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Thursday, April 22, 2010

Thyroid disease Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Thyroid disease occurs when the thyroid gland doesn't supply the proper amount of hormones needed by the body. If the thyroid is overactive, it releases too much thyroid hormone into the bloodstream, resulting in hyperthyroidism ("Hyper" is from the Greek, meaning "over" or "above."). Hyperthyroidism causes the body to use up energy more quickly than it should, and chemical activity (like metabolism) in the cells speeds up. . When the thyroid doesn't produce enough hormones, the body uses energy slower than it should. This condition is called

hypothyroidism ("Hypo" means "under" or "below.").

What causes thyroid disease?
There are several different causes of thyroid disease. The following conditions cause hypothyroidism:

Thyroiditis is an inflammation of the thyroid gland. This can lower the amount of hormones produced.
Hashimoto's thyroiditis is a painless disease of the immune system that is hereditary.
Postpartum thyroiditis occurs in 5 percent to 9 percent of women after giving birth. It is usually a temporary condition.
Iodine deficiency is a problem affecting approximately 100 million people around the world. Iodine is used by the thyroid to produce hormones. Although prevalent before the 1950s in the USA, iodine deficiency has been virtually wiped out by the use of iodized salt.
A non-functioning thyroid gland affects one in 4,000 newborns. If the problem isn't corrected, the child will be physically and mentally retarded.

What signs and symptoms can occur if thyroid function is affected?
If the thyroid is under-active, symptoms of hypothyroidism may occur. The signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism vary widely, depending on the severity of hormone deficiency. Some of the complaints experienced by patients with hypothyroidism include:

Fatigue
Mental fogginess and forgetfulness
Feeling excessively cold
Constipation
Dry skin
Fluid retention
Non specific aches and stiffness in muscles and joints
Excessive or prolonged menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia)
Depression

Hyperthyroidism is suggested by a number of signs and symptoms. Patients with mild disease usually experience no symptoms. Symptoms are usually related to an increase in body metabolism are,

Excessive sweating
Heat intolerance
Increased bowel movements
Tremor (usually a fine shake)
Nervousness; agitation
Rapid heart rate
Weight loss
Fatigue
Decreased concentration
Irregular and scant menstrual flow

In older patients, irregular heart rhythms and heart failure can occur. In its most severe form, untreated hyperthyroidism may result in "thyroid storm," a condition involving high blood pressure, fever, and heart failure. Mental changes such as confusion and delirium may also occur.

How is thyroid disease treated?
The goal of treatment for any thyroid disorder is to restore normal blood levels of thyroid hormone.

Hypothyroidism is treated with a drug called levothyroxine. This is a synthetic hormone tablet that replaces missing thyroid hormone in the body. With careful monitoring, your doctor will adjust your dosage accordingly, and you'll soon be able to return to your normal lifestyle.
Hyperthyroidism, generally more difficult to treat, requires the normalization of thyroid hormone production. Treatment could involve drug therapy to block hormone production, radioactive iodine treatment that disables the thyroid, or even thyroid surgery to remove part or the entire gland.

The most popular treatment is radioactive iodine. This therapy often results in hypothyroidism, requiring the use of levothyroxine (synthetic replacement hormone) in order to restore normality.

posted by emedinfo @10:44 PM permanent link | |

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