Depending on the thyroid disease present, treatment may require the use of medications, surgery, or radioiodine treatment. These forms of treatment can sometimes be used alone or in combination. There are no safely effective alternatives in homeopathy or herbal medicine for the treatment of thyroid disease.
Iodide tablets
The trace element iodine is a vital substance on which the thyroid gland absolutely depends. However, since iodine is found in food only in small amounts, iodide tablets are taken for both prevention and treatment of iodine deficiency and iodine deficiency-related thyroid diseases. Taking iodide tablets is safe and usually causes no side effects. Iodide tablets are available over the counter at pharmacies.
Thyroid Hormone Tablets
When the thyroid gland cannot make enough of its own thyroid hormone due to iodine deficiency or disease, the metabolism becomes unbalanced. In hypothyroidism, the body’s own hormone thyroxine is therefore replaced by tablets (substitution therapy). The hormone contained in the tablets corresponds to the body’s own thyroid hormone. As a result, the metabolic state returns to normal. When treating with thyroid hormone, it is important that the doctor finds the right dose for each individual patient, checks it regularly over the long term, and that the patient takes the tablets reliably. With few exceptions, intake must be lifelong without interruption, which is associated with no side effects if used correctly.
Thyroid blockers (thyrostatic agents).
In hyperthyroidism, the thyroid gland produces too many hormones, so it must be “slowed down” with medication. Thyroid blockers include a group of medications that slow or completely block the production of thyroid hormones. This normalizes the hormone concentration in the blood and thus also the symptoms of hyperthyroidism. As a rule, this metabolic regulation takes several weeks. In Graves’ disease, these drugs are taken for one to two years. Then a so-called discontinuation test is performed to determine whether spontaneous healing has occurred in the meantime. However, it may also be that the uncontrolled hormone-producing thyroid tissue must ultimately be removed, e.g. in the case of hot nodules. In this case, thyroid blockers serve as temporary treatment and preparation for surgery or radioiodine treatment. Important to know: Many people eat a lot more during hyperthyroidism without gaining weight, because the metabolism is running at full speed. However, after successful treatment, e.g. with thyrostatic drugs, the metabolism runs normally again. If the larger amounts of food are then maintained out of habit, weight gain is pre-programmed.
Radioiodine treatment
With radioiodine treatment, thyroid tissue is restricted in function or reduced in volume. This may be necessary because the thyroid cells are too active or are under attack by the body’s immune system such as in goiter, hot nodules or Graves’ disease. Radioiodine is a special form of iodine that is absorbed by the body in the same way as naturally occurring iodine and accumulates especially in overactive thyroid cells. When it decays, unlike natural iodine, it emits radioactive radiation that can be used to destroy surrounding tissue. Due to the low radiation range of about two millimeters, this effect remains limited to the thyroid cells. Nevertheless, for safety reasons, treatment with radioiodine must not be carried out on pregnant women and nursing mothers. In Germany, radioiodine treatment takes place during a stay of usually three to five days in special nuclear medicine departments of larger hospitals. Usually, the patient receives the radioiodine in the form of a capsule on the day of admission. It cannot be tasted or felt. Occasionally, swelling of the diseased thyroid gland may occur. Often, after radioiodine treatment, administration of thyroid hormone tablets is necessary. This prevents renewed growth of the thyroid gland or replaces the thyroid gland’s limited function due to treatment.
Operation
If surgery is required, for example, because of a goiter or hyperthyroidism, the surgeon usually removes the abnormal portions of the thyroid gland except for small residual lobes on both sides if the tissue is benign. Under certain conditions, only single, isolated nodules are operated out of the thyroid gland. The goal is a residual thyroid gland without nodes. However, it may also be necessary to remove the entire thyroid gland, as in the case of thyroid cancer. Because of their frequency, thyroid surgeries are now standard procedures, much like appendectomies. As with all operations, pain or slight discomfort may occur afterwards in the area of the fresh scar, but this usually subsides quickly. In very rare cases, the vocal cord nerves, which pass very close to the thyroid gland, can be affected. Again, this may be a temporary dysfunction that will resolve.Finally, the parathyroid glands may be impaired or even removed. Then the calcium metabolism is disturbed and must be treated with medication. The operation leaves a small scar in the lower neck area, which is usually only visible on closer inspection. After the operation, depending on the remaining thyroid tissue, further treatment with iodide and/or thyroid hormone tablets is almost always necessary. Medication is given to prevent regrowth of the residual thyroid gland and an inadequate supply of thyroid hormone to the body.
