HASHIMOTO’S DISEASE
Hashimoto’s Disease is an autoimmune disorder where the immune system creates antibodies that attack thyroid cells as if they were a bacteria or virus. If you have already been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, it will be necessary for you to continue to see your endocrinologist as underlying imbalances affecting your immune and other systems are addressed with functional medicine. If you become diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Disease as a result of the testing performed in our office, you will first need to see an endocrinologist to assess if some form of thyroid medication will be necessary while underlying imbalances are addressed through the Functional Medicine approach. It will also be necessary to have your endocrinologist on board to adjust your medication levels as improvements are made in your health. More frequent testing of the full thyroid panels will be necessary for all Hashimoto patients to monitor your thyroid levels.
While your endocrinologist will most likely take the conventional medicine approach by giving thyroid medication. It is rare that they will address the immune issues or any other underlying issues that can be contributing to your thyroid dysfunction. Functional Medicine will take a multi-pronged approach by evaluating components such as gut health(especially leaky gut which causes widespread inflammation and may trigger or exacerbate an autoimmune reaction), genetic factors that can be affecting how your body is processing/synthesizing hormones and toxic substances, vitamin/mineral levels(some of which play very important roles in how your thyroid functions), toxic exposures, adrenal function, and possible underlying stealth infections. Then depending upon the results, Dr. Williams will devise a specific treatment protocol utilizing diet and lifestyle changes coupled with targeted nutraceuticals to address any imbalances found.