How To Cure Goiter Naturally In People With Hyperthyroidism And Graves Disease

If you have goiter, which is an enlargement of the thyroid gland, then you of course want to find a way to cure this condition, ideally without receiving surgery. The primary cause of goiter is the overproduction of thyroid hormone, typically occurring in people with hyperthyroidism and Graves’ Disease, although it can also develop due to a malignancy. Another potential cause of goiter is a deficiency in iodine, and as a result, it can also occur in people with hypothyroidism as well. When hyperthyroidism or a deficiency of iodine is causing goiter, then it is usually possible to cure goiter naturally by following a natural thyroid treatment protocol.

Although I personally never experienced a “full blown” case of goiter, I did have a minor case when I was initially diagnosed with Graves’ Disease. From a physical standpoint there wasn’t any noticeable difference in my appearance. In other words, because the goiter was in its beginning phases you couldn’t tell that I had the condition. But I had some difficulty swallowing at times, especially when taking certain nutritional supplements, such as the fatty acids. Fortunately the natural thyroid treatment protocol I followed restored my health back to normal, and also resolved the minor case of goiter I had. And such a protocol has helped many other people with goiter as well.

Why Are Natural Treatment Methods So Effective In Treating Goiter?

The reason why natural thyroid treatment methods are so effective in helping people with goiter is because the goal of such a protocol is to not just manage the hyperthyroid symptoms, but to completely restore the normal function of the thyroid gland. So when goiter is caused by an excess in thyroid hormone due to hyperthyroidism, following a natural thyroid treatment protocol will frequently eliminate the cause of the disorder, which in turn will cure the goiter.

But how does one find the underlying cause of the hyperthyroid condition? This is where the expertise of a competent natural endocrine doctor comes into play, as a good holistic doctor won’t just treat the thyroid gland directly, which is the goal of just about every endocrinologist, as well as other types of medical doctors. When someone is diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, they are almost always told to receive anti-thyroid drugs, or are advised to receive radioactive iodine therapy. Anti-thyroid drugs may do a good job of managing the thyroid symptoms, but they don’t do anything for the actual cause of the condition. The goal of radioactive iodine is to obliterate the thyroid gland, which frequently will eliminate the hyperthyroid symptoms, but at the same time will usually make the person hypothyroid for the rest of his or her life, which means they will need to take thyroid hormone daily.

On the other hand, besides looking at your thyroid blood tests, a natural endocrine doctor will also perform additional tests to determine the cause of the condition. While thyroid blood tests are important, they don’t tell us anything about the actual cause of the condition, but instead just tell us whether the person has a malfunctioning thyroid gland. But other areas of the body are usually responsible for causing the thyroid condition. For example, when I was diagnosed with Graves’ Disease, the endocrinologist I saw did nothing to address the immune system, which obviously plays an important role in any autoimmune thyroid condition. Most doctors of course label Graves’ Disease as being incurable, but when they throw common sense out of the window, then it’s no surprise why most endocrinologists can’t cure Graves’ Disease, as well as other cases of hyperthyroidism. Focusing only on the thyroid gland itself, while neglecting other areas of the body, will only result in lifetime symptom management, which is the goal of most medical doctors.

Another area of the body that can lead to a hyperthyroid condition is the adrenal glands. Many people have weak adrenal glands, yet you almost never see an endocrinologist run any kind of test to determine whether someone with hyperthyroidism (or any other thyroid condition) has weak adrenal glands. When I was diagnosed with Graves’ Disease I had an Adrenal Stress Index (ASI) test performed by Diagnos-Techs. This test helps to determine one’s adrenal health by measuring the levels of cortisol at different points throughout the day.

Someone who works a normal shift on a regular basis should have higher levels of cortisol in the morning, and these levels should become lower throughout the day. But people who have any type of adrenal fatigue will typically have lower levels of cortisol in the morning. Even though I didn’t feel fatigued at the time, my cortisol levels were very low in the early and late morning. And weak adrenals in turn can lead to a compromised immune system, which in turn can lead to an autoimmune thyroid condition such as Graves’ Disease. So essentially, unaddressed weak adrenals can indirectly lead to a development of a condition such as goiter.

But what if your goiter is due to an iodine deficiency? Although it’s assumed that many people with hyperthyroidism have an excess of iodine, this isn’t always the case. Many people with hyperthyroidism actually have an iodine deficiency. This can be determined by obtaining an iodine loading test, which is a urine test that determines the body’s excretion of iodine over a 24-hour period. If an iodine deficiency is detected, then the obvious solution to this is to supplement with iodine. Rather than doing this on your own you should consult with a competent holistic doctor, as they will most likely recommend that you begin supplementing with iodine slowly, and you will of course want to take a high quality iodine supplement.

Can Conventional Medical Treatments Cure Goiter In People With Hyperthyroidism?

The problem with conventional medical treatment is that they don’t get to the underlying cause of the disorder. For example, if someone with hyperthyroidism or Graves’ Disease has goiter, and if they take anti-thyroid drugs, this probably will help to prevent the overproduction of thyroid hormone which is responsible for hyperthyroidism, and thus should also resolve the goiter problem. However, the anti-thyroid drugs won’t actually cure hyperthyroidism, which means there is an excellent chance the goiter will return. While sometimes the anti-thyroid drugs will put the person in a state of remission, this usually is temporary.

Radioactive iodine will usually offer a permanent cure for goiter when the cause is an excess production of thyroid hormone. But in all likelihood this treatment method will also make you hypothyroid, which means you will probably need to take thyroid hormone daily for the rest of your life. As a result, this harsh treatment method should be a last resort in most cases. The same concept applies to thyroid surgery. Of course if someone has a severe case of goiter which is causing an obstruction, then surgery might be the only option. But in most cases, RAI and thyroid surgery aren’t necessary for people with hyperthyroidism and goiter.

In summary, a natural thyroid treatment protocol can frequently provide a permanent cure for goiter in people with hyperthyroidism and Graves’ Disease, although such a protocol does take some time to take effect. Therefore, if someone has goiter and is experiencing severe discomfort, or has an obstruction, then medical intervention may be necessary. On the other hand, most mild and moderate cases of goiter can be helped naturally, and thus many people with goiter can benefit from a natural thyroid treatment protocol.

For more information on how to treat Hyperthyroidism and Graves’ Disease through natural treatment methods, please visit my facebook fan page, Graves Disease and Hyperthyroidism: Natural Treatment Solutions (and don't forget to Like the page while you're there!).