The infographic above indicates the other signs and symptoms associated with an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism). If you experience any other these it’s best to have a blood test done to also check for thyroid antibodies over and above TSH, T3 and T4 to rule out Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. This is an autoimmune disease which causes decreased thyroid function. When I focus on thyroid health specifically I will go into detail on all conditions associated with the thyroid gland and treatment.

How to diagnose or test for an underactive thyroid?

I routinely send patients to check thyroid function by testing TSH, T4 and T3. Another hormone that should be routinely tested is Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH). It is important to note that high insulin levels (seen in many women with and without PCOS) can also affect thyroid hormones (it interferes with the conversion of T4 to T3) which could be the reason why many women on Eltroxin (Levothyroxine) still struggle to lose weight after starting this hormone treatment.

Fortunately, homeopathic medicine can be used in conjunction with Eltroxin. Many patients seek alternate modes of treatments because they still feel the symptoms of hypothyroidism even while on conventional treatment. Other factors to consider in thyroid health is autoimmune disease (Hashimoto’s), or a lack of iodine, stress (high cortisol levels prevents the conversion of the inactive form of the thyroid hormone T4 into the active form T3 in the peripheral tissues) amongst other things.

There are many effective homeopathic remedies to stimulate the thyroid gland – the aim is to help it function normally instead of supplementing the body with an artificial hormone. Treating female reproductive conditions goes beyond just the reproductive system, assessing the body as a whole, diet, lifestyle, stress and other hormones are imperative if you wish to bring about healing. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
#drtnaidoo #homeopath #holistic #hormones