Thyroid disorders refer to a group of conditions that affect the thyroid gland, a small butterfly-shaped gland located in the front of the neck. The thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate various bodily functions, including metabolism, growth, and development. The most common symptom of a thyroid disorder is hypothyroidism, which causes fatigue, but it can also present in a number of ways. At Aspen Integrative Medical Center, our physicians offer an integrative approach to your thyroid health. An approach that focuses on identifying the underlying causes altering your thyroid gland function, so they can be remedied while also prescribing natural therapies to optimize thyroid gland function. To learn more about thyroid healing at Aspen Integrative Medical Center, call the office or schedule an appointment online today.

There are several types of thyroid disorders, including:

1. 1. Hypothyroidism: This occurs when the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormones. Symptoms may include fatigue, weight gain, cold intolerance, constipation, dry skin, and depression.
   2. Hyperthyroidism: This condition is characterized by the overproduction of thyroid hormones. Symptoms may include weight loss, increased appetite, rapid heartbeat, anxiety, irritability, heat intolerance, and trembling hands.
   3. Thyroid nodules: These are lumps or growths that develop within the thyroid gland. While most thyroid nodules are benign (non-cancerous), some can be cancerous. Thyroid nodules may cause symptoms such as a visible lump in the neck, difficulty swallowing, or voice changes.
   4. Thyroiditis: This refers to inflammation of the thyroid gland, which can be caused by various factors, including viral infections or autoimmune diseases. Thyroiditis can cause temporary hyperthyroidism followed by hypothyroidism.
   5. Thyroid cancer: Although relatively rare, thyroid cancer can occur. It typically presents as a lump or nodule in the thyroid gland and may require surgical intervention.

Autoimmune thyroiditis is when you have auto-antibodies causing thyroid disease. There are three major types of antibodies:

• anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies
• anti-thyroglobulin antibodies
• thyrotropin receptor antibodies

The presence of these antibodies implies autoimmune thyroid disease — a problem in which your body’s immune system incorrectly produces antibodies to its own, healthy tissue within the thyroid gland.

These antibodies then attack the thyroid tissue preventing it from functioning correctly.

Thyroid disorders can be diagnosed through a combination of physical examination, blood tests to measure hormone levels, imaging studies (such as ultrasound), and sometimes a biopsy to evaluate any suspicious nodules.

Conventional medicine often only tests blood levels of TSH versus our naturopathic physicians routinely also look at free T4, free T4, reverse T3, and thyroid antibodies. A person can have “normal TSH,” but low levels of T4 and/or T3, so it’s important to look at the whole picture. Sometimes due to nutrient deficiency, inflammation, and infections the thyroid gland has difficulty converting T4 into its more active form of T3. So once again this underscores the importance of taking a comprehensive view of thyroid gland function.

While conventional providers often focuses primarily on symptom management through medication, our naturopathic physicians strive to identify and treat the underlying causes. Our treatments integrate natural remedies, lifestyle modifications, and personalized care plans to promote long-term thyroid health. These treatments often strengthen the entire Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis because a decline in adrenal function often precedes hypothyroidism. When natural remedies and lifestyle modifications aren’t sufficient then we frequently prescribe thyroid hormone replacement in the form of thyroid glandulars or synthetic thyroid hormone (such as Levothyroxine, Liothyronine). Regular monitoring of thyroid lab values (TSH, free T3, free T4, thyroid antibodies) and follow-up with our physicians is often necessary to fine tune the right treatment plan for each patient.