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Thyroid

If you believe you are suffering from a thyroid issue, don’t wait to have it checked. At FoundationMED in Raleigh, North Carolina, we treat not only the symptoms, but the underlying causes of your thyroid disorder.

What is the Thyroid?

Your thyroid is a small gland located at the front of your neck. It produces the hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), which regulate your metabolism, heart rate and digestive function. It also helps with muscle control, bone maintenance, brain development and mood regulation.

Thyroid disorders are sometimes caused by autoimmune diseases such as Graves’ disease and Hashimoto’s disease. However, your thyroid disorder may also be due to nutrient deficiencies or other issues affecting the endocrine system or pituitary gland.

Thyroid disorders cause hyperactivity or hypoactivity, which means that your thyroid either produces too many or too few hormones. Your symptoms depend on whether you have a hyperactive or hypoactive thyroid.

Treatments

How do you treat Thyroid disorders?

At FoundationMED, we work to diagnose the underlying cause of your thyroid dysfunction. We may recommend therapies, dietary changes and supplements such as iodine, selenium, and vitamin D.

We may also run tests to identify foods that trigger any autoimmune responses and help you change your diet to avoid them. Your digestive system contributes to T3 and T4 production, and any inflammation or absorption problems can interfere with your thyroid health.

It’s also critical to manage your stress levels if you have a thyroid disorder. Your stress levels can interfere with thyroid function and trigger autoimmune diseases such as Graves’ disease.

In some cases, you may require thyroid hormone replacement therapy (HRT). If your thyroid doesn’t produce sufficient amounts of the necessary hormones, thyroid hormone replacement therapy is the only option to restore your health and body function.

Symptoms of Hyperactive Thyroid?

  • Weight loss
  • Insomnia
  • Irritability
  • Nervousness
  • Muscle weakness and tremors
  • Vision problems
  • Heat sensitivity
  • Enlarged thyroid gland

Symptoms of Hypoactive Thyroid?

  • Weight gain or trouble losing weight
  • Fatigue
  • Dry hair and skin
  • Forgetfulness
  • Depression
  • Hoarse voice
  • Intolerance to cold

What is Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis?

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune disorder that causes inflammation of the thyroid. This leads to the thyroid producing less thyroid hormone and can eventually result in hypothyroidism. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis can present in men and women at any age, but it is most prevalent in middle-aged women.

In addition to the symptoms of hypoactive thyroid listed above, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is often accompanied by a painless goiter (large swelling of the thyroid in the neck)

FoundationMED Does More

We work to assess and address the multiple issues that together can conspire to negatively affect your health and wellbeing. We call that “root cause” analysis – and it is reflected in our name: FoundationMED.

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