Hyperthyroid Disorders

Lesson 7: Alternative Medicine and Lifestyle Influences

Homeopathic Preparations

Homeopathic preparations have been used to treat hyperthyroidism for many years. Although these preparations are more popular in European countries, a number of naturopaths in the United States have experience with their use. According to the integrationist New York physician Rudoph Ballentine, writing in his book Radical healing, homeopathic preparations are the most effective treatments for hyperthyroidism. Homeopathic preparations are very dilute compounds containing minute amounts of the substance responsible for the disease.

Following this principle, iodine in the form of Kelpsan or Iodum, is often prescribed for treating hyperthyroid disorders. Aside from SSKI and Lugol’s solution, the only approved iodine preparations for hyperthyroidism are homeopathic preparations since they contain extremely dilute substances. Other homeopathic preparations commonly used for hyperthyroidism include Calcarea phosphoricum, Natrum muriaticum and Thyroidinum. The strength of the preparation is listed by the strength of the dilution and the number of times the substance was diluted.

For maximum effectiveness, homeopathic preparations should be prescribed on an individual basis. The compounds are suspended in a base of sugar and spun into a pellet or tablet, which is allowed to dissolve on the tongue. These compounds should not be touched since this will affect their concentration, and patients should not take food or water within 30 minutes of using homeopathic preparations.

Homeopathic practitioners are excellent diagnosticians. They are able to carefully evaluate symptoms and analyze the patient as a whole, including personality traits, lifestyle factors, motives and fears to determine the individual’s constitutional type. According to homeopathic principles, the rage at being held down or overlooked is considered to be the major cause of hyperthyroidism. Of interest, this correlates well with the view of chakra imbalances described in the next section.

Homeopathic preparations and their recommended dosages are selected after evaluating the unique characteristics of the individual as well as the severity of his or her predominant symptoms. The constitutional preparation, which is the one most likely to be beneficial, is the one that treats the patient as a total sum of individual emotional, mental, and physical strengths and weaknesses.

Other preparations may be used to balance the constitutional preparation, and the preparations may be used in conjunction with other remedies, particularly diet, herbs and acupuncture. When such a healing protocol is used, full effects can be seen in about four weeks.

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