How do you permanently treat Hashimotos?

Thyroid Eye Disease (TED or Graves Eye Disease)

What Is Graves’ Eye Disease or Thyroid Eye Disease?

Graves’ eye disease, also known as thyroid eye disease, is an autoimmune condition in which immune cells attack the thyroid gland which responds by secreting an excess amount of thyroid hormone. As a result, the thyroid gland enlarges and excess hormones increase metabolism. The hypermetabolic state is characterized by fast pulse/heartbeat, palpitations, profuse sweating, high blood pressure, irritability, fatigue, weight loss, heat intolerance, and loss of hair and alterations in hair quality. When the immune system attacks the tissues around the eyes, it causes the eye muscles or fat to expand.

The eyes are particularly vulnerable to Graves’ eye disease, because the autoimmune attack often targets the eye muscles and connective tissue within the eye socket. This likely occurs because these tissues contain proteins that appear similar to the immune system as those of the thyroid gland. Ocular symptoms can range from mild to severe; but only 10-20% of patients have sight threatening disease. Another tissue that can also be involved in the immune attack of Graves’ eye disease is the skin of the shins.

Thyroid Glands Relation to the Eye

Although Graves’ disease and Graves’ eye disease both stem from the immune system’s attack on healthy tissue, one disease does not directly cause the other. That’s why treatment of the thyroid gland, while important, does not improve the eye disease. The two diseases run their separate courses and do not necessarily occur at the same time.

Signs and Symptoms of Graves’ Eye Disease

In Graves’ eye disease the tissue around the eye is attacked, and the result is inflammation and swelling, causing:

• Redness and pain
• Puffiness around the eyes
• Bulging of the eyes
• Dry eye and irritation, occurring when the eyelids cannot close completely over bulging eyes

Progressive swelling may cause:

• Increased pressure inside the eye socket
• Pressure-pain or deep headache, which worsens with eye movements
• Decreased vision, when swollen tissues push on the optic nerve

The muscles around the eye are particularly susceptible to the attack of lymphocytes. As they tighten and lose their ability to stretch, these symptoms can occur:

• The eye is pushed forward in its socket causing a “staring” appearance
• Restriction of the eye’s normal movements, resulting in double vision

As symptoms build, many patients fear they will lose their vision. Fortunately, patients almost never go blind from Graves’ eye disease.

Causes

When the immune system attacks the muscles and other ocular tissues in the eye socket, the swelling and scarring resulting from the inflammation causes symptoms and signs noted above. In severe cases, the clear covering of the eye (cornea) may ulcerate, or the optic nerve may be damaged, either of which may result in a permanent loss of vision if not treated appropriately. The former is often due to a combination of the eyes bulging forward and scarring resulting in the eyelids retracting backward. The latter is due to thickened, inflamed and/or scarred muscles impinging on the optic nerve at the back of the socket.

In most patients who develop Graves’ ophthalmopathy, the eyes bulge forward or the eyelid retracts to some degree. Many patients with mild to moderate Graves’ ophthalmopathy will experience spontaneous improvement over the course of two to three years or will adapt to the abnormality. Severe ophthalmopathy will affect 10% of patients. It is caused by inflammation of the muscles, which causes them to swell. They can also become stiff (scarred), which interferes with movement of the eyes and causes double vision or impinges upon the optic nerve, causing loss of vision. In some patients, eye protrusion makes it difficult for the lids to close properly and the cornea becomes exposed and vulnerable. When the optic nerve is compromised, progressive and irreversible vision loss occurs. Rarely, orbital swelling may precipitate glaucoma that also affects the optic nerve.

Risk Factors

Approximately one million Americans are diagnosed with Graves’ eye disease each year. Women are five to six times more likely than men to get the disease. Cigarette smokers are at significantly increased risk to develop the disease, and when they do, often have more severe and prolonged activity that threatens vision.

Although Graves’ disease and Graves’ eye disease both stem from the immune system’s attack on healthy tissue, one disease does not directly cause the other. That’s why treatment of the thyroid gland, while important, does not improve the eye disease. The two diseases run their separate courses and do not necessarily occur at the same time.

Tests and Diagnosis

If your doctor suspects you have an overactive thyroid gland, your thyroid function must first be evaluated and treated appropriately by an internist trained in doing so. Treatments include medications to suppress the production of hormone by the thyroid gland, radioactive iodine to eliminate hormone-producing cells, and surgery to remove the thyroid tissue. In most cases, replacement thyroid hormone is required following the natural course of the Graves’ autoimmune attack on the thyroid gland or following effective treatment. Once your thyroid function is treated and returned to normal, the eye disease must be monitored as it often continues to progress. Eye involvement must be evaluated on a continuing basis by an ophthalmologist during the active phase of the disease and, if necessary, treated. Although symptoms often resolve on their own, activity, scarring, and visual loss not readily apparent to the patient may otherwise go unnoticed and cause permanent changes.

