Thyroid Disorder And Treatment

Thursday, July 11, 2013





Understanding thyroid



Thyroid is a small gland, located in the human neck. This gland is responsible for producing the thyroid hormone which influence's the body's energy level and metabolism. The pituitary gland, located below the brain, is another gland that produces the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH); the TSH manages the working of the thyroid. A thyroid problem arises when the thyroid produces less or more than the normal levels of the hormone.

Diagnosis
A test is conducted to measure the levels of thyroid hormones in the blood. In this case hormones secreted by the thyroid as well as the level TSH released by the pituitary gland are taken into account. If the TSH levels are high, a person is diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and when the TSH levels are low, the condition is called hypothyroidism.

Causes
Causes of hypothyroidism or an underactive thyroid may include:
Autoimmune disease: in this case the antibodies produced by the immune system mistakenly attack the body's own tissues and damage them.
Treatment for hyperthyroidism: sometimes patients receiving treatment for hyperthyroidism can end up with hypothyroidism.
Radiation Therapy: Radiations used to treat cancers in the head and neck can also cause hypothyroidism.
Medications: Medicines like lithium are also known to cause thyroid problems.
Not taking adequate treatment for hypothyroidism can lead to health complications like slowed mental functioning, infertility, heart problems and goiter amongst others.
Hyperthyroidism may be caused by conditions like autoimmune Graves' disease, thyroiditis, Plummer's disease, viral illness etc. Untreated hyperthyroidism could lead to heart problems, eye problems, weak and brittle bones, redness of the skin and swelling in the feet.

Symptoms
Hypothyroid symptoms include:
Weight gain
Dry hair and skin
Constipation
Swelling
Memory loss
Depression
Muscle pains and stiffness
Excessive bleeding during periods

Hyperthyroidism symptoms include:
Weight loss
Muscle weakness
Nervousness and anxiety
Loss of sleep
Fatigue
Rapid heartbeat
Shakiness
Scanty or absence of periods in case of women

Treatment
Treatment is easily available for both the kinds of thyroid disorders.
Treating hypothyroidism: In this case doctors usually prescribe synthetic forms of thyroid hormones to make up for the low hormone levels in the body.
Treating hyperthyroidism: This treatment is generally a lifelong one and may involve the following methods:
Medication: Anti- thyroid drugs may be prescribed to reduce the excess hormone levels in the body and reverse the signs of hyperthyroidism. The dosage prescribed may be changed by your doctor from time to time depending upon the TSH levels. One must not stop taking the prescribed dose, skip any of the doses or change the brand of medication prescribed without the doctor's knowledge.
Radioactive iodine treatment: In this case a patient is required to swallow a tablet or liquid form of radioactive iodide, which damage the cells of the thyroid gland and limit or prevent them from producing hormones.
Surgery: Surgical removal of a part or the entire thyroid may be suggested when the hyperthyroidism is caused by toxic nodules.
Lifestyle Changes
At Fortis we have treated numerous patients with Thyroid problems. Besides medication a thyroid condition can be controlled by bringing about simple lifestyle changes.
Patients should look at giving up smoking in totality, alcohol should be taken in moderation only, use of excess table salt and artificial sweeteners should be avoided. In addition, people should refrain from taking too much stress; in order to cope with stress one can practice yoga and meditation.

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