Treatment for hyperthyroidism

Medication treatment for hyperthyroidism

Antithyroid drugs decrease the production of the thyroid hormone. The preferred drug is methimazole, but propylthiouracil (PTU) may be indicated in patients who are allergic to methimazole, and in the first three months of pregnancy. These medications may be taken for periods exceeding two years, and it may cause the patient to go into remission, but there is no guarantee that thyroid problems may not reappear.

The use of antithyroid medication may either be short term (diagnostic in nature) or long term. The hope behind long term treatment is that the patient would go into remission even stopping use of the antithyroid drugs.

Beta blockers as medication for hyperthyroidism are intended to control the symptoms of the disease. Symptoms include increased heart rate, anxiety and excess body heat production.

The use of radioactive iodine is meant to cause eventual permanent elimination of the thyroid altogether. It is highly expected that patients that use this type of treatment will have to use thyroid hormone for the duration of their lifespan. Generally, response to treatment is between six and eighteen weeks. Doctors prescribe radioactive iodine therapy to absolutely destroy thyroid function and minimize the reoccurrence of hyperthyroidism once and for all.

Surgical removal of the thyroid gland is the most definite hyperthyroidism treatment as it gets rid of the thyroid, but for medical professionals this is a last resort. There is high risk during a thyroidectomy of injuring the nerves surrounding the larynx, and of damage to the parathyroid glands. As a matter of fact, surgery is only indicated where there is the presence of a goiter that affects the patient’s breathing, or where antithyroid drugs have no effect. Where the patient has cancerous thyroid nodules, surgery is ultimately recommended, and post-cancer treatment is continued.

Patients who have been treated either surgically or with radioactive iodine are now in the position of having too little thyroid hormone in the system, and so need to take supplements. Thus, they are required to have regular follow ups to ensure an adequate level of thyroid hormones in the blood.

If hyperthyroidism is not diagnosed and treated, the results can be congestive heart failure and brittle bone disease.

Natural hyperthyroidism treatments

As with any kind of disease, hyperthyroidism treatment includes changes to the diet. Iodized salt has been found to exacerbate hyperthyroidism and should be avoided as iodine severely affects thyroid function, causing either hyper or hypothyroidism and in some cases, thyroid cancer. Therefore, as part of natural hyperthyroidism treatments, stay away from foods rich in iodine, such as seaweeds, kelp and jellyfish, and increase intake of proteins and sufficient amounts carbohydrates. Limit caffeine intake, from coffee tea and tobacco. Do eat foods rich in lecithin, riboflavin and thiamin to treat hyperthyroidism.

We cannot understate the effect of not ensuring the proper diet to combat the symptoms and long term effects of the thyroid disease.

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