Thyroid Treatment

Common Thyroid Diseases

About 20 million Americans have some form of thyroid disease. These are the most common:

Graves’ disease – This is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. It is a chronic disorder in which the affected person’s immune system produces antibodies that attack the thyroid, causing inflammation, damage, and the production of excessive amounts of thyroid hormone.

Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis– This is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the United States. Like Graves’ disease, it is a chronic autoimmune condition related to the production of antibodies that target the thyroid and cause inflammation and damage. With Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, however, the body makes decreased amounts of thyroid hormone.

Thyroid Cancer—Thyroid cancer is fairly uncommon, with about 25,000 new cases diagnosed each year. There are four main types of thyroid cancers: papillary, follicular, anaplastic, and medullary cancer. About 60-70% of thyroid cancer cases are papillary. This type affects more women than men and is more common in younger people. About 15% of thyroid cancers are follicular; a more aggressive type of cancer that tends to occur in older women. Anaplastic cancer, also found in older women, accounts for about 5% of thyroid cancers and tends to be both aggressive and difficult to treat. Medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) develops in the C-cells that are found throughout the thyroid. MTC produces calcitonin and may be found with other endocrine cancers in a syndrome called multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome. It can also be difficult to treat if it spreads beyond the thyroid.

Thyroid Nodules— a thyroid nodule is a small lump on the thyroid gland that may be solid or a fluid-filled cyst. As many as 4% of women and 1% of men will have one or more thyroid nodules; however, the overwhelming majority of these nodules are harmless. Occasionally, thyroid nodules can be cancerous and need to be treated.

Thyroiditis— Thyroiditis is an inflammation of the thyroid gland. It may be associated with either hypo- or hyperthyroidism. It may be painful, feeling like a sore throat, or painless. Thyroiditis may be due to autoimmune activity, an infection, exposure to a chemical that is toxic to the thyroid, or an unknown cause. Depending on the cause, it can be acute but transient or chronic.

Goiters—a thyroid goiter is a visible enlargement of the thyroid gland. In the past, this condition was relatively common and was due to a lack of iodine in the diet. Iodine is a necessary component of thyroid hormone production. In many countries, where iodine is now routinely added to table salt (iodized), the incidence of dietary-related goiters has declined significantly. In other parts of the world, however, iodine-related goiters are still common and represent the most common cause of hypothyroidism in some countries. Any of the diseases listed above can also cause goiters. Goiters may compress vital structures of the neck, including the trachea and esophagus. This compression can make it difficult to breathe and swallow.

Tests
Laboratory Tests

The first test your doctor will usually order to detect thyroid dysfunction is a TSH test. If your TSH level is abnormal, the doctor will usually order a total T4 or free T4 test to confirm the diagnosis. A total T3 or free T3 test may be ordered as well.
• TSH – to test for hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, screen newborns for hypothyroidism, and monitor thyroid replacement therapy
• T4 or free T4 – to test for hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism and to screen newborns for hypothyroidism
• T3 or free T3 – to test for hyperthyroidism
Additional tests that may be performed include:
• Thyroid antibodies - to help differentiate different types of thyroiditis and identify autoimmune thyroid conditions
• Calcitonin - to help detect the presence of excessive calcitonin production

Screening: Although the American Thyroid Association and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists recommend that everyone over 35 years of age get screened with a TSH test every 5 years, there is no consensus in the medical community as to when and how often screening for thyroid dysfunction should occur. In 2004, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force found insufficient evidence to recommend for or against routine screening for thyroid disease in adults, and the American College of Physicians has been recommending screening only for women over the age of 50. The American Academy of Family Physicians recommends against routine thyroid screening in asymptomatic patients under the age of 60.

Non-Laboratory Tests:

Thyroid Scans – a test that uses radioactive iodine or technetium to look for thyroid gland abnormalities and to evaluate thyroid function in different areas of the thyroid
Ultrasound – an imaging scan that allows doctors to determine whether a nodule is solid or fluid filled and can help measure the size of the thyroid gland
Biopsies – often a fine-needle biopsy, a procedure that involves inserting a needle into the thyroid and removing a small amount of tissue and/or fluid from a nodule or other area that the doctor wants to examine; an ultrasound is used to guide the needle into the correct position.

Treatment

Treatment for thyroid disease depends on the cause and the effect it is having on hormone production. Therapy for disorders that cause hyperthyroidism may involve radioactive iodine (to destroy part or the entire thyroid), anti-thyroid drugs, or surgery to remove the thyroid. Sometimes all three of these treatments may be used. If the thyroid is destroyed or removed, the patient will become hypothyroid and will need to take synthetic thyroid hormones.
Treatment for thyroid cancers depends on the type of cancer and how far it has spread. It often requires removal of all or part of the thyroid and may involve radioactive iodine treatment and treatment with thyroid hormones. While papillary cancer is usually easily treated and most cases are cured, the others can be a challenge. In some cases, radiation and chemotherapy are used before and after surgical removal of the thyroid.
Treatment for all types and causes of hypothyroidism is usually straightforward and involves thyroid hormone replacement therapy.

At Homeocare International we are offering world class thyroid treatment with international standards. This is the first Homeopathic Super Speciality Clinic for Thyroid diseases in the world. The main aim of treatment is to balance and stabilize natural Thyroid Gland with natural medicines without any side effects. Expert doctors who have done lot of research on Thyroid diseases will be available in this Speciality Clinics. Different causes of the Thyroid problems will be analyzed for the treatment. The motto of the treatment is to treat from the root.