The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped endocrine gland located at the front of your neck -- it produces, stores and releases hormones that help regulate your body's metabolism. Hyperthyroidism occurs when your thyroid produces too much thyroid hormone and leads to symptoms such as nervousness, irritability, rapid heartbeat, poor sleep, excessive weight loss, mood swings and an enlarged thyroid gland. You may develop hyperthyroidism if you have a family history of thyroid disease, a history of thyroid problems, a hormone disorder or if you ingest large amounts of iodine. Acupuncture may provide a natural approach to thyroid treatment and help reduce your hyperthyroid symptoms; however, consult with your healthcare provider prior to using acupuncture for hyperthyroidism.

Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an ancient form of medicine developed in China more than 2,500 years ago. An acupuncturist inserts tiny needles at various points throughout the body with the intent to stimulate your body's qi -- pronounced "chee" -- the life force energy. Acupuncture can help send a message to your nervous system to release hormones that can reduce pain, help balance internal organs, treat illness and prevent disease. Although this treatment method has been around for thousands of years, Americans have only been utilizing acupuncture since the 1970s. Today, more than one million Americans use acupuncture as part of their healthcare regimen.

Research
Acupuncture may provide effective treatment for hyperthyroidism and its related symptoms. According to a research study published in the November 2006 issue of "Zhongguo Zhen Jiu," a Chinese medical journal, acupuncture treatment helped improve thyroid hormone levels in hyperthyroid patients. Researchers compared the hormone levels of two groups of hyperthyroid patients; one group received acupuncture treatment and the other received thyroid medication. The group who received acupuncture experienced a 93 percent rate of improvement compared to 76 percent in the medication group.