Treatment and Drugs

Treatment for thyroid eye disease generally occurs in two phases. The first phase involves treating the active eye disease. This active period usually lasts two to three years and requires careful monitoring until stable. Treatment during the active phase of the disease focuses on preserving sight and the integrity of the cornea as well as providing treatment for double vision when it interferes with daily functioning and becomes bothersome.

Most patients experience relief from dry eyes by using artificial tears throughout the day and gels or ointments at night. Some patients also use eye covers at night or tape their eyes shut to keep them from becoming dry if the eyelids do not close properly. Dryness occurs because the lids are retracted and cannot blink properly, because the tear-producing glands have been affected by the autoimmune process and aren’t functioning well, and/or because the forward bulging of the eyes prevents them from being completely covered by the lids. In some cases, acute swelling causing double vision or loss of vision may be treated for a limited time with prednisone. However, prednisone given for more than a few weeks at the dosages required to suppress the autoimmune inflammation always causes bothersome side-effects that may become severe. In patients who respond to prednisone, radiation therapy may be offered to reduce swelling, double vision, and, in severe cases, loss of vision. Most people get relief from their symptoms within two months of the radiation. However, radiation treatment is only marginally effective at reducing these abnormalities and may cause ocular dryness. It can only be used at most twice in a person’s lifetime and bears a slight risk for inducing tumors. Surgical decompression can also be used during the active phase, most often to relieve optic neuropathy. It is also helpful in reducing congestion, redness, pain, and ocular exposure.

Treatment during the remission phase that lasts indefinitely in most cases, involves correcting unacceptable permanent changes that persist after the ocular conditions of the active phase have stabilized. In the second phase, treatment of permanent changes may require surgery to correct double vision and reduce eyelid retraction. Surgery may be helpful in returning the eye to a normal position within the socket (orbital decompression).

It is important to stop smoking in order to reduce the severity, duration of activity, degree of scarring, and risk of optic nerve involvement, greatly improving the success of treating Graves’ eye disease.

New Study: ‘Breakthrough’ Drug Reduces Graves’ Eye Disease Symptoms

A clinical trial led by the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center offers hope for those with moderate to severe active TED. Patients had a significant reduction in the severity of symptoms after treatment with teprotumumab, a study drug the Food and Drug Administration designated a “breakthrough therapy.” Learn more about the results of this clinical trial.

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Reviewed by Raymond S. Douglas, M.D., Ph.D.

How to cure thyroid disease forever

A diagnosis of thyroid problems inevitably comes with a disclaimer: there is no permanent cure for thyroid disease. Luckily, that is not true. Let’s understand how to cure your thyroid permanently.

Conventional thyroid treatment is based on medications only. Hormone replacement only works as long as the tablets are taken. To see how effective the treatment is, blood tests are done to check hormone levels. This does not guarantee that patients actually feel comfortable and symptom-free.

Some people think because it is genetic, thyroid disease is not curable permanently. But genes are not solely responsible for causing hypothyroidism. The environment we create inside our bodies determines how genes express themselves.

Autoimmune disease is the most common cause of hypothyroidism. So when we work on how to cure thyroid disease forever, our focus is on controlling this immune process.

Our aim at Jeevam Health is to treat the patient, not just the disease. This includes making you feel healthy, happy, and strong. This is why we have formulated a comprehensive treatment protocol that covers every aspect of your health.

Is thyroid disease permanently curable?

Yes it can be, but only if the treatment is complete.

Hormone replacement is only one component of improving thyroid function. It is like putting out a fire, without knowing what started it. If only hormones were involved, taking medication would be a sure-shot solution. But normal hormone levels don’t ensure symptoms arer relieved..

If one wants to know how to cure thyroid disease forever, finding the root cause is vital. These include:

• Leaky gut
• High inflammation
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Improper diet
• Continued use of antibiotics, antacids, and painkillers
• Stress
• Toxins eg. aluminium, mercury
• Contact with pesticides and plastics
• Lack of exercise This means that thyroid disease is curable permanently but it depends upon multiple factors. The silver lining is that these conditions are treatable. A few simple lifestyle changes can help you find a permanent cure for your thyroid condition.

Achieving this with tablets alone may not be possible. Your treatment plan must suit your specific needs after reaching the root cause. Only then can we aim to reverse the disease.

Why doesn’t everyone get rid of their thyroid disease forever?

Everything above sounds much simpler on paper than it is in reality. Every person has a different body that responds distinctly to stressors and treatment. What works for someone may not work for the next person.

