Chinese Medicine for Hyperthyroidism

In Chinese medicine, hyperthyroidism is viewed as a disturbance of internal heat, fire, and energy imbalance. The disorder is often caused by liver and stomach fire, excessive sputum-heat, or deficiencies of yin and energy (qi) that fail to control rising fire. The patterns below describe different forms of this imbalance, each with distinct signs and treatments aimed at restoring harmony.

Hot Stomach

Common Signs

  • Bad or foul breath

  • Bleeding or swelling of the gums

  • Thirst and craving for cold drinks

  • Strong hunger and frequent eating

  • Pain or swelling in the throat

  • Underweight despite eating well

  • Perspiration on the head

  • Stomach pain, hiccups, or vomiting (sometimes with blood)

Treatment Principle
Clear heat from the stomach and calm excessive liver energy.

Herbal Formula: Dao-Chi-Cheng-Qi-Tang

Helpful Foods: Salt, lily flower, bitter endive, camellia, cattail, black fungus, spinach, strawberry, banana, cucumber, licorice

Liver Energy Congestion

Common Signs

  • Emotional tension, irritability, or worry

  • Sensation of a lump or tightness in the throat

  • Abdominal or upper stomach pain

  • Swollen tonsils or sore throat

  • Numbness or convulsions

  • Insomnia or restlessness

  • Nausea or vomiting of blood

Treatment Principle
Regulate and smooth the liver’s energy, remove phlegm, and reduce internal pressure.

Herbal Formula: Si-Hai-Shu-Yu-Wan

Helpful Foods: Brown sugar, garlic, turmeric, kumquat, beef, chicken, coconut meat, tofu, mustard seed, sweet rice, goose, mutton, jackfruit, squash, sweet potato, red and black date, rice, rock sugar, spearmint, button mushroom, oregano, red bean, dill seed, sweet basil, saffron

Sputum–Fire (Phlegm Fire)

Common Signs

  • Irritability and emotional instability

  • Palpitations or nervousness

  • Feeling hot and sweating easily

  • Swollen tonsils or throat

  • Difficulty resting or sleeping

  • Eating excessively but still feeling unsatisfied

  • Ringing in ears or mild deafness

Treatment Principle
Sedate sputum-fire, clear heat from the liver and heart, and calm the spirit.

Herbal Formula: Er-Yin-Jian with Ding-Zhi-Wan

Helpful Foods: Salt, cattail, agar, radish, bamboo shoot, crown daisy, date, fresh ginger, mustard leaf, black and white pepper, mustard seed, asparagus, pear

Liver–Kidney Yin Deficiency

Common Signs

  • Dizziness or blurred vision

  • Fatigue or lumbago (low back pain)

  • Dry eyes or throat

  • Hot palms and soles

  • Night sweats or restless sleep

  • Difficulty with urination or defecation

  • Pale or withered complexion

  • Night blindness

Treatment Principle
Nourish yin and energy, tonify liver and kidneys, and cool internal heat.

Herbal Formula: Sheng-Mai-San with Yi-Guan-Jian

Helpful Foods: Bird’s nest, cheese, chicken egg, kidney bean, mussel, abalone, asparagus, cuttlefish, duck, duck egg, white fungus, oyster, pork, royal jelly, chestnut, chicken liver, pork kidney

Deficiency Fire

Common Signs

  • Hot sensations in the body, especially hands and feet

  • Night sweats or mild fever in the afternoon

  • Emotional irritability or forgetfulness

  • Excessive sweating and fatigue

  • Dry or sore throat

  • Red complexion and dry mouth

  • Palpitations, insomnia, or ringing in ears

Treatment Principle
Nourish yin, increase body fluids, and clear fire from the stomach and lungs.

Herbal Formula: Yu-Nü-Jian with Zeng-Yi-Tang

Helpful Foods: Banana, bitter endive, black fungus, salt, spinach, strawberry, bamboo shoot, cucumber, Job’s tears, liver, beet leaf, mung bean, peppermint, purslane, lily flower, cattail, chicken egg, duck egg, asparagus, royal jelly, pork, oyster

Simultaneous Deficiency of Yin and Energy

Common Signs

  • Fatigue and weakness

  • Palpitations or thirst

  • Dry cough or dry mouth

  • Afternoon “tidal” fever

  • Scant urination or constipation

  • Hot palms and soles

  • Poor appetite or mild stomach swelling

  • Ringing in the ears or sore throat

Treatment Principle
Replenish energy (qi) and yin together, tonify lungs and kidneys, and restore balance.

Herbal Formula: Di-Huang-Yin-Zi

Helpful Foods: Bird’s nest, cheese, kidney bean, abalone, asparagus, chicken egg, cuttlefish, duck, duck egg, white fungus, oyster, pork, royal jelly, grape, longan nut, maltose, mandarin fish, Irish potato, sweet rice, apple cucumber, bog bean, gold carp, carrot, chestnut, ham, horse bean, hyacinth bean, Job’s tears, string bean, whitefish, yam, red and black date, mutton, squash, rock sugar

Hyperthyroidism in Chinese medicine results from internal fire and imbalance between yin, yang, and energy flow.

  • Hot Stomach reflects excess heat damaging fluids.

  • Liver Congestion causes emotional agitation and throat tightness.

  • Sputum–Fire produces restlessness, palpitations, and heat.

  • Liver–Kidney Yin Deficiency leads to chronic fatigue and dryness.

  • Deficiency Fire and Yin–Qi Deficiency indicate exhaustion with rising heat.

Treatment focuses on clearing fire, transforming phlegm, calming the liver, and nourishing yin to restore internal balance and reduce hyperactivity.