Homeopathy for Underactive Thyroid and Thyroid Hair Loss

Sathish Kumar^*
*Correspondence: Sathish Kumar, Department of Practice of Medicine, National Homoeopathy Research Institute in Mental Health, Kottayam, Kerala, India, Email:

Description

The thyroid is a little gland that is situated anterior to the trachea between the suprasternal notch and the cricoid cartilage. It has two lobes that are joined by an isthmus. The average thyroid weighs 12 to 20 grams, has a soft consistency, and is quite vascular. One of the most prevalent endocrinological conditions worldwide, hypothyroidism is a condition when the thyroid gland does not generate enough thyroid hormone [1].

The most prevalent autoimmune condition that affects a specific organ is Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT). It causes the thyroid gland to be destroyed. Approximately 42 million Indians, on average, have thyroid illness from a variety of sources. According to a cross-sectional population survey, 46.3% of people with thyroid dysfunction had an elevated anti-Thyroid peroxidase antibody (anti-TPO Ab) titer. The survey was conducted among residents of the coastal region of central Kerala in south India. As a result of excessive iodine consumption, particularly in coastal areas, HT is the main cause of hypothyroidism in the areas of the world where iodine is abundant. The majority of the time, the level of circulating antibodies determines the HT diagnosis. Anti-Thyroglobulinantibody, lower echogenicity is found in thyroid sonography, Hurthle cells are seen in FNAC smears, and Anti-Thyroid Peroxidase antibody all contribute to roughly 90% of the sensitivity to diagnose autoimmune thyroiditis. Lymphocytic infiltration causes thyroid follicular destruction in HT, which causes the thyroid gland to atrophy and fibrose and gradually lose its ability to function. When the male to female ratio was 1:10, women were more affected. Levothyroxine, when taken at the recommended amount, is a component of conventional therapy that aids in the conversion of T4 to T3. However, overdosing on supplements might result in morbid consequences like arrhythmias and osteoporosis [2,3].

Homeopathic treatment provides relief for uncomfortable signs and symptoms as well as assists the body stimulate the thyroid gland to overcome hypothyroidism. Iodum, Bromium, Thyroidinum, Spongia, and other homoeopathic medications are some that aid in improving thyroid functions. Alternative medicine Subclinical hypothyroidism may be treated with thyroidinum, and patients may avoid developing overt hypothyroidism. An exploratory randomised control study in homoeopathy found a statistically significant decrease in serum TSH and Anti-TPO values after homoeopathic intervention, indicating that the drug has the potential to treat both subclinical and overt hypothyroidism as well as possibly halting its progression.

Common symptoms of thyroid dysfunction include fatigue, sleepiness, dry skin, dry hair, menorrhagia, and weight gain. Less common symptoms include constipation, hoarseness, carpal tunnel syndrome, alopecia, depression, infertility, bradycardia, and dermal myxoedema. Women are more likely than men to have thyroid problems. Although the majority of hypothyroidism cases are not clinically visible, it is still important to keep a high index of suspicion to avoid missing the diagnosis when middle-aged women present with vague symptoms including fatigue, weight gain, depression, or carpal tunnel syndrome. TSH, T3, and T4 levels in the serum are used to diagnose hypothyroidism. When Hashimoto's thyroiditis is suspected, thyroid autoantibodies such anti-thyroglobulin and anti-thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) are examined [4].

When treating hypothyroidism, homoeopathy has a lot of options. One of the most prevalent long-term, progressive endocrinological illnesses that can have serious side effects if undiagnosed or ignored is hypothyroidism. The standard medical approach controls symptoms. But over time, even while taking a regular dose of thyroid medication, hypothyroidism symptoms and physical dysfunctions including irregular menstruation, weight gain, and mood swings persist. Homeopathy treats hypothyroidism without causing any negative side effects, and the drugs are chosen based on the patient's physical, mental, and other characteristics. Homeopathy is a personalised form of medicine since it regards every case as unique because the severity of the symptoms and emotional disturbances might vary from case to case. Therefore, Homoeopathy based on the principle of ‘Similia similibus curantur’ means “Likes Cure Likes” [5].

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

References

1. Ghare, Prajakta, A. B. Jadhav, and A. V. Patil. “A Clinical Study to See the Effect of Thyroidinum, a Homoeopathic Preparation on Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody in Subclinical Hypothyroidism of Age Group between 18-70 Years.” Int J Health Sci Res 10(2020):18-22.

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2. Chauhan, Vijay K., Raj K. Manchanda, Archana Narang, and Raman K. Marwaha, et al. “Efficacy of homeopathic intervention in subclinical hypothyroidism with or without autoimmune thyroiditis in children: an exploratory randomized control study.” Homeopathy 130(2014):224-231.

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3. Ragusa, Francesca, Poupak Fallahi, Giusy Elia, and Debora Gonnella, et al. “Hashimotos Thyroiditis: Epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinic and therapy.” Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab 33(2019):101367.

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5. Firenzuoli, Fabio, and Luigi Gori. “Herbal medicine today: Clinical and research issues.” Evid Based Complement Altern Med 4 (2007): 37-40.

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