Thyroid Disease
What is Thyroid disease: Symptoms and treatment?
Thyroid disease is a general term for a medical condition that keeps your thyroid from making the right amount of hormones. Your thyroid typically makes hormones that keep your body functioning normally. When the thyroid makes too much thyroid hormone, your body uses energy too quickly. This is called hyperthyroidism. Using energy too quickly will do more than make you tired — it can make your heart beat faster, cause you to lose weight without trying and even make you feel nervous. On the flip-side of this, your thyroid can make too little thyroid hormone. This is called hypothyroidism. When you have too little thyroid hormone in your body, it can make you feel tired, you might gain weight and you may even be unable to tolerate cold temperatures.
These two main disorders can be caused by a variety of conditions. They can also be passed down through families (inherited).
Here are some common thyroid disorders:
Hypothyroidism: This condition occurs when the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormones. It can result from various causes, including autoimmune diseases like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, thyroid surgery, radiation therapy, or iodine deficiency. Hypothyroidism can lead to symptoms such as fatigue, weight gain, cold intolerance, dry skin, and depression. It is typically treated with synthetic thyroid hormone replacement therapy (e.g., levothyroxine) to restore hormone levels to normal.
Hyperthyroidism: Hyperthyroidism is the opposite of hypothyroidism and occurs when the thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone. Graves’ disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism and is an autoimmune disorder that leads to the overproduction of thyroid hormones. Symptoms can include weight loss, rapid heart rate, anxiety, tremors, and heat intolerance. Treatment options may include medications to block hormone production, radioactive iodine therapy, or surgery to remove part or all of the thyroid gland.
Thyroid Nodules: Thyroid nodules are growths or lumps that can develop within the thyroid gland. Most thyroid nodules are benign (non-cancerous), but some may be cancerous. Thyroid nodules may not cause symptoms and are often discovered incidentally during a physical examination or imaging studies. Evaluation typically involves thyroid ultrasound and, if necessary, a fine-needle aspiration biopsy to determine if a nodule is cancerous.
Thyroid Cancer: Thyroid cancer is relatively rare but can develop in the thyroid gland. There are different types of thyroid cancer, with papillary thyroid cancer being the most common. Treatment may involve surgery to remove the thyroid gland, radioactive iodine therapy, and, in some cases, radiation or chemotherapy.
Thyroiditis: Thyroiditis refers to inflammation of the thyroid gland and can be caused by infections, autoimmune conditions, or other factors. Thyroiditis can lead to temporary hyperthyroidism followed by hypothyroidism as the gland’s ability to produce hormones is affected by inflammation. Treatment depends on the underlying cause and may include medications to manage symptoms or address the underlying condition.
Thyroid Eye Disease (Graves’ Ophthalmopathy): In Graves’ disease, an autoimmune condition that often causes hyperthyroidism, some individuals develop eye problems characterized by bulging eyes, double vision, and eye discomfort. Treatment may include medications to manage symptoms, surgery, or radiation therapy in severe cases.