Today, I would like to discuss the thyroid gland and its function and treatment. I have found the thyroid to be somewhat challenging to treat because it can shift from hypo (low) to hyper (high) without warning, causing a patient’s program of treatment to change, sometimes frequently. In fact, I refer to this very important gland as elusive because it is able to lead practitioners on a merry chase in trying to treat it.

People suffering from this condition are often highly energetic, have high stress jobs or positions in life, are always on the run, and are often highly intelligent and quick thinking. They have underlying deep fatigue, bordering on exhaustion, of which they are very aware, and for which they compensate with stimulants like coffee, B vitamins, sugar, etc. These stimulants actually feed their thyroid condition and keep it going. They are often very unstable emotionally, go through rapid and dramatic emotional swings, and often appear to be suffering from grief. As a result, their doctors think they have Prozac deficiencies and need anti-depressant or anti-anxiety drugs, but these medications very often only make them worse. Dealing with doctors, they may get the idea that they are “crazy” or “mentally ill”. Thus, once these disturbing symptoms are correctly assigned, the patient must be disabused of these wrong ideas, as their “emotional symptoms” are in reality very much endocrine based and not due to any alleged “mental illness.”
Some of the problem in finding the true cause of such a patient’s ills has to do with how the thyroid is commonly assessed. In medical circles, thyroid function is tested strictly by hormone panels. As this is the case, a practitioner is bound to miss hypo- or hyperactive thyroids at least half the time. And the reason for this is because, as I have mentioned in the past, hormone panels checked at blood level only, do not necessarily reflect the actual state of the gland. The thyroid panel may show that thyroid function is within so-called ‘normal’ range, but clinically the patient may still be manifesting signs of either a hypo- or hyperactive state. Oftentimes, this becomes even more confusing to the average practitioner. Because of this, there are a number of people walking around today that have been placed on anti-depressants, even though no cause of depression has been found. It is my contention that many of such patients are simply suffering from a malfunctioning thyroid.

The thyroid is really the key to most of the endocrine function issues, because it has an effect on all other endocrine organs including the adrenals, the ovaries and uterus, pancreas, and certain digestive organs. This fact was espoused by a well-known endocrinologist by the name of Henry Harrower, who worked this out in the 1930’s. He was and still is in most circles well ahead of his time in understanding the orchestrated endocrine balance.  His works on assessing thyroid function and its effects on the other glands and organ systems of the body are very interesting and are the focal point of much of the work with which I am now involved.

People with hidden thyroid conditions are not always recognizable. They can be skinny or heavy. They can be very active or somewhat lethargic. Their symptoms do not always properly identify the condition, because they can be so diverse. Most of the time, this is because of the fluctuations that are seen in the thyroid as it tries to regulate its function. The thyroid is actually the trump or the ace card of the endocrine system because it affects so many different other things. Once a fluctuating thyroid is detected and handled properly as the priority, the other over stimulated organs can be corrected.

In correcting a true hyperthyroid, the nutritional support called for is usually very low dose, with a very small quantity of products used to do the job. As a Nutrition Response Advanced Clinical Training graduate, I have been taught some very specific procedures to follow in order to handle this condition. These programs can be very successful. So what most other practitioners find to be perplexing can be easily handled by one who has received this training, given patient compliance and time enough for follow-through.

Essentially, Nutrition Response Testing offers solid and measureable help to those suffering from the effects of thyroid hormone fluctuations. A practitioner of this procedure, like me, can very possibly succeed where other practitioners fail in returning a hidden thyroid patient from an erratic, anxiety-ridden existence to a more stabilized and functional state.

So, if you are reading this and are suffering with health conditions that have never been corrected such as fatigue, weight gain or loss, anxiety, digestive issues, hair loss, joint and muscle pain, depression, or hyperactivity, I hope you will consider calling Milford Chiropractic Clinic to schedule an appointment for an evaluation. I believe it would be important to rule out a fluctuating thyroid issue.

Here’s to your good health!

Dr. Jon R. Link