The thyroid gland can be found at the front area of the neck below the thyroid cartilage or Adam’s apple. This gland is responsible for thyroid hormones production which will regulate the metabolism of the body. Thyroid hormones are essential to regulate the energy of the body, the use of other hormones and vitamins of the body as well as the growth and maturation of the tissues of the body.
Diseases of the thyroid gland are the result of either excessive production or insufficient production of thyroid hormones. An overactive thyroid disease is called hyperthyroidism while an underactive thyroid disease is termed as hypothyroidism. All kinds of thyroid problems frequently occur in women when compared to their male counterpart.
These two diseases of the thyroid gland affect people in very opposite ways. For instance, the symptoms of hypothyroidism are the results of metabolism which is extremely slow, persistent fatigue; loss and damage of hair, moderate gain in weight, cold intolerance and heart problems are increased. On the other hand, the symptoms of hyperthyroidism will increase the energy of the body and will therefore result to heart trouble. This is because the demand on the heart has increased, there is considerable bone loss and the risk for complications during pregnancy is increased.
Furthermore, the function of the thyroid gland is somewhat complicated since it integrates its function with both the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus located in the brain. It starts with the pituitary gland which will determine the thyroid hormone level in the bloodstream. When necessary, this will stimulate the hypothalamus to produce the thyroid releasing hormone and will return to the pituitary gland to stimulate it in order to produce the thyroid stimulating hormone or TSH. Finally, TSH will produce the thyroid hormones T3 and T4. Therefore, any damage to the three glands will result to signs and symptoms of problems with the thyroid. This can either be symptoms of hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.
Thyroid Symptoms
Symptoms of problems in the thyroid can differ according to the kinds and nature of the disease. The type of problems which commonly occur are hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, disorders associated with the anatomy of the gland and also tumors such as cancer of the thyroid gland. Symptoms of every problem with the thyroid gland are given description in the section that follows.
Symptoms of Hypothyroidism
Symptoms of hypothyroidism are commonly found in women. In case, hypothyroidism symptoms are found during pregnancy, the risk for stillbirths among babies will be greater. In addition, risks for anemia and other complications associated with pregnancy are possible if the baby is carried throughout full term. In infants and children, the symptoms of thyroid disorders particularly with hypothyroid conditions can be different than in adults.
There are four main symptoms which occur in babies and these include excessive fatigue, sleepiness and constipation, poor feeding and jaundice which is characterized by yellow or orange discoloration of the skin. In children, the symptoms are somewhat identical to the ones in adults besides, difficulty in doing school works that will result to lower grades.
In adults, the symptoms which occur early include getting exhausted very easily, tolerance to cold is extremely low, constipation and carpal tunnel syndrome which is characterized by pain on the wrist, numbness of hands and fingers which are frequently associated with recurring movements like typing or playing with the piano. Symptoms that will occur later include: anorexia, increasingly deep voice, increased weight, puffy eyes, depression and dry skin. Also hair starts to fall out very easily particularly for those who have long hair, the hair will fall out when comb is used through it.
Symptoms of Hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism is known to be a thyroid disease which can sometimes be more severe. If this is left untreated, this will result to problems with the heart. Apart from the symptoms which occur in adults, this will also result to decrease performance in school as well as increase in the behavioral problems both in school and at home.
In adults, the symptoms that occur include feeling of hot sensation even during colder temperatures, increase in sweating, tremors in the hand, nervousness and for women; their menstrual cycle will decrease or completely stop. In addition, the weight of those affected will decrease despite increase in appetite because their metabolism has increased. Also their bowel movements will increase.
In addition, insomnia, loss of a person’s ability to concentrate and joint pains are present. For the elderly who already have heart diseases, the sensation of chest pain or angina will increase. People with heart failure will have increased shortness of breath and the muscles of both shoulders and thigh will become weak.
