TCM treatment of thyroid nodules

There are several methods for treating thyroid nodules. Patients should choose the most conservative method for themselves and cure the disease as soon as possible. There are also such folk remedies for the treatment of thyroid nodules in traditional Chinese medicine, but patients should seek advice from a regular doctor before using them.

TCM treatment of thyroid nodules:

From the etiology and pathogenesis of goiter, it can be seen that phlegm stagnation, qi stagnation and blood stasis are the key points in the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. The pathological changes of thyroid disease are a dynamic process. With the transformation of the pathogenesis, it has different pathological characteristics in different stages of the disease. Therefore, in treatment, appropriate treatment methods and medications should be used according to different pathogenesis.

(1) Phlegm stagnation: Ancient doctors believed that goiter was mostly caused by phlegm, and drugs that could resolve phlegm, soften hard masses, eliminate goiter and disperse nodules were the main drugs used by ancient doctors to treat goiter. Seaweed, kelp, kelp, Fritillaria thunbergii, Prunella vulgaris, Pinellia ternata, etc. were commonly used, such as Seaweed Pills, Kelp Pills, Seaweed Jade Pot Pills, etc. "Shennong's Herbal Classic" proposes that seaweed "cures galls and tumors", and "Bencao Jingshu" records that kelp "can cure galls as hard as stones, and can only be cured by this, as salt can soften the hard tumors." Ge Hong of the Jin Dynasty first talked about the use of seaweed and kelp to treat goiter in his "Zuohoufang". In the "Qian Jin Yao Fang" written by Sun Simiao in the Tang Dynasty, many special prescriptions and medicines are recorded, such as seaweed, kelp, and sheep's cheeks for treating goiters.

(2) Qi stagnation: Long-term anger or excessive worry can cause liver qi to fail to flow freely, resulting in qi stagnation and phlegm accumulation in the neck, which leads to goiter. This is another important cause of goiter. Therefore, doctors in all dynasties have selected prescriptions and medicines based on soothing the liver and regulating qi, eliminating goiters and dispersing nodules as another major method for treating goiter. For example, dried tangerine peel is used in the prescription for treating goiter and fine qi in Master Shen's "Wai Tai Mi Yao"; green peel is used in the "Huoxue San Ying Tang" and "Haizao Yuhu Tang" in "Shou Zhengzong" to treat "depression hurts the liver, worry hurts the spleen", and the "Shiquan Liuqi Yin" for "qi goiter" contains many liver-soothing and qi-regulating drugs such as Atractylodes lancea, dried tangerine peel, Cyperus rotundus, costus root, green peel, etc.

(3) Blood stasis: When phlegm accumulates and qi stagnates for a long time, the blood circulation is blocked and blood stasis occurs. This can cause the goiter to become hard or have nodules, and the swelling will not disappear for a long time. The Haizao Yuhu Decoction in "The Authentic Book of Surgery" is the main prescription for treating goiter of the phlegm and blood stasis type. The angelica and Chuanxiong in the formula nourish blood and promote blood circulation, and together with seaweed, kelp, green peel, tangerine peel and other qi-regulating and phlegm-resolving drugs, they play the role of regulating qi and resolving phlegm, promoting blood circulation and eliminating goiter.

(4) Excessive liver fire: Phlegm and qi are blocked, worry and anger are caused, qi is stagnant and blood is stagnant. Long-term depression can easily turn into fire. Therefore, ancient doctors often used bitter and cold medicines such as gentian, scutellaria, gardenia, and selfheal to relieve the fire and treat excessive liver fire, irritability, and sweating goiter. For example, the five prescriptions for treating goiter in Wai Tai Mi Yao and the four prescriptions in Sheng Ji Zong Lu all used drugs such as gentian to clear the liver and reduce fire.

(5) Yin deficiency and excessive fire: The phlegm and qi in goiter disease accumulate over time and turn into fire. The heat of the fire consumes the Yin essence and leads to Yin deficiency and excessive fire. The lesions of Yin deficiency and excessive fire in the liver and heart are particularly prominent.

Thyroid nodules remedies:

Prescription 1: Raw Astragalus, raw Polygonum multiflorum, raw oyster (fried first), Hedyotis diffusa, raw Atractylodes macrocephala, Trillium gracile, Beehive, raw Rhubarb, Lacquercetin, Poria cocos, Prunella vulgaris, raw yam, Scrophularia ningpoensis, Scutellaria barbata, roasted turtle shell, raw Coix seed, processed Pinellia, whole Angelica sinensis, powdered Cortex Moutan, Rhizoma Renzhong, Fritillaria thunbergii, Gecko powder (swallow separately), Green Cimicifuga, Taro pills (swallow separately). Take 1 dose daily, decocted in water and taken in 2 doses.

Prescription 2: Acanthus sinensis, red leaves on the underside, wild osmanthus fruit, dog liver grass, and jujube, boil them into a soup and drink it as tea.

Prescription three: Grind seaweed, conch, clam powder, cuttlebone, kelp, gentian, and atractylodes into equal parts and make into honey pills (3 coins per pill) or tablets. Take twice a day, one pill each time.