Following a lifestyle plan also requires immense dedication and discipline. We live in a world surrounded by restaurants with easy access to TV shows and movies 24×7. So getting to bed early, a dairy-free diet, and making time for meditation all seem idealistic rather than real.

While it’s easier to just take a tablet and call it a day, it is very important to understand the difference in the outcome. If you want to find a permanent cure for thyroid problems and not just a temporary solution, you have to work on the primary disease process with these lifestyle changes.

With that clear, let’s move on to understanding how to cure your thyroid disease forever.

How do we provide a permanent cure for thyroid disease?

There are a lot of doctors and specialists who give treatment for thyroid disease. This is what sets us apart and gives us results

Detailed history taking

We believe that an in-depth history is crucial to understand when your thyroid problems began. This step helps determine how your thyroid disease is curable permanently. Our doctors and nutritionists ask questions to get a deeper understanding of your specific situation. Following this, a personalized plan is formulated.

Reaching the root cause

You may have got investigations done multiple times since you were diagnosed. Do you wonder why every doctor advises blood tests ?

Laboratory tests are not used to only diagnose a condition. They provide insight into your health and the functioning of your body.

These are the panel of tests that help us reach the root cause of your disease.

• Complete blood count (CBC) with ESR
• Cardiometabolic functioning:
  • Fasting glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c)
  • Fasting Insulin
  • Lipid Profile
  • Homocysteine

  Raised insulin levels seen in PCOS and certain cases of diabetes can also reduce production of thyroid hormones.

  • Nutrition Profile:
    • Vitamin D
    • Iron panel with ferritin
    • Vitamin B12
    • Magnesium A wide variety of nutrients such as iron, iodine, zinc, selenium, and other micronutrients are needed by the thyroid gland to function.
    • Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)
    • Free T3 and T4
    • Anti TPO antibodies and antithyroglobulin antibodies

    How do I cure thyroid disease permanently?

    Stress reduction

    You may be thinking stress is natural. Between managing personal and professional life, who isn’t stressed? But if you want to know how to cure thyroid disease forever, this has to change. Chronic stress, whether physical or mental, increases inflammation in the body. It also reduces the resources available to the thyroid gland to produce hormones.

    This does not mean that you have to meditate for hours each day. You can take a walk outdoors, cook, paint, dance, or whatever else you find fun and exciting.

    Good nutrition

    Just like a car cannot run without fuel, our bodies cannot function without nutrients. Quality of food matters just as much as quantity. Consuming food which is processed or laden with pesticides is harmful to health. With thyroid disease, a good diet is important for weight loss too.

    There is unlimited information available now about weight loss. We aim to make this process no-fuss and easy to follow. Our nutriionists ensure that you are given a good understanding of hypothyroidism diet option. For this, an exact list of ingredients that can be consumed and avoided are given.

    Exercise

    Not everyone needs intense exercise. Simple breathing practices, walking, and yoga are effective for general health. The exercise regimes provided are designed to reduce stress and improve your metabolism. This will keep your weight in check as well as keep you calm.

    Limit exposure to blue light

    There are various types of radiation that we are exposed to in our daily life. One of these is a type of ultraviolet radiation from phone screens, laptops, and LED tubelights known as blue light. Increased nighttime exposure to this has been known to directly impact thyroid hormone levels.

    Reducing inflammation and taking appropriate lifestyle modification measures help to reverse thyroid function. These are important steps of learning how to cure thyroid disease forever.

    Medication

    Thyroid hormone replacement is an essential part of the treatment process. But it is not the only part.

    To make thyroid medication work for you, it should be used as part of a comprehensive plan which addresses every aspect of the disease. That is what we at Jeevam Health do.

    We ensure that the medicines you take are at the optimal dose. We also assess the side effects or various shortcomings due to which you may face problems.

    Please remember that individual diagnoses of thyroid disorders such as Graves disease, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and hyperthyroidism have specific treatment protocols.

    All treatment options are evaluated based on your blood test results and complaints. The ultimate aim is not only to correct your hormone levels but resolve all issues you are facing due to your present condition.

    Conclusion

    Are you still confused about how to cure thyroid disease permanently? I hope not. With sustained effort from your side you can build a lifestyle to take care of yourself.

    A lot of interrelated factors go hand in hand in causing thyroid disease. To cure thyroid forever, addressing all these factors is important. This will make sure you enjoy optimal health.

    We’re here to help. Please get in touch with us and we can help address your concerns and assist you in your journey to better health. Book a call with Jeevam Health Team NOW!

    Hyperthyroidism

    Hyperthyroidism, or overactive thyroid, happens when your thyroid gland makes more thyroid hormones than your body needs.

