Thyroid hormone therapy is the use of synthetic thyroid hormones to raise abnormally low levels of thyroid hormones. Often used to treat an underactive thyroid that is secreting little or no thyroid hormones, thyroid hormone therapy is usually administered in pill form.
Proper dosage is tailored to each individual patient's needs through careful blood testing.
The pituitary gland plays an integral role in the functioning of the thyroid gland. Increased levels of TSH may indicate an underactive thyroid. Before the advent of highly precise laboratory tests, a thyroid disorder diagnosis was largely based on the patient's account of symptoms. But, dosage with thyroid hormone therapy based on such a subjective diagnosis was not always accurate. In addition, improvement from treatment was often measured based on improved hair and skin condition, pulse, reflexes, and the disappearance of goiter or nodules.