It can begin with a sense your body isn’t feeling like it used to: persistent fatigue, difficulty concentrating, mood shifts, or stubborn weight gain despite your best efforts. These symptoms can be subtle at first, but over time, they begin to interfere with everyday life.
Often dismissed, these symptoms can lead to years of frustration before uncovering the root cause: Hashimoto’s disease, a complex autoimmune condition that affects thyroid function and overall health and well- being.
At Dynamic Life Health Center, we’re dedicated to uncovering the underlying causes of these symptoms and delivering personalized, integrative care. If you’re seeking Hashimoto’s disease treatment near Dallas-Fort Worth, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know, from your initial diagnosis to your long-term thyroid support.
What Is Hashimoto’s Disease?
Hashimoto’s disease is an autoimmune disorder that affects the thyroid gland. It causes the immune system to attack and damage the thyroid, which can lead to an underactive thyroid.
Understanding how this condition progresses and how its symptoms manifest helps ensure that those suffering from Hashimoto’s disease can seek treatment when they notice symptoms. With a proper diagnosis, Hashimoto’s disease treatment near Dallas-Fort Worth can manage the disease and relieve its symptoms.
Understanding the Thyroid
The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland that is located at the front of your neck. It’s a part of your endocrine system, which regulates numerous bodily functions through the production of thyroid hormones.
When the thyroid is functioning properly, it releases the right amount of hormones into the bloodstream to keep the body operating smoothly. However, Hashimoto’s disease causes the immune system to attack and destroy thyroid tissue, impairing proper hormone production.
This leads to hypothyroidism. This is when the thyroid gland can’t produce enough hormones to keep the body running normally. The American Thyroid Association found that Hashimoto’s is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the United States.
Uncovering Thyroid Problems
It’s important to know what is causing your hypothyroidism. If you’ve been diagnosed with an underactive thyroid, there’s a good chance that Hashimoto’s disease is causing it. Many doctors do not test for the antibodies that are present when someone has hypothyroidism, or think that the treatment for hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s are the same.
Knowing whether you have hypothyroidism on its own or if it’s caused by Hashimoto’s is crucial for developing a comprehensive and effective treatment plan.
When diagnosing thyroid complications at Dynamic Life Health Center, we order a full panel of thyroid testing to get a complete picture of your thyroid. This includes testing for the possibility of Hashimoto’s disease. These tests give us a clearer picture of your health, so we can provide you with complete, holistic care.
The Symptoms of Hashimoto’s Disease
When our hormones are imbalanced, our body will try to warn us. The symptoms of Hashimoto’s disease can vary widely from person to person, and typically develop slowly over months or years as the thyroid gland continues to be damaged.
There are some common symptoms of the disease, which include:
- Low energy: Those suffering from Hashimoto’s usually experience persistent fatigue and lack of energy, even after getting plenty of rest.
- Weight gain: Our thyroid plays a large role in controlling our metabolism, and an underactive thyroid can slow the metabolism down. This leads to weight gain or difficulty losing weight.
- Brain fog: Hormonal imbalances can cause inflammation in the brain, which can disrupt normal brain functions. This can lead to difficulty concentrating, mental fatigue, and brain fog.
- Cold intolerance: An underactive thyroid can make it more difficult for the body to regulate temperature, which can cause us to feel cold even when in warm environments.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, schedule an appointment to begin the diagnostic evaluation at Dynamic Life Health Center → Schedule
What causes Hashimoto’s disease?
Hashimoto’s disease is a kind of autoimmune system disorder, as the immune system produces antibodies that damage the thyroid gland. Experts don’t fully understand why the immune system begins this process, but some factors may contribute to the disease.
Some common causes for Hashimoto’s include:
- Cortisol imbalances
- Toxins
- Intestinal permeability (leaky gut)
- Nutrient deficiencies
- Food sensitivities
- Infections
- Gut imbalances
Hashimoto’s disease treatment near Dallas-Fort Worth should be centered on assessing and diagnosing the root cause or causes of your disease. At Dynamic Life Health Center, this may include micronutrient testing, gut testing, and cortisol testing.
Finding the underlying cause of the disease ensures proper thyroid health support. Rather than masking the symptoms of the illness, you can truly manage them and feel like you used to again.
Risk Factors for Hashimoto’s Disease
Some factors can contribute to the development of Hashimoto’s disease. This can include lifestyle factors, like smoking, stress, poor diet, nutritional deficiency, and sedentary lifestyle.
