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Tag Archive for: thyroid health

Posts

Diagnosing and managing an underactive thyroid

An Underactive Thyroid: Diagnosis and What Can Help

February 14, 2023/in Hormone Health, Hypothyroidism/by Kaplan Center

Hypothyroidism is a medical condition that is characterized by the body’s inability to produce enough thyroid hormone. The thyroid gland (located in the neck area) produces thyroid hormone, a hormone that is responsible for a wide range of bodily functions. Thyroid hormone plays a role in our metabolism, it helps regulate our energy levels, weight and even has a hand in regulating our sex-drive. So, when levels of thyroid hormone become too high or too low it can lead to a wide range of symptoms that fundamentally affect our day-to-day functioning. In fact, without enough thyroid hormone, many of the body’s functions slow down.

Importantly, women are much more likely than men to develop hypothyroidism and it is a condition more common among people older than 60 years of age.

Symptoms of hypothyroidism

The symptoms of hypothyroidism usually develop slowly and are hard to pinpoint. It makes the diagnosis of hypothyroidism difficult at times because its symptoms mimic many other medical conditions. For these reasons, it can take years for people to realize that they are suffering from hypothyroidism. Symptoms include

  • Tiredness
  • Being sensitive to cold
  • Weight gain
  • Constipation
  • Indigestion
  • Depression
  • Muscle aches and weakness
  • Dry and scaly skin
  • Loss of libido (sex drive)
  • Irregular periods or heavy periods
  • Seeing physical changes in your face (including drooping eyelids, as well as puffiness in the eyes and face)

    Questions? Give Us a Call!

    703-532-4892 x2

Diagnosis

During your visit, our physicians will take the time to develop a good understanding of your condition and how it is impacting your life. This will include exploring the onset of your condition, the specific nature of your symptoms and the overall status of your health. After taking a comprehensive medical history and carrying out a physical exam, some additional diagnostic tests may be recommended. This may include:

  • Blood tests – a full thyroid panel that measures thyroid levels and thyroid antibody levels
  • An evaluation of minerals and vitamins to look for low levels of these nutrients that support the thyroid
  • Digestive tests
  • Tests that measure functioning of the adrenal gland and cortisol levels

Other testing may be carried out to exclude different causes for your symptoms.

How you can improve your thyroid health

The first step to improving your thyroid health is finding the root cause behind the low thyroid levels. Hypothyroidism can be caused by a number of different conditions. For example, it may be caused by an autoimmune condition known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. It may also be caused by damage to the thyroid gland from cancer or radiation, postpartum hypothyroidism or inflammation of the gland. Therefore, finding the root cause is critical.

In most cases, the following items may improve your thyroid function:

  • Dietary changes that support thyroid health.
  • Appropriate vitamin and mineral supplementation
  • Improvement of adrenal and cortisol function by introducing activities to reduce stress such as therapy, meditation, yoga or exercise.

Left untreated, hypothyroidism can lead to other health problems, such as high cholesterol and heart problems. It can also damage the peripheral nerves, interfere with ovulation and lead to the development of a goiter – an abnormal swelling of the thyroid gland in the neck.

If you suspect that you have a thyroid disorder or feel that you are not being adequately treated for a thyroid disorder that you have, make an appointment to speak to one of our providers.

 

References

  • https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/endocrine-diseases/hypothyroidism
  • https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hypothyroidism

 

 

overlooked causes of migraines

5 Overlooked Causes Of Migraine Headaches

June 8, 2021/in Conditions, Migraine/by Gary Kaplan, DO

With migraine headaches, it’s important to look beyond the symptom to target the disease.

Lindsay was 23 years old, fresh out of college, and working at her dream job in Washington, D.C., as a congressional aid. Working in Congress, 10-hour days are the norm and for Lindsey, typically the first to arrive in the morning and last to leave in the evening – that was a short day.

She was in charge not only of the Senator’s schedule but also required to be at his side taking notes at all his meetings, as well as keeping him informed as to who he was meeting with and why.

Young, energetic, with an excellent memory and a gift for attention to detail, Lindsay was a rapidly rising star in the highly competitive world of Capitol Hill. When we met, Lindsay was clearly intelligent, completely charming, and terrified that everything she had achieved could be completely undone by progressively crippling migraines.

She had suffered from migraines since she was 16 and had seen several physicians, including neurologists. Yet despite trials of numerous medications, the headaches had become more frequent and debilitating within the last year.

According to the American Migraine Foundation, 1 billion Americans of all ages suffer from migraines. Women are disproportionately affected, impacting approximately 1 in 5 American women versus 1 in 16 men.

For most migraine sufferers, the attacks occur one to two times a month or less, but about 4 million people agonize with a migraine 15 days or more a month. Migraine headaches are regarded as one of the top 20 of the world’s most debilitating medical illnesses.

