Dr. David Tuchinsky doesn’t necessarily subscribe to the notion of Physician Heal Thyself. But he’s a pretty big believer in the ability of the body to go a long way to righting itself through a natural process that goes beyond traditional medicine.
Going through his own natural-healing process to address gut issues that occurred during his childhood and adolescent years, Dr. Tuchinsky has transformed his personal approach to wellness through a blend of cutting-edge science, advanced treatments and functional medicine that addresses causes not simply symptoms.
A noted speaker, author and wellness coach, Dr. Tuchinsky is committed to tackling some of the most prevalent but challenging medical issues of our time, including the debilitating effects of thyroid issues.
He sat down with WellWell to lay out why thyroid issues are so often misunderstood, untreated and devastating.
What is the thyroid and why is it so important?
You know just about everyone has heard of the thyroid but hardly anyone knows where it is or what it does. It’s a small gland in the front of the neck that regulates how much thyroid hormone you get. Get too much or too little and you’re in trouble and can experience thyroid issues. You can have all sorts of problems and symptoms but the problems are generally put into three categories—hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism and Hashimoto’s Disease. You don’t want any of these.
How prevalent are these problems and who is likely to get hit? 
There are millions of people out there with thyroid problems. And a lot of people don’t even realize they’ve got a thyroid issue. These issues can affect anyone. But age is certainly a factor and so is sex. I would say about 90 percent of the people I see with thyroid problems are women.
What are the symptoms and the dangers?
There are dozens of symptoms depending on which thyroid disease we’re talking about. And a lot of these symptoms and problems can be incorrectly attributed to other causes—which is another issue altogether and makes thyroid issues so dangerous because they can easily go untreated or incorrectly treated.
Many people first notice they have extreme fatigue, especially in the morning. Other symptoms include oversleeping, depression, joint pain, anxiety, sweating, irritability, weight gain, muscle cramps, loss of concentration, high levels of cholesterol and more. Untreated these issues can turn into life-threatening problems.
How does someone develop a thyroid problem and how is it treated?
There is still a lot to be learned about the thyroid, but it may be a case of genetics that leads to these issues. But there are other causes as well. Certainly, environmental issues and life habits can acerbate the problem.
Traditional medical treatments for thyroid issues too often only look at dealing with the symptoms the thyroid issues are causing. They might also look at trying to bring the hormonal balance temporarily back into line. The bigger problem is that traditional medicine doesn’t look at the whole body. What’s really causing the problems so they can develop a long-term, lasting solution for the patient.
Are there alternative approaches to treating these issues?
Of course, but you and your practitioner need to be willing to dig deeper, and go for significant blood work that goes beyond the standard tests. You really need to look at the brain-gut axis to get a better handle on what’s causing the problem to begin with. Gut health is critical and you need to search out what triggers, inorganics, supplements, and diet considerations might be involved.
Thyroid problems are like a hidden disease. You’ve really got to shine a bright light on these issues to figure out why each individual is having a problem.
About Dr. David Tuchinsky
Dr. Tuchinsky has been working in the functional medicine field for 30 years and has witnessed how the body can heal itself and create a better quality of life for individuals. His work, training and personal experience has lead him to establish the Florida Center For Functional Medicine, a facility and practice that incorporates cutting-edge science with a holistic approach to treatment to help his patients address a range of chronic health problems. An author, wellness coach and lecturer, Dr. Tuchinsky is the author of Solving The Hypothyroidism Puzzle and is expected to release his next book on functional medicine later this year.
Please visit floridafunctionalmedicine.com to learn more.