Some of the common risk factors for Hashimoto’s disease include:
- Gender: Hashimoto’s disease affects women more than men. Some women also develop thyroid problems during the first year after having a baby.
- Age: As we age, the risk of developing Hashimoto’s disease increases.
- Genetics: People who have family members with thyroid or other autoimmune diseases are at a higher risk of developing Hashimoto’s disease.
- Other immune diseases: The risk of Hashimoto’s disease increases for people who have other autoimmune illnesses, like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or type 1 diabetes.
Though these are common risk factors, they’re not the only ones associated with this disease. Determining which risk factors contribute most to developing Hashimoto’s disease can be difficult, as elements beyond our control are often the cause.
If you have a family history of Hashimoto’s or other autoimmune diseases, take a proactive approach to care. If you notice symptoms begin to manifest, even mildly, seek out Hashimoto’s disease treatment near Dallas-Fort Worth at Dynamic Life so we can tailor care centered on your body’s needs.
Request an appointment for more information on Hashimoto’s diagnosis and treatments from our team at Dynamic Life Health Center → Schedule
Treating Hashimoto’s at Dynamic Life Health Center
No two cases of Hashimoto’s disease are exactly alike, and our team at Dynamic Life Health Center understands that. We base our approach to diagnosing and treating Hashimoto’s disease on personalized care that goes beyond surface-level symptom management.
Throughout the treatment process, we’ll take the time to listen to your symptoms and your story, beginning with comprehensive testing and in-depth treatments. Our goal is to help you restore balance, improve function, and feel like yourself again.
Diagnosing Hashimoto’s Disease
When you begin treatment at Dynamic Life Health Center as a new patient, you’ll initially need 2 appointments that are spaced roughly 3 weeks apart. At the first appointment, you and your provider will review your symptoms, medical history, health goals, and reasons for seeking treatment.
Your provider will personalize a lab order based on this appointment. The lab panel is highly comprehensive and may include testing for:
- Adrenal function/cortisol levels
- A complete thyroid panel
- Vital markers such as A1C, blood sugar, and cholesterol
- Liver and kidney function
- Inflammation levels
- Additional hormone levels
Hashimoto’s disease treatment near Dallas-Fort Worth should always look at the “big picture” of your health. At Dynamic Life Health Center, we practice functional medicine, a holistic approach that centers treatments on determining the root causes of all your symptoms.
Your Hashimoto’s Treatment
At your second appointment, your provider will review the results of your labs and explain how they relate to your symptoms. At this time, they will develop a treatment plan and discuss other measures you can take to improve your overall health.
The recommended treatment protocol will vary depending on the root cause of your Hashimoto’s disease. Some lifestyle recommendations your provider might make include:
- Autoimmune diet
- Exercise recommendations
- Detoxification strategies
- Stress management techniques
Treatment options can include:
- Gut restoration program
- Naltrexone
- Adrenal support
- Nutrient supplementation
If your labs show signs of hypothyroidism, your provider may prescribe a thyroid hormone.
Ongoing Support at Dynamic Life Health Center
Once your protocol and potential medications for Hashimoto’s disease treatment near Dallas-Fort Worth have been prescribed, you will follow up with your provider every 3 months during the first year of your treatment. These check-ups allow us to monitor your progress and ensure that the treatment is working efficiently and effectively.
If at any point you feel your symptoms are not improving, your provider can alter your treatment as needed to help. If your treatment has helped you find relief and manage your Hashimoto’s disease, you’ll be able to schedule check-ups biannually.
Once your symptoms and Hashimoto’s disease have improved, you will have biannual office visits.
It can take a little time for the thyroid to return to optimal function and have you feeling good again. This process can take anywhere from 6 months to a year, as everyone will react differently to prescribed medications and lifestyle changes.
Connect With a Team That Truly Understands Hashimoto’s
Hashimoto’s disease is more than just a thyroid disorder; it’s a complex autoimmune condition that requires thorough, individualized care.
At Dynamic Life Health Center, we believe in looking beyond lab results to understand the full picture of your health, uncovering root causes, and restoring balance through integrative, evidence-based treatment.
If you’re looking for trusted Hashimoto’s disease treatment near Dallas-Fort Worth, we’re here to walk you through every step of the treatment process. Contact Dynamic Health Life Center to request your first appointment.
Your path to renewed energy, focus, and well-being starts with a personalized approach. Our team focuses on functional medicine, offering weight loss support, adrenal fatigue treatment, nutritional supplements, and more to support your health and well-being.
Request Appointment
Treatment Planning Too
