Patients with thyroid problems frequently also have headaches, TMJ disorders and sleep disorders. The treatment of pain disorders frequently is aided by normalization of thyroid hormone. Free T3 is the activ e form of thyroid hormone and appears to be the most important thyroid hormone when dealing with chronic pain problems.
In the midwest theree is low naturally occuring iodine in the water. Patients with low thyroid and high TSH can frequently be helped by nutritional supplements containing iodine. 1 of drop of iodine in 8 oz of water every other day may be enough iodine to allow the thyroid to function normally. Many years age the Panda bears in Washington DC were unable to conceive. My uncle Dr Al Lepkovsky determined it was because of low thyroid. He added iodine to the water their bamboo shoots were grown in and their thyroid normalized and the pandas conceived and gave birth. Unfortunately they rolled on to of baby pandas and suffocated them.
Low thyroid is frequently treated with synthroid. Synthroid is the inactive (T4) form of thyroid hormone and many people are unable to convert it to T# the active form of the hormone. High TSH will be reduced by taking synthroid even if the active T3 is not increased at all. It has recently become more difficult to get natural Armour thyroid and many patients are getting it from Canada or compounding pharmacies. This is due to a questionable ruling by the FDA questioning the safety of Armour Thyroid natural thyroid hormone in spite of a 100 year safety history.
Sleep disruption can also cause aberrations in thyroid hormone levels. Sleep apnea is one type of sleep disruption. See http://www.ihatecpap.com for more information on the dangers of sleep apnea and treatment alternatives.
The frequent headaches, migraines and chronic daily headaches can be helped by a neuromuscular dental orthotic and/or by stabilizing thyroid hormone, particularly Free T3.
Patients with chronic headaches and migraines should have a thyroid evaluation done as well as sleep testing and neuromuscular dental evaluation.