Symptoms of Goiter
In general, goiter is a result of iodine deficiency. But a lot of times, this is the due to Grave’s disease, Hashimoto’s disease, presence of error in the synthesis of thyroid hormone and inflammation of the thyroid gland or thyroiditis. An enlarged thyroid gland is the most frequent symptom of goiter. At times, the enlargement will occur to the point that it will appear as a huge swollen lump in the neck area. Problems with swallowing and breathing are also other symptoms that will take place.
Symptoms of Thyroiditis
Thyroiditis is referred to as an inflammation of the thyroid gland which occurs because of infection caused by bacteria or virus, some drugs and autoimmune disorders. Several types of thyroiditis are present and they can produce a lot of symptoms. These include weight gain, constipation, depression and fatigue. Symptoms of hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism will also occur due to thyroiditis.
Symptoms of Thyroid Nodules and Cancer
It is quite common to see a lot of nodules present in the thyroid gland. However, majority of these nodules are benign or do not cause cancer and will not produce any symptom. Several of the symptoms are associated with symptoms such as hoarseness, pain or pressure in the neck and difficulty in swallowing. There are times when the nodules will fluctuate between the symptoms of common thyroid disease as a result of either hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism.
The common symptoms of thyroid cancer include presence of lump in the neck area together with some voice changes. A person will progressively experience difficulty in breathing and swallowing. Yet in a lot of instances, thyroid cancer will not show any kind of symptom.
Usually, thyroid problems will be diagnosed with the aid of fine-needle aspiration, thyroid scan, blood test and ultrasound. Women particularly during their pregnancy and a year after giving birth are people who are included in the risk zones for thyroid problems. Other people who are susceptible include those who are undergoing thyroid surgery or treatment with radioactive iodine, people who are more than fifty years old, current and previous smokers, those who are exposed to radiation and also those who are with family history of malignancy. Individuals who excessively consume some foods such as cauliflower, soy, turnips and Brussels sprouts are susceptible to thyroid problems. There should be proper monitoring of the symptoms of thyroid problems so that early diagnosis is made and treatment is given for any kind of thyroid disease.
Thyroid Treatment
Hypothyroidism Treatment
Low levels of thyroxine are the major symptom of a thyroid that is underactive. This can be found during birth most of the time but there are also times when it will only show up in the later part of life. In the medical world, hormones are given out to patients in order to assist their thyroid to begin developing more of this hormone naturally. Levothyroxine which is also referred to as Synthroid is usually administered to begin the process of healing. This is according to the severity of the thyroid problem.
Hypothyroidism Drugs – Synthroid is known to be a synthetic hormone. In case, the gland will become more worse, a combination of natural and synthetic hormone therapy can be given. Usually, this will last for three weeks but this could be extended for a period of four months or more. When the condition of the thyroid becomes severe, another option would be surgery. The gland may be surgically removed by the doctor. This is frequently done only if it will not be possible to save the gland.
Natural Hypothyroidism Treatment – If your thyroid problem has been detected earlier, sometimes you can go for more natural cure. A bacterium that is taken from green algae will be utilized to start this process. This is called Spirulina and can be obtained in both tablet and powder form. Your overall well-being can benefit from this bacterium because this will regulate thyroxine production. Bladder wrack is a kind of seaweed herb which can be taken from plenty of different oceans. So far, it has made an important attestation that it can reduce the size of the gland that is growing. This is due to the fact that it has iodine levels that are high. If this is taken on a regular basis in the normal diet, it has also been proven to be effective in boosting levels of energy. Some essential oils can be used in helping the thyroid to stimulate the production of the required hormone. The Extra Virgin Coconut oil which is often used for cooking and foodstuff is ideal for this. This can be used as frequently as possible and can be consumed with not food when needed. Another alternative will the evening Primrose. But this is commonly available for ingestion in pill form and should be taken in small amounts.
