What is Thyroid Disease by Anna Rosikhina

Out of many diseases that are diagnosed each year, thyroid disease is probably the most common diseases being diagnosed each year. It is a broad type of disease and this thyroid disease is broken down into three parts.

The first one is hyperthyroidism is when the thyroid gland is producing too much of the thyroid hormone. It increases metabolism of a person so it actually consumes a lot of your energy. This is probably the main reason why people with hyperthyroidism feel tired. When a person with hyperthyroidism exercises, they feel tired rather quickly than a person who does not have it. On many cases, people with it become more stressed and nervous which takes up a lot of their energy too. It has been known that it can be treated so making sure to make an appointment with a doctor is important. There has been a variety of symptoms that people with hyperthyroidism experience. Some complaints that are recorded are feeling hot and sweating more, running out of breath, losing weight, fast heartbeat, and frequent bowl movements. But, a person might experience some of none of these.

The second as most common type is Graves’s disease and is the continuous part of hyperthyroidism. It is also called an immune disease. This is when the thyroid gland is enlarged, and the body produces antibodies that make the thyroid gland produce too much additional thyroid hormone. It produces more than necessary for the regular functioning of the body. It has also been mentioned that Grave’s disease can cause eye problems such as swelling or discomfort. Some causes of Graves’s disease could be because of a lot of stress or is genetically passed on.

The third type of thyroid disease is hypothyroidism. This type is that the thyroid gland produces too little of the thyroid hormone. Compared to hyperthyroidism, it reduces the speed of metabolism and it become slower. Some symptoms are the same with hyper, such as hair loss and irregular bowel movements. But additional symptoms are increase of weight, and signs of a deeper voice.

To determine whether or not a person has one of these three diseases, a physician will do a physical exam and by a physical exam, they will look at your neck, and see if there is a butterfly shaped that stands out. Many times if it is hypo you cannot see it. They will take blood tests to determine what hormones are found in your blood and what treatment would be necessary.

Although many get diagnosed with one of the three thyroid diseases, there are treatments for each kind. For the first one, hyperthyroidism can be treated with medication so it can lower the production of the hormone. Additional treatment is to have radioactive treatment which is drinking a dose of the radioactive iodine. Another option that is considered is to have a part or all of it surgically removed. The second type which is a goiter can be treated with radioactive iodine and can also be surgically removed. The Graves disease, also mentioned goiter, needs to be addressed quickly because the later it is diagnosed, the more symptoms a person can experience, and can lead to cancer is some cases. The third type is hypothyroidism, and it can be treated with thyroid pills which gives the thyroid the hormone it needs since it cannot produce enough of it on its own. There isn’t much you can do because the medication itself supplies the thyroid.

After noticing some of these symptoms, being aware of such things can help the people around us and can definitely prevent cases being seen later on. Consulting a family physician is necessary for anyone showing these signs.

 

REFERENCES:

http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/hyperthyroidism-prevention

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hyperthyroidism/basics/definition/con-20020986

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hypothyroidism/basics/definition/CON-20021179

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/graves-disease/basics/definition/CON-20025811