    Your thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland in the front of your neck. It makes hormones that control the way the body uses energy. These hormones affect nearly every organ in your body and control many of your body’s most important functions. For example, they affect your breathing, heart rate, weight, digestion, and moods. If not treated, hyperthyroidism can cause serious problems with your heart, bones, muscles, menstrual cycle, and fertility. But there are treatments that can help.

    What causes hyperthyroidism?

    Hyperthyroidism has several causes. They include:

    • Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder in which your immune system attacks your thyroid and causes it to make too much hormone. This is the most common cause.
    • Thyroid nodules, which are growths on your thyroid. They are usually benign (not cancer). But they may become overactive and make too much thyroid hormone. Thyroid nodules are more common in older adults.
    • Thyroiditis, inflammation of the thyroid. It causes stored thyroid hormone to leak out of your thyroid gland.
    • Too much iodine. Iodine is found in some medicines, cough syrups, seaweed and seaweed-based supplements. Taking too much of them can cause your thyroid to make too much thyroid hormone.
    • Too much thyroid medicine. This can happen if people who take thyroid hormone medicine for hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) take too much of it.

    Who is at risk for hyperthyroidism?

    You are at higher risk for hyperthyroidism if you:

    • Are a woman
    • Are older than age 60
    • Have been pregnant or had a baby within the past 6 months
    • Have had thyroid surgery or a thyroid problem, such as goiter
    • Have a family history of thyroid disease
    • Have pernicious anemia, in which the body cannot make enough healthy red blood cells because it does not have enough vitamin B12
    • Have type 1 diabetes or primary adrenal insufficiency, a hormonal disorder
    • Get too much iodine, from eating large amounts of foods containing iodine or using iodine-containing medicines or supplements

    What are the symptoms of hyperthyroidism?

    The symptoms of hyperthyroidism can vary from person to person and may include:

    • Nervousness or irritability
    • Fatigue
    • Muscle weakness
    • Trouble tolerating heat
    • Trouble sleeping
    • Tremor, usually in your hands
    • Rapid and irregular heartbeat
    • Frequent bowel movements or diarrhea
    • Weight loss
    • Mood swings
    • Goiter, an enlarged thyroid that may cause your neck to look swollen. Sometimes it can cause trouble with breathing or swallowing.

    Adults over age 60 may have different symptoms than younger adults. For example, they may lose their appetite or withdraw from other people. Sometimes this can be mistaken for depression or dementia.

    What other problems can hyperthyroidism cause?

    If hyperthyroidism isn’t treated, it can cause some serious health problems, including:

    • An irregular heartbeat that can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure, and other heart problems
    • An eye disease called Graves’ ophthalmopathy. It can cause double vision, light sensitivity, and eye pain. In rare cases, it can lead to vision loss.
    • Thinning bones and osteoporosis
    • Fertility problems in women
    • Complications in pregnancy, such as premature birth, low birth weight, high blood pressure in pregnancy, and miscarriage

    How is hyperthyroidism diagnosed?

    Your health care provider may use many tools to make a diagnosis:

    • A medical history, including asking about symptoms
    • A physical exam
    • Thyroid tests, such as
      • TSH, T3, T4, and thyroid antibody blood tests
      • Imaging tests, such as a thyroid scan, ultrasound, or radioactive iodine uptake test. A radioactive iodine uptake test measures how much radioactive iodine your thyroid takes up from your blood after you swallow a small amount of it.

      What are the treatments for hyperthyroidism?

      The treatments for hyperthyroidism include medicines, radioiodine therapy, and thyroid surgery:

      • Medicines for hyperthyroidism include
        • Antithyroid medicines, which cause your thyroid to make less thyroid hormone. You probably need to take the medicines for 1 to 2 years. In some cases, you might need to take the medicines for several years. This is the simplest treatment, but it is often not a permanent cure.
        • Beta blocker medicines, which can reduce symptoms such as tremors, rapid heartbeat, and nervousness. They work quickly and can help you feel better until other treatments take effect.

        If you have hyperthyroidism, it’s important not to get too much iodine. Talk to your health care provider about which foods, supplements, and medicines you need to avoid.

        NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

        Start Here

        • Hyperthyroidism (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
        • Hyperthyroidism (Overactive Thyroid) (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
        • Hyperthyroidism (Overactive Thyroid) (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

        Diagnosis and Tests

        • Thyroid Function Tests (American Thyroid Association) Also in Spanish
        • Thyroid Scan and Uptake (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
        • Thyroid Tests (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
        • Thyroxine (T4) Test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
        • Triiodothyronine (T3) Tests (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
        • TSH (Thyroid-stimulating hormone) test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish