A 42-year-old woman came to our clinic, having recently been diagnosed with hypothyroidism. Her symptoms included recent weight gain, fatigue, depression, constipation, and brain fog. She had been taking Armour Thyroid medication for six weeks but was still feeling poorly. This hypothyroid case study describes how acupuncture relieved her symptoms.
What is Hypothyroidism?
Hypothyroidism is an endocrine system disorder where the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone. It can cause many symptoms, including:
- Fatigue.
- Numbness and tingling in your hands.
- Constipation.
- Unexplained weight gain.
- Body soreness and muscle weakness.
- Higher than normal cholesterol levels.
- Depression.
- Intolerance to cold.
- Dry, coarse skin and hair.
- Decreased sexual interest.
- Frequent and heavy menstrual periods.
- Drooping eyelids, puffy eyes, and face).
- Lower and hoarser voice.
- Brain fog.
Doctors typically prescribe a form of thyroid hormone (either natural or synthetic) to replace the deficit. For many, this pharmaceutical treatment works wonders. But for others, symptoms persist. That’s where acupuncture comes in. Our treatment can naturally reduce the adverse effects of hypothyroidism with long-lasting results. This was the case with the patient in this hypothyroid case study.
Hypothyroid Case Study
Our patient had been in good health for years, exercising regularly, working, and raising two children. Then, over the course of six months, she started gaining weight, feeling fatigued all the time, and experiencing depression (which had never happened before). On top of that, she started having trouble with bowel movements (constipation). The final indignity was persistent brain fog, making it difficult to interact with colleagues at work, which added tremendous stress to her already troubling situation.
The diagnosis of hypothyroidism was a relief because it meant she was not dying. However, while the thyroid medicine reduced her symptoms, it fell short in resolving them. She estimated that the Armour thyroid had effectively decreased her symptoms by 50 percent. So the question was, would acupuncture be able to bring her additional relief?
Acupuncture Protocol for Hypothyroidism
Our patient’s symptoms in this hypothyroid case study all fell within the Chinese medicine diagnosis of Spleen Qi deficiency. In addition, her tongue and pulse confirmed the diagnosis. Her tongue had a white coating, the edges were scalloped, and her pulse was weak, clearly pointing to weak Spleen Qi.
We treated her with acupoints designed to strengthen Speen Qi, including ST36, SP3, CV12, ST21, and BL20. These points tackled her overall pattern imbalance, including her weight gain and fatigue. In addition, we added two acupoints to address the depression, LV3 and BL18. For brain fog, we added Si shen cong and GV20. Finally, for constipation, we applied acupoints ST25 and ST37.
Promising Initial Results
After four treatments, spaced one week apart, our patient reported feeling significantly better. Her symptoms had reduced by 20 percent. This news was encouraging since, typically, if a patient sees any improvement following the first few treatments, their prognosis for further recovery is excellent.
All the while, our patient was still taking her Armour thyroid medicine. We explained that restoring balance with acupuncture would improve her condition and enable the medications to work better. This result occurs with most Western drugs – they work better when acupuncture balances the internal organs.
Ongoing Thyroid Relief
We treated our hypothyroid case study patient for another four weeks in a row, where she continued to feel better and better. After her eighth treatment, we dropped her to every other week for four weeks. At this point, she was feeling like her old self again. Her mind was clear, energy restored, depression lifted, and bowels regular.
She continued taking her thyroid medicine and getting bloodwork drawn regularly to ensure her thyroid levels remained in the target zone. Then, she decided to continue acupuncture once a month for maintenance, as the treatments felt so good. As a result, she has maintained good health in the past two years and reduced her thyroid medication by half.
Seasonal Changes and Thyroid Function
Over the years, our patient has noticed that her thyroid levels often make slight adjustments during season changes. This observation aligns with Chinese medicine theory, which states that transitioning from one season to the next has a distinct physiological effect on most people. Just because we spend most of our time inside in controlled environments, we are still significantly impacted by the weather and the seasons.
Our hypothyroid case study patient found her maintenance acupuncture helpful during these seasonal transitions and no longer worried when old symptoms started presenting themselves. A single treatment was all she needed to correct the imbalances brought on by a season change.
Life Stressors and Health
Similarly, a life-altering situation can temporarily throw the body out of balance. For example, a death in the family, relationship break-up, challenge with a child, or sickness, can all aggravate a chronic condition, leading to a return of adverse symptoms. Most of our patients no longer worry about these flares, as they know acupuncture can help them restore balance.
Try Acupuncture for Hypothyroidism
Try acupuncture if you have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how good the treatments will make you feel. Our strategy is simple – restoring balance to your body. A chronic health condition does not mean you have to live with unpleasant symptoms.
Acupuncture improves symptoms of many chronic health conditions in addition to hypothyroidism, including autoimmune diseases, digestive and bowel problems, and emotional disorders. The positive results seen in this hypothyroid case study are typical – most patients feel much better after treatment.
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Additional Resources
Watch Video About Our Hypothyroidism Treatment.
Hypothyroid Acupuncture Research Study.
Hashimoto’s Acupuncture Case Study.
Focus Keyphrase: Hypothyroid Case Study
Photo by Jonathan Borba: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-and-her-child-sitting-while-holding-a-cat-2878770/
What our Clients are Saying
Last year I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. My symptoms were severe foggy brain, poor concentration and unexplained weight gain. I was put on hormones, which helped a bit, but still could not shake these problems. Research led me to Raleigh Acupuncture. Jade was amazing. Her treatments totally made my brain work again. And the weight is coming off. Jade is kind and patient. She understands what I’m going through. I highly recommend Jade and Raleigh Acupuncture.
I went to Raleigh Acupuncture for low thyroid. I was tired all the time and depressed. The treatments helped alot. I go monthly now and feel normal again. I recommend Raleigh Acupuncture for treating low thyroid.