Acupuncture for Thyroid disorders is very useful as long as lifestyle is also addressed.

Thyroid issues are becoming more and more common these days. When it comes to hypothyroidism, the contributing factors I’ve seen most in my clinic over the years are genetics, allergens, leaky gut, emotional stress/trauma, history of an eating disorder, adrenal fatigue, and family history of an autoimmune disorder.

Today I wanted to share with you the most common TCM patterns for Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and the basic treatment protocols for them. But remember, each patient is always unique et requires a specific TCM treatment suited to her/himself 🙂

I know the AcuPro Academy Rock Stars always love a good case study! So here’s one for you all! As usual, let me know what you think. Also if you haven’t invested in the Complete Thyroid & TCM treatments online course, check it out, the feedback has been amazing!

And keep rocking it with TCM!

Clara
TCM Geek

PS: Listen and learn on the go with this podcast episode with a thyroid expert!

Have you seen my Chinese Medicine Treatments Made Easy book yet? It covers over 160 syndromes treatments using acupuncture points, herbal formulas, ear points, diet and more!

 

Case Study
Female: 21 yrs old

  • Chief complaint: Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.
  • Chief Complaint history & symptoms: was diagnosed 3 yrs ago when she went to see a doctor because she was constantly tired. She has taken Levothyrosine for 2 yrs but stopped because she felt she got more side effects from it than results. She hasn’t been on medication for more than 1 year.She has seen a Naturopath Doctor who prescribe a cleanse and a strict diet for 3 months (no dairy, no gluten, no sugar, no processed foods, no alcohol, no coffee).This helped the symptoms while on the diet but they all returned after she resumed her normal eating habits (which are pretty good to begin with).Main symptoms: fatigue especially upon getting up in the morning, wants to sleep a lot during the day, constipation, edema of the ankle and sometimes on rainy days the face & eye lids swell, rapid weight gains in winter (20 to 30lbs) and rapid loss in summer (about the same amount). Hates winter and rainy cold days, feels cold all the time, especially hands & feet & nose; thickening of the neck, bulging eyes, feels heavy especially in her legs.

  • Lifestyle: University student & part-time receptionist. Non drinker, non smoker. Lives in a basement.

  • Main diet: whole grains (oat, barley, brown rice), veggies (mostly stir fries or soups), fruits, fish (salmon, sardines), chicken, turkey, nuts & seeds, & dried fruits; she feels she eats well but in big proportions especially in winter. She loves Tea and sips on them all day long while studying or at school.

    BM: constipated most of the time, has a BM every 3 to 5 days, loose & no odour, no gas. Feels tired after BM.

Body Symptoms

  • Respiratory system: She catches cold very easily. Needs to blow her nose every morning and sometimes a few more times during the day even when she doesn’t have a cold. Has environmental allergies to animal dander, ragweed and dust.

  • Sleep: Falls asleep very easily. She sleeps through the night (9 to 10hrs daily).

  • Musculoskeletal: hips get sore easily, low back is sore also while sitting at school and at work. Hot showers makes it better.

  • Menses: regular cycle, menarche at 17 yrs old, heavy watery period (no clots or cramps) but feels even more tired during the 7 days she bleeds for. PMS: diarrhea for 3 days, fatigue is worse.

  • Mental health: has had to deal with a lot: her parents divorced when she was a child. Her Dad moved away and never contacted them again. Her mom remarried 4 yrs later to a man the patient didn’t like. She was kicked out of the house at 18 yrs old. They said they didn’t want to support her anymore. Since then she has tried numerous times to contact them by letters or phone but they just don’t want anything to do with her. Seemed mature and has her life in order. She says she’s good emotionally except when she thinks about her parents, she feels sad, and abandoned.

  • Other symptoms: gets dizzy when standing up too fast, find it very difficult to concentrating for long periods of time.

  • On observation: pale & puffy face, large neck, overweight, greasy hair, great smile, pale lips, skin on the face is tired looking.
  • Tongue: pale swollen tongue with greasy coat.
  • Pulse: Slippery (at right middle position), Weak soft (at right front position), Deep weak (rear positions).

Cause: Weak constitution affecting KD first, then SP & LU. Secondary cause, emotional stress affecting her KD, SP and LU.

TCM Diagnosis: KD Yang deficiency, SP & LU Qi deficiency. And Because Kd, Sp & Lu are in charge of water metabolism in TCM, when they are deficient, water gets stuck and accumulates creating excess dampness. And there is Phlegm coming from weak constitution as well.

Symptoms differentiation:

  • Sp Qi def.: Fatigue (worse upon waking), rapid weight gain and loss due to SP not bale to transform and transport. Overthink, worry and studying depletes the SP. Loose stools. Sore hips (SP issue). PMS: diarrhea for 3 days, fatigue is worse. Gets dizzy when standing up too fast. And poor concentration due to SP not being able to send clear Qi to the head. Pale lips. 
  • Lu Qi def.: Sadness, she catches cold very easily, environmental allergies. Weak pulse (at right front position).
  • KD Yang def.: ankle edema, feels cold all the time, hates winter and cold rainy weather. She loves teas. Feels tired after BM. Constipation with loose stools, no odour. Sore low back (better on heat). Menarche at 17 yrs old (late start is always KD def.), heavy watery period (no clots or cramps). Loss of parents (feeling of abandonment causes a KD issue/sense of family ties severed). Pale & puffy face. Pale swollen tongue. Deep weak pulse (rear positions).
  • Excess Dampness/phlegm: Swelling of eye lids (SP Qi def. creating damp), face swelling (LU Qi def. creating damp).Heavy legs (damp), thickening of the neck (phlegm). needs to blow her nose (Excess damp in LU), greasy hair (damp), overweight (phlegm). Tongue: greasy coat. And a slippery pulse (at right middle position): dampness or phlegm due to SP def.

Tx principles:
Tonify KD, SP & LU Qi, Warm KD Yang, eliminate dampness, transform Phlegm and raise Qi.

Acupuncture points FOR HASHIMOTO’S
  • Ren 4, Kd 3, Kd 6: moxa to warm Yang and tonify KD.
  • St 36, Sp 6, Lu 7: tonify Sp & Lu Qi.
  • Sp 3 to tonify Sp transforming & transporting function.
  • SP 9 to eliminate Dampness.
  • ST 40 to transform Phlegm.
  • Ren 6, Sp 6 and Du 20 (needled with the meridian flow, towards the nose) to raise Qi.
  • Diet recommendation: doing a food sensitivities test to determine what allergens may cause more issue with the digestive system (like leaky gut…). And it’s important to avoid the following: processed foods, gluten, dairy, grains. Add fermented foods (sauerkraut eaten warm), and bone broth to tonify TCM KD and strengthen LU & SP Qi. Eating cooked and warm foods, and avoiding raw & cold foods/drinks.
  • Other recommendations: reducing or managing emotional stress with meditation, acupuncture, massage…

Basic TCM Treatment Protocols for Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis

  • Characteristics: autoimmune disease, slow inflammation affecting the Thyroid gland and leading to hypothyroidism. Affects mostly middle aged women. It is the most common cause of hypothyroidism (under active thyroid).

If you haven’t invested in the Complete Thyroid & TCM treatments online course, check it out, the feedback has been amazing!