The Thyroid & Chinese Herbal Medicine
Thyroid imbalance impacts our body in different ways.
From the perspectives of both western biomedicine and Chinese medicine, the management of thyroid disorders can be complex. The treatment of thyroid diseases in Chinese herbal medicine typically employs the use of herbs that balance kidney yin and yang energy. Additionally, the use of minerals, sea shells and seaweeds, which contain iodine are used to soften masses such as thyroid nodules and goiter.
A strength of Chinese herbal medicine is that it treats the root of the thyroid condition to more effectively balance the whole physiological system. In western biomedicine thyroid function is measured in terms of TSH, T3 and T4 levels. In Chinese medicine we observe the patient’s pulse qualities, tongue, and take into account the patient’s symptoms to establish a Chinese medical diagnosis. By this, we look at the thyroid imbalance from an angle that points to the root cause of the imbalance leading to thyroid disease.
Common causes of thyroid disease from a Chinese medical perspective include:
- Poor diet impairing the spleen (digestion) thereby promoting phlegm and accumulation of fluids causing nodules
- Excessive emotions such as stress, anger, irritability impairing the liver causing pathogenic heat which rises to singe the yin fluids of the neck
- Heart fire-Mania, agitation, insomnia, giddiness and palpitations impairing the heart yin
Herbal formulas are created according to the pathological pattern into which the patient is categorized. This leads the practitioner to a range of formulas that may benefit the patient and is modified based on accompanying symptoms. One of the herbal formulas used to address a hyperactive thyroid is Chai hu jia long gu mu li tang. This formula would be modified to address specific imbalances for a particular patient such as kidney yin or yang deficiency, blood deficiency, blood stagnation, liver qi stagnation, to name a few.
Chai hu jia long gu mu li tang contains bupleurum which courses the liver qi to ensure smooth flow of qi. This action essentially unites the functions of the internal organs so they work as a team. Thyroid diseases can be understood as an attack on one’s own system, coursing the liver qi helps to dissuade that attack. Another interesting herb in this formula is oyster shell. This herb helps to dissolve phlegm nodules such as goiter and thyroid nodules.
Reference:
Dharmananda, Subhuti. Treatment for Thyroid Diseases With Chinese Herbal Medicine. Retrieved from www.itmonline.org
