Greenville SC Holistic Thyroid Clinic

There is a standard approach to thyroid care taken by most practitioners who work within the traditional medical model. If you see your general practitioner or other doctor for thyroid symptoms such as thinning hair, sensitivity to cold or heat, fatigue, or trouble losing excess weight, it’s likely you’ll have blood work done. Blood testing measures TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone), so the practitioner can determine whether or not it falls within a 'normal' range.

The most commonly found thyroid problem is low thyroid, or hypothyroidism. 

In such cases, thyroid replacement medication is often started to correct the imbalance. The hope is that drug therapy will also result in symptom alleviation. 

An underactive thyroid may be responsible for a variety of symptoms, and so can imbalances or dysfunctions throughout the body that cause or are related to low thyroid. Thyroid problems do not occur in isolation, yet targeting just one hormone in the body, TSH, for therapeutic support seems to suggest it is a simple problem with a relatively easy solution. This is not often the case, because the majority of low thyroid patients also have an autoimmune condition known as Hashimoto's disease. 

In standard medicine, thyroid patients aren't routinely tested for Hashimoto's. 

The reason is because the care the patient receives for hypothyroidism isn't likely to change if they do have Hashimoto's. The autoimmune condition isn't addressed because there is no drug that can correct it. Hashimoto's is one example of a condition that is often overlooked or ignored by practitioners working with low thyroid patients. The focus of care is very narrow; bring the TSH levels into a normal range. Unfortunately, this often doesn't do much to help individuals struggling with low thyroid symptoms. It really does nothing at all to address the symptoms and effects of the autoimmune condition if they also have Hashimoto's.

Holistic care is different in its approach to chronic health conditions such as low thyroid. 

Practitioners who are trained in functional wellness, rely on comprehensive testing to gain the fullest possible picture of the individual's condition and health. They do not focus on one 'part' of the body; they examine each patient as a whole. All of the various organs, glands, hormones and systems that are involved in or impacted by your thyroid disorder will be examined. Once it's clear exactly what is going on, each and every aspect of your condition can be addressed through safe, natural therapeutic support. 

Functional wellness focuses on natural therapeutic support that helps the body recover and heal. 

There are no additional health risks involved in this type of care, and no unwanted side-effects. Functional wellness is a holistic care option for thyroid conditions that can serve as an ideal complement to the care you may already be receiving.