What is the thyroid?
Your thyroid, a gland located in your neck, produces important hormones necessary for normal bodily functioning. Your thyroid controls various activities and processes in your body, such as how fast your heart beats and how fast you burn calories.
Your thyroid gland hormones help regulate growth and development through your metabolism.
Thyroid disorders typically involve an over- or underproduction of hormones and various symptoms, such as rapid weight gain or loss and fatigue or restlessness.
For you to function properly, your thyroid gland is responsible for producing the right amount of these important hormones. You have a thyroid disorder if your thyroid gland doesn’t function properly.
Thyroid disorders occur more commonly in women than in men. This might be due to other hormonal changes that occur after menopause or pregnancy.
What is hypothyroidism?
Hypothyroidism is a thyroid disorder involving the underproduction of hormones. When your thyroid gland doesn’t create enough hormones to maintain your body’s normal chemical balance, it can cause a number of symptoms, such as:
- Obesity
- Joint pain
- Fatigue
- Temperature and light sensitivity
- Constipation
- Dry skin
- Muscle aching and weakness
- Thinning hair
- Slowed heart rate
- Impaired memory
- Depression
If it isn’t properly treated, hypothyroidism can lead to heart disease and infertility. In the most advanced and severe cases, hypothyroidism can be life-threatening.
It’s often hard to find the exact cause of hypothyroidism, but it can be associated with:
- Thyroid surgery
- Radiation therapy
- Certain medications
- Pregnancy
- Iodine deficiency
If you have an autoimmune disease, you have a heightened risk of developing an autoimmune disorder.
What is hyperthyroidism?
Hyperthyroidism occurs when you have an overactive thyroid that produces too much of these hormones, accelerating your metabolism.
Some of the symptoms of hyperthyroidism include:
- Sudden weight loss
- A fast or irregular heartbeat
- Sweating
- Anxiety and nervousness
- Irritability
- Restlessness
- Increased appetite
- Thinning skin
- Muscle weakness
- Brittle hair
Hyperthyroidism can be hard to diagnose because the symptoms can be similar to other conditions.
Typically, hyperthyroidism is caused by:
- Graves’ disease
- Functioning adenoma and toxic multinodular goiter
- Excessive intake of thyroid hormones
- Abnormal secretion of thyroid releasing hormone (TSH)
- Thyroiditis (inflammation of the thyroid gland)
- Excessive iodine intake
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis occurs when your immune system attacks your thyroid gland.
Brandon Riverview Medical Associates provides proven-successful solutions to enhance your thyroid health. Call one of the offices or simply use the convenient online scheduler.