Most physicians treat migraines as a disease, when in fact, they may be a symptom. By this, I mean that if you go to your doctor complaining of headaches that are diagnosed as migraines, the appointment typically ends with a prescription for medications to either prevent the occurrence of the headache or treat the acute headache, with little if any testing.

It’s rare for any consideration to be given to why you get the headaches. But, if you can find the underlying cause, you have a much better chance of finding the cure.

Questions? Give Us a Call!

703-532-4892 x2

Here are five frequently overlooked causes of migraine headaches:

1. Celiac disease and gluten intolerance

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease to gluten, a protein found in the grains wheat, barley, and rye. About 1% of the population suffers from Celiac disease and unfortunately, it’s estimated that over 80% of the people with Celiac disease are undiagnosed.

Gluten intolerance (GI) affects about 6% of the American population. GI, while not associated with the damage to the lining of the small intestines as seen in Celiac disease, can make you almost as sick as Celiac disease.

Because eating grains causes Celiac disease and GI, we tend to think that this is an intestinal problem and expect to see people complaining of abdominal symptoms such as bloating, diarrhea and abdominal pain. In fact, both these diseases can present with minimal or no gastrointestinal symptoms and a large number of other symptoms including migraines, peripheral nerve damage, seizures, anxiety disorders, depression, and even schizophrenia. This was documented in an excellent review published in 2012.

You can screen for Celiac disease with a simple blood test, but we do not have any reliable testing for GI as of yet. Treatment for both conditions is the elimination of all gluten-containing foods from your diet.

Questions? Give Us a Call!

703-532-4892 x2

2. Magnesium deficiency

This may play a role in the occurrence of migraines in up to 50% of the people who suffer from this condition. (An excellent summary of this research was published in 2012.)

Magnesium is essential for a wide range of functions in the body and unfortunately, it’s easy to become deficient in magnesium and difficult to measure with a blood test.

Low nutritional intake, excess consumption of coffee, sodas, and alcohol, chronic stress, chronic illness, and intestinal problems (such as Celiac disease creating problems with absorption of magnesium) can all lead to deficiency.

The foods highest in magnesium, such as halibut, mackerel, boiled spinach, bran breakfast cereal, and nuts such as almonds, cashews, and pumpkin seeds, are not foods that typically make up much of our diets.

I encourage my patients suffering from migraines to make the necessary dietary changes and to supplement with between 250 and 500mg of magnesium a day.

One of the side effects of taking magnesium is diarrhea. If you develop diarrhea while taking magnesium, decrease the dose or try switching the type of magnesium you are taking.

We also treat many of our migraine patients with IV magnesium.

3. TMJ disorder

The temporal mandibular joint (TMJ) is the joint where your jaw connects with your skull. The joints are located in front of your ears on either side of your face. If your teeth are misaligned or you grind your teeth, a condition called bruxism, you can develop dysfunction and pain at the TMJ.

Symptoms of TMJ dysfunction include popping of the joint, pain at the joint, difficulty opening your mouth, and headaches. Proper diagnosis and treatment require that you see a dentist familiar with this condition. The headaches caused by TMJ can be misdiagnosed as migraines and TMJ can be a trigger for migraines.

4. Thyroid disease

Both low and high thyroid levels can cause headaches. Thyroid disease, usually associated with fatigue, dry skin, and hair loss when thyroid levels are low, and rapid heart rate and anxiety when thyroid levels are high, may present with migraine as the only significant symptom. This so-called subclinical presentation of thyroid disease can also be seen in adults and children.

Diagnosis can be made with a simple blood test.

5. Mold toxicity

This is highly controversial, but in my experience, mold toxicity is a significant cause of many diseases, including migraines. Molds can produce allergic reactions when inhaled, but the bigger concern is the toxins called mycotoxins that are chemical toxins present within or on the surface of the mold.

Mold toxins can affect almost every organ in the body, but the brain is almost always affected, resulting in neurotoxicity. People with mold toxicity have complaints that vary from mild cognitive impairment to symptoms that look like multiple sclerosis.

Headaches are a common complaint of people suffering from mold toxicity. Mold toxicity should be considered in anyone who has migraines and a history of exposure to water-damaged buildings where mold grows. Unfortunately, very few doctors know about this condition or how to evaluate a patient for the problem. For more information on mold toxicity, see the Biotoxicity and Neurotoxicity page on this website or visit Dr. Shoemaker’s website SurvivingMold.com.

As it turns out, Lindsay’s migraines were a result of being gluten intolerant and having low magnesium levels. Once she eliminated all gluten from her diet and improved her magnesium levels with magnesium IVs, her migraines dramatically improved.

We are here for you, and we want to help.

Our goal is to return you to optimal health as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment please call: 703-532-4892 x2

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