Hashimoto's disease care in Munich

Hashimoto's disease, also called Hashimoto's thyroiditis, is a chronic inflammation of the thyroid. The immune system produces antibodies against the body's own thyroid tissue. Women are mainly affected. The course is usually gradual: at the start the thyroid may briefly release too many hormones, later an underactive thyroid often develops. Typical then are tiredness, sensitivity to cold, weight gain, dry skin, hair loss, constipation and low mood. Hashimoto's is diagnosed through blood tests – the controlling hormone TSH, the free thyroid hormones and specific antibodies – and through an ultrasound of the thyroid. Because the symptoms are so non-specific, the condition is easily overlooked. Prof. Schulte-Uebbing pointed this out early, for example in “Depressive moods, tiredness, reduced performance – Hashimoto's disease: an often overlooked important (partial) cause” (gyn, 2014) and “Hashimoto's disease – the new widespread disease?” (Your Health magazine, 2012).

The thyroid and ovaries work closely together. Thyroid hormones influence ovulation, the luteal phase and thus the production of progesterone. An underactive thyroid can therefore contribute to irregular or heavy bleeding, intermenstrual bleeding and symptoms before the period. Conversely, sex hormones influence the need for thyroid hormone. For many years, Prof. Schulte-Uebbing has been working on the interplay of Hashimoto's, progesterone deficiency and oestrogen dominance – that is, an excess of oestrogens in relation to progesterone. Publications on this include “Hashimoto's thyroiditis, oestrogen dominance and progesterone deficiency” (ZAEN, 2012) and “Hashimoto's disease and progesterone deficiency” (Liv Vivendi, 2013). Oestrogen dominance is not a diagnosis in its own right in conventional medicine but an explanatory model. It helps us to understand symptoms in context and to weigh up natural hormone therapy in a targeted way.

For ovulation, implantation and early pregnancy, the body needs enough thyroid hormone. In pregnancy, the need rises further. Women with Hashimoto's who want to have a child should therefore have their levels checked early and monitored closely during pregnancy. A well-controlled thyroid is an important precondition, but it does not mean that a pregnancy will happen. Prof. Schulte-Uebbing has described this connection, among others, in “Unfulfilled wish to have a child and Hashimoto's disease. The thyroid disorder is a frequently underestimated (partial) cause” (CO’MED, 2013). When you wish to have a child, we therefore look at the thyroid, cycle, progesterone and vitamin D together. You can read more on our page about support when trying to conceive.

Vitamin D acts like a hormone in the body and plays a role in the immune system. In autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto's, a deficiency is often observed; whether correcting it influences the course is still being researched. We measure the vitamin D level and correct a deficiency in a targeted way. One publication on this is “Hashimoto's thyroiditis – a vitamin D3 and progesterone deficiency disease?” (Microtrace Minerals newsletter, 2013). A further research field of Prof. Schulte-Uebbing is endocrine disruptors – hormone-like substances from plastics, fragrances or drinking water, described for example in “Is Hashimoto's thyroiditis promoted by endocrine disruptors (ED) in drinking water?” (CO’Med, 2017). That is also one reason why our practice is nicotine-free and perfume-free. Sleep, stress, exercise and a balanced diet also count. There are no established recommendations for every question here; we discuss what makes sense for you.

Alongside conventional medical treatment, we offer naturopathic methods. Acupuncture is based on the idea in Traditional Chinese Medicine that vital energy flows along channels and can be influenced through certain points. Phytotherapy uses medicinal plants. In intravenous laser therapy, laser light is delivered into a vein through a fine needle; the method is based on the idea that light stimulates metabolism and immune cells. Prof. Schulte-Uebbing has described these methods in Hashimoto's, for example in “Acupuncture, ear acupuncture and phytotherapy for the treatment of Hashimoto's disease” (ZAA, 2015) and “An integrative treatment concept for autoimmune diseases, using Hashimoto's disease as an example” (CO’MED, 2015). These methods do not replace thyroid treatment. Their effectiveness has not been sufficiently proven scientifically. Whether they are an option for you, we discuss openly.