to 600 mg per day)

help

many metabolic processes function correctly.

Your health care provider may also recommend specific nutritional

supplements for a hyperthyroid or hypothyroid condition.

 

 

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Herbs

 

Herbs may be used as dried extracts (capsules, powders, teas),

glycerites (glycerine extracts), or tinctures (alcohol extracts).

Unless

otherwise indicated, teas should be made with 1 tsp. herb per cup of

hot

water. Steep covered 5 to 10 minutes for leaf or flowers, and 10 to

20

minutes for roots. Drink 2 to 4 cups per day.

 

For hyperthyroid conditions:

 

Bugleweed (Lycopus virginica) and lemon balm (Melissa officinalis)

help

normalize the overactive thyroid.

Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) relieves heart palpitations, and

passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) reduces anxiety. Combine two

parts

of bugleweed with one part each of lemon balm, motherwort, and

passionflower in a tincture, 30 to 60 drops three to four times per

day.

 

Quercetin (250 to 500 mg three times per day) is an anti-

inflammatory.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) makes the effect of bromelain stronger and

should be taken between meals, 500 mg three times per day.

Ginkgo biloba, 80 to 120 mg two times per day.

For hypothyroid conditions:

 

A combination that supports thyroid function includes herbs rich in

minerals. Combine the following for a tea (3 to 4 cups per day) or

tincture (20 to 30 drops three times a day): horsetail (Equisetum

arvense), oatstraw (Avena sativa), alfalfa (Medicago sativa), gotu

kola

(Centella asiatica), and bladderwrack (Fucus vesiculosus).

 

 

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Homeopathy

 

Homeopathy may be useful as a supportive therapy for both " hyper "

and

" hypo " conditions of the thyroid.

 

 

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Physical Medicine

 

For hyperthyroid conditions:

 

Ice packs to the throat will help decrease inflammation.

For hypothyroid conditions:

 

Contrast hydrotherapy. Alternate hot and cold applications to the

neck

and throat. Alternate three minutes hot with one minute cold. Repeat

three times to complete one set. Do two to three sets per day.

Exercise helps improve thyroid function.

 

 

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Acupuncture

 

Acupuncture may be helpful in correcting hormonal imbalances and

addressing underlying deficiencies and excesses involved in

thyroiditis.

 

 

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Massage

 

Therapeutic massage may relieve stress and increase the sense of

well-being.

 

 

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Following Up

 

Your health care provider may need to check you each year.

 

 

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Special Considerations

 

If you are pregnant or just had a baby, you may develop Hashimoto's

thyroiditis.

 

 

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Supporting Research

 

Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs:

Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Boston, Mass: Integrative

Medicine Communications; 1998:432.

 

The Burton Goldberg Group, compilers. Alternative Medicine: The

Definitive Guide. Tiburon, Calif: Future Medicine Publishing Inc;

1997.

 

Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor: Instant Diagnosis and Treatment.

St

Louis, Mo: Mosby-Year Book;1999.

 

Hoffman D. The New Holistic Herbal. New York, NY: Barnes & Noble

Books;

1995:95.

 

Murray MT, Pizzorno JE. Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine. 2nd ed.

Rocklin, Calif: Prima Publishing; 1998:386-390.

 

Noble J, ed. Textbook of Primary Care Medicine. 2nd ed. St Louis,

Mo:

Mosby-Year Book; 1996.

 

Tierney LM Jr, McPhee SJ, Papadakis MA, eds. Current Medical

Diagnosis

and Treatment. Norwalk, Conn: Appleton & Lange; 1994.

 

 

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Review August 1999

Reviewed By: Participants in the review process include: Lonnie Lee,

MD,

Internal Medicine, Silver Springs, MD;Scott Shannon, MD, Integrative

Psychiatry, Medical Director, McKee Hospital Center for Holistic

Medicine, Fort Collins, CO;Terry Yochum, DC, Rocky Mountain

Chiropractic

Center, Arvada, CO.

 

 

2004 A.D.A.M., Inc

 

The publisher does not accept any responsibility for the accuracy of

the

information or the consequences arising from the application, use,

or

misuse of any of the information contained herein, including any

injury

and/or damage to any person or property as a matter of product

liability, negligence, or otherwise. No warranty, expressed or

implied,

is made in regard to the contents of this material. No claims or

endorsements are made for any drugs or compounds currently marketed

or

in investigative use. This material is not intended as a guide to

self-medication. The reader is advised to discuss the information

provided here with a doctor, pharmacist, nurse, or other authorized

healthcare practitioner and to check product information (including

package inserts) regarding dosage, precautions, warnings,

interactions,

and contraindications before administering any drug, herb, or

supplement

discussed herein.

 

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JoAnn Guest

mrsjo-

www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets