Concerns about the diagnosis and treatment of Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is on the incline. This is, to a large extent, due to the fact that life expectancy has increased significantly over recent years which has resulted in there being a larger percentage of elderly people in society. Hypothyroidism is more predominant in older people.
Confirmation that a patient has hypothyroidism is normally determined through blood testing. There are currently approximately three percent of the population that are known to suffer from Hypothyroidism.
Hypothyroidism is the result of the thyroid gland not producing sufficient quantities of the thyroid hormone.
According to information originally provided by the British Medical Journal (BMJ) there is a concern amongst doctors working within the British Thyroid Association that there are a significant number of patients that have been misdiagnosed and received inappropriate thyroid hormone treatment.
Approximately a quarter of the population of the UK have their thyroid function checked annually so the problem is potentially an enormous one.
This is despite the fact that the Royal College of Physicians has recently published clear guidelines regarding the diagnosis and treatment of patients suspected of suffering from primary hypothyroidism.
Most of the organs in the body are affected in some way by the thyroid hormone so this can make diagnosis difficult as a hypothyroidism sufferer can exhibit symptoms that closely mimic the symptoms of other diseases. Because of this there are a number of cases where hypothyroidism has been misdiagnosed and the patient has suffered from the harmful effects of being prescribed excessive amounts of the thyroid hormone. The other concern, of course, is that because of this there are potentially other serious medical conditions that can then go completely undiagnosed.
This apparent confusion about how hypothyroidism should be treated by the medical profession has resulted in a number of sufferers seeking alternative forms of treatment for their condition. They are becoming increasingly reluctant to rely on drugs such as Levothyroxine which are prescribed to them as they are frightened of the potential side effects that these types of drugs can induce.
Is there a realistic alternative to prescribed medications?
Although the majority of doctors are reluctant to acknowledge the fact diet and lifestyle can play a major part in curing hypothyroidism. Eating the correct foods and exercising properly can have a dramatic effect on hypothyroidism. Not only is it important to eat correctly but how, and when, you eat is equally important.
It is therefore imperative that you have a correctly structured diet and treatment program to follow. There is a lot of information that is given about diet for example that is misleading and could in actual fact be detrimental to your hypothyroidism. You must follow a properly worked out hypothyroidism diet and treatment plan that is known to work and you must have some way of monitoring your progress.