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Article
Resolution of Hypothyroidism after Correction of Somatovisceral Reflex Dysfunction by Refusion of the Cervical Spine.
The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association
  • Murray R. Berkowitz, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2015
Abstract

Psychosis is a rare initial presentation of new-onset hypothyroidism. The author describes the case of a 29-year-old woman who presented with psychosis caused by hypothyroidism, or myxedema madness. Although the patient's psychosis resolved after standard monotherapy using levothyroxine sodium, her hypothyroidism persisted. Imaging of the patient's cervical spine showed that previous C5-C6 and C6-C7 fusions had failed. The failed fusions were corrected, and the patient's hypothyroidism resolved, suggesting that the somatovisceral reflex was the cause of the patient's hypothyroidism. Although somatovisceral reflex dysfunctions are rare, physicians should consider them as potential underlying causes of their patients' presenting medical conditions.

Comments

This article was originally published in Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, Volume 115, Number 1

The published version is available online at http://dx.doi.org/10.7556/jaoa.2015.007

Copyright © 2015, the American Osteopathic Association

Citation Information
Murray R. Berkowitz. "Resolution of Hypothyroidism after Correction of Somatovisceral Reflex Dysfunction by Refusion of the Cervical Spine." The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association Vol. 115 Iss. 1 (2015) p. 46 - 49
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/murray_berkowitz/3/