Hyper- and hypothyroidism

Hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism is the condition that occurs due to excessive production of thyroid hormone by the thyroid gland. Signs and symptoms vary between people and may include irritability, muscle weakness, sleeping problems, a fast heartbeat, heat intolerance, diarrhoea, enlargement of the thyroid, hand tremor, and weight loss, particularly Graves disease which accounts for approx 50% to 80% of hyperthyroidism.

Hyperthyroidism is under the scope of "Ying Bing 瘿病" mainly attributed to emotional stress and improper diet resulting in qi stagnation, phlegm congelation and blood stasis bind manifested as a nodule in the neck. Early onset is generally an excess pattern due to the liver and heart yin deficiency with hyperactive yang and overtime the disorder develops from excess to deficiency characterized by yin and qi deficiency.

TCM Diagnosis:
Chinese medicine diagnosis can be based on the following:
(1) Aversion to heat and sweating; heart palpitations, insatiable hunger and thin; anxiety and easily angry; protruding eyes (proptosis) and other related-hyperthyroidism symptoms.
(2) Laboratory test: Serum thyroid hormone was measured by an increase in FT4 and a decrease in TSH. (3) MRI and radionuclide examination are helpful for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of this disease.

Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland is not able to produce enough thyroid hormone. Since the main purpose of thyroid hormone is to "run the body's metabolism," it is understandable that people with this condition will have symptoms associated with a slow metabolism.

In Chinese medicine, hypothyroidism is under the scope of Lao Ying 劳瘿, Xu Lao 虚劳 or deficiency detriment and Ying Bing 瘿病.  The pathogenesis of hypothyroidism is yang qi deficiency thus the root cause is attributed to spleen and kidney yang deficiency. The pathology of qi stagnation, phlegm turbidity, and blood stasis is the product of yang deficiency. Thus, this is a complex syndrome of  tip excess with root deficiency. For patients suffering from hypothyroidism; the root cause is yang deficiency with residual heat not fully resolved characterized by qi and yin deficiency. Based on the theory that yin and yang are rooted with each other; therefore treatment is to incorporate augmenting qi, nourish yin and clear heat apart from tonifying the yang.

Professor Ni Qing will share with you  his road-tested  targeted formulas with  specialised targeted herbs to fast track the improvement of  thyroid function. There will be sampled case studies with detailed discussion and analysis. of the formulas and herbs.

In recent years, research on modern pharmacology of Chinese medicine has achieved important results. Most of the results on herbs can be  combined with the traditional Chinese Medicine pattern identification to enhance  the blood tests indicators of many contemporary diseases . To cite an example, the Shang Han Lun formula Ge Gen Qin Lian Tang is indicated for treatment of heat-related diarrhoea. Clinically, this formula can be used to treat diabetes because the combination of Ge Gen , Huang Qin and Huang Lian can effectively reduce the elevated blood sugar for diabetes patients. Other herbs such as Hong Qu and Huai Niu Xi can reduce blood pressure etc.