Hypothyroidism Diet – Among the best ways to make sure that the thyroid is healthy and works properly is to begin a thyroid diet. Mostly, this will consists of plenty of vegetable, non-starchy fruits, seafoods and proteins which are low in fat. It will be easy also to incorporate several of the oils and herbs which will assist for normal functionalities of the thyroid. Make sure that you have started with thyroid diet at once if you have been diagnosed with a mild form of malfunctioning thyroid.
Hyperthyroidism Treatment
• Natural Hyperthyroidism Treatment – A few of the natural ways in curing hyperactive thyroidism include the use of some herbs and have been present long ago. In women, the symptoms of hyperthyroid are associated with menstrual problems and may be treated with the use of black cohosh. Consumption of burdock can be helpful to control the symptoms of hyperactivity during hyperthyroidism, high blood pressure and increased heart rate. Bladderwrack is rich in iodine naturally and frequent consumption will keep the thyroid glands healthy. Generally, this is used in a lot of goiter cases. Nettles or tea is another kind of herb which is important as a component of hyperthyroidism diet because it is abundant in minerals and nutrients. Flavonoids, phenolic acids, bugleweed and lemon balm are also some of the natural thyroid supplements.
• Hyperthyroidism Diet – Diet is unsurprisingly one of the numerous natural ways of treating thyroid that is hyperactive. The diet intake will include high proteins particularly animal proteins such as fish, poultry, eggs and meat. Cereals together with milk and milk products such as butter or cream are also included. It is advisable to take high levels of vitamin B complex, vitamin C, vitamin A and other minerals such as phosphorus and calcium. Anybody can also enjoy eating fruits like papayas and mangoes. The menu for the thyroid diet must include cauliflower, kale and broccoli as raw salads. Goiter which is associated with hyperthyroidism may be treated with the use of some sea vegetables such as kombu, hijki and dulse in soup combinations. All of these foodstuff items are known to suppress the activity of the gland in order to control the condition. In addition, anyone should completely avoid smoking or drinking together with intake of chocolate, soda, tea and caffeine.
• Hyperthyroidism Drugs – The treatment for hyperthyroidism is aided with drugs and medications that are beneficial in severe cases. The use of beta blockers like Propranolol and Inderal may be necessary to get over symptoms such as tremors and palpitations. But a severe overactive thyroid will require the consumption of drugs. Methimazole and Propylthiouracil (PTU) are drugs which are considered to be most effective. The brands that sell these drugs are Iodotype, Northyx, Pima, Yodefan, SSKI, Tapazole and Thyroshield. The primary working mechanism of these drugs is to minimize the production of hormones by the thyroid gland. Even if these drugs have also some side effects, they should be used on a long term basis in order to prevent reoccurrence of the symptoms. In extremely severe cases of hyperthyroidism, the doctors would generally advise surgery. This will involve the removal of the whole gland or only a part of it or perhaps, removal of the thyroid nodule which is responsible for the hyperthyroidism. On the other hand, radioactive iodine therapy is used in order to kill the thyroid cells through radioactivity exposure of consumption of tablets. This kind of method can be easy and extremely effective even if given in a single dosage only.
Treatment of Thyroiditis
The type of thyroiditis which has been diagnosed will help in choosing the kind of treatment that is necessary. For a patient who has symptoms of hyperthyroidism, the doctor can prescribe drugs referred to as beta blockers in order to lower the increase rate of the heart. This patient can also be provided with thyroid hormone replacement therapy. This will be very helpful in restoring the level of hormones in the body and can result to normal activities in metabolism. Moreover, it prevents additional inflammation of the thyroid gland. Patients who have pain in the throat because of thyroid gland inflammation are given medications to reduce the pain felt. Severe pain in the throat should be administered with steroid therapy. Patients who are suffering from thyroiditis must be regularly examined so that thyroid gland function is monitored.
If appropriate treatment is not given, thyroiditis will result to serious health problems. In America, about twenty seven million people have thyroid problems. These problems can lead to permanent damage of the thyroid gland. It is best to consult a doctor at the earliest time so that proper observation is made regarding the symptoms of thyroiditis.