Thyroid Disease

What is the thyroid?

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland that is responsible for making hormones. It is tucked away under the skin in the front of the neck. The two major hormones that the thyroid releases into the bloodstream are called T4 (thyroxine) and T3 (triiodothyronine). In order to function properly, all the cells in the body require these hormones.

The thyroid is often thought to mimic that of a thermostat. For example, when the thyroid is overactive and produces too much of the hormones T4 and T3, the body becomes overworked and overheated. When the thyroid is underactive and produces too little of these hormones, the body becomes underworked. Basically, the thyroid is responsible for how the metabolism runs.

What is thyroid disease?

Thyroid disease is when the thyroid is not working properly, causing the body to react in unusual ways. It is estimated that nearly 27 million people suffer from thyroid disease, and more than half of cases are left undiagnosed.

Thyroid disease can be hard to diagnose at first, since many of the symptoms can be linked to other medical conditions. Many people will find themselves suffering through thyroid disease for weeks or months, without knowing the true cause.

Women are seven times more likely than men to develop thyroid disease, and some women face a one in five chance that symptoms will develop. There are many factors that play into the onset of thyroid disease, including age and family history.

Hyperthyroidism

There are two types of thyroid disease; hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. Hyperthyroidism occurs when the thyroid is overactive and releases too much of T4 and T3 into the bloodstream. The metabolism is increased, so a person will often lose weight, even with an increased appetite.

A person may feel jumpy and jittery throughout the day and fatigued at night. However, people with hyperthyroidism will have trouble falling asleep and may even suffer from insomnia.

In severe cases, a patient may experience chest pain, shortness of breath and muscle weakness. Because many of the symptoms of hyperthyroidism can be attributed to other things, some people will live with these symptoms for months, and fall into a slight depression from the imbalance of hormones.

Symptoms of hyperthyroidism

• Heart palpitations
• Feeling warm or overheated
• Nervousness or feeling jittery
• Difficulty sleeping
• Breathlessness
• Increased bowel movements
• Fatigue
• Trembling hands
• Weight loss
• Hair loss
• Warm, moist skin
• Fast heart rate

Causes of hyperthyroidism

The most common cause for hyperthyroidism is Graves Disease, which is a condition where the thyroid is enlarged and produces too much T4 and T3 hormones. There could also be a single nodule or inflammation in the thyroid that is causing excessive amounts of the thyroid hormone.

Another reason why people, specifically women, may develop hyperthyroidism is because of pregnancy. Other people find that when taking thyroid medication that contains levels of T3, they will develop hyperthyroidism.

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid is underactive and releases too little T4 and T3 into the body. Because the metabolism is slowed, patients will exhibit symptoms that go along with a slow metabolism, such as gaining weight and feeling sluggish.

The symptoms of hypothyroidism will vary in their severity, as it depends on how long the body has been deprived of the hormones. As with hyperthyroidism, it can take some time for a patient to realize that he or she has hypothyroidism. The symptoms can be attributed to other factors, and sometimes the symptoms are hardly noticeable.

Because the body is dependent on these hormones, a continuous lack of T4 and T3 can cause a person to develop a goiter, as the thyroid is being pushed to make more and more of the hormones.

Symptoms of Hypothyroidism

• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Weight gain or difficulty losing weight
• Coarse, dry hair
• Rough, pale skin
• Hair loss
• Intolerance to cold
• Muscle cramps and muscle aches
• Constipation
• Depression
• Irritability
• Memory loss
• Abnormal menstrual cycles
• Decreased libido

Causes of hypothyroidism

There are a number of factors that can contribute to the onset of hypothyroidism, but the two most common include previous inflammation in the thyroid or a previous medical treatment. Inflammation in the thyroid causes a large amount of the tissue to die, leaving it unable to produce hormones.

Medical treatments can include thyroid surgery, in which part of the thyroid was removed. What is left of the thyroid is not enough to produce enough of the hormones. Surgery may be performed because of a nodule or cancer. In addition, radioactive iodine therapy may be performed in order to treat a nodule or goiter. With radioactive iodine therapy, too many of the cells may be killed off, leading to a decrease in the production of T4 and T3.

Treatments

The type of treatment a person receives is dependent on the severity of the condition and symptoms. Most commonly, patients will be prescribed a hormone that is to be taken each day. For hyperthyroidism, an antithyroid drug will be prescribed to reduce the levels of hormones in the body. For hypothyroidism, the hormone will be replaced by taking a hormone medication. Both treatments are safe and can be used long term with few side effects.

In more severe cases, radioactive iodine treatment may be required to reduce the size of a nodule or goiter, which is causing hyperthyroidism. Surgery may also be required if a nodule appears worrisome.