Understanding Thyroid Dysfunction and How Functional Medicine Can Help

For many living with thyroid dysfunction, the condition can be challenging to diagnose and manage. This complex and often misunderstood condition can affect people of all ages and has been linked to a range of other health issues, including heart disease, anxiety disorders, depression, and fertility problems.

Our thyroids play an integral role in our overall health, but the effects can be extreme when it becomes underactive or overactive.

The thyroid is a small gland in the neck that produces hormones to control many body functions, including growth and metabolism. An imbalance of hormones – such as too much or too little thyroxine – can lead to an array of symptoms, such as fatigue, depression, joint pain, and weight gain.

The traditional medical approach to treating thyroid dysfunction can sometimes be limited in its scope and effectiveness. Medication may be prescribed to manage the condition, but this does not address the underlying cause or provide lasting relief. This is where functional medicine offers a more comprehensive approach to treating thyroid dysfunction.

What Is Thyroid Dysfunction?

The thyroid is a small gland located in the lower part of your neck that produces hormones that regulate many of your body’s functions, including metabolism and energy levels. 

When healthy, the thyroid produces, stores, and releases hormones in balanced amounts. However, too much or too little of these hormones can cause problems and will result in an imbalance known as thyroid dysfunction.

Research points to an array of potential causes for thyroid dysfunction, including dietary deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, environmental toxins, and stress.

For some people, the condition can be caused by an autoimmune disorder, such as Hashimoto’s or Grave’s Disease. These conditions cause your body to attack its own cells, leading to inflammation in the thyroid gland.

Symptoms of Thyroid Dysfunction

The symptoms of thyroid dysfunction vary from person to person and can range from mild to severe.

Common symptoms include fatigue, weight gain or loss, dry skin, depression, muscle aches and pains, difficulty sleeping, anxiousness, or irritability.

It’s important to note that these symptoms are often generic and may also be caused by other conditions. To properly diagnose this condition and determine the root cause of your symptoms, it is essential to visit your doctor for further testing.

Tests may include blood tests to measure the levels of hormones produced by the thyroid and other tests such as a CT scan or ultrasound. By narrowing down the potential causes and getting to the root of the problem, you can find an effective way to manage your symptoms.

Treating Thyroid Dysfunction with Functional Medicine

Functional medicine is a holistic approach to managing health conditions such as thyroid dysfunction. It works by unearthing the underlying causes of your condition and developing a personalized plan to help restore your health.

This approach focuses on understanding how these conditions affect the whole person and examining the interaction between genetics, lifestyle, dietary patterns, and environmental factors. A functional medicine practitioner will work with you to get to the root of the problem by evaluating your symptoms, conducting blood work or genetic testing, and assessing your lifestyle and dietary habits.

Once the underlying cause of your condition is determined, your practitioner will create a personalized treatment plan that can include lifestyle modifications such as dietary changes, stress management techniques, nutritional supplements, and exercise.

For many individuals, this approach can help manage their symptoms while addressing the root causes of their condition to prevent the need for long-term medications.

Help Treat Thyroid Dysfunction with Internal Healing & Wellness

Thyroid dysfunction can be difficult to diagnose due to its wide-ranging symptoms, which often overlap with other conditions, and its tendency to go undiagnosed for long periods before being correctly identified by medical professionals.

Luckily, treatments are available that focus on finding the root cause of the problem rather than simply masking the symptoms so patients can live healthier lives without worrying about their condition worsening over time due to a lack of effective treatment options.

If you suspect you may have some form of thyroid dysfunction, please do not hesitate to seek professional help from Dr. Khan at Internal Healing & Wellness. His expertise in functional medicine and dedication to finding the root causes of health conditions can help you find the answers you need so that your condition does not continue to deteriorate.

Helping those in The Woodlands and surrounding areas regain their health is what we do best. Contact us today for a free consultation, and let’s get started on your journey to better health!