Thyroid Gland
Thyroid glands are located in the front of your neck. They produce thyroid hormones that help regulate your body’s metabolism. If your thyroid gland is overactive, it can cause symptoms such as weight loss, rapid heart rate, sweating, and anxiety. If it is underactive, it can cause symptoms such as weight gain, fatigue, and depression.
Thyroid Symptom
The thyroid gland is responsible for producing thyroid hormones, which are essential for regulating the body’s metabolism. When the thyroid gland produces too much or too little of these hormones, it can lead to a variety of symptoms.
Symptoms of an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) can include weight loss, excessive sweating, palpitations, and tremors. Symptoms of an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) can include weight gain, fatigue, constipation, and depression.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it is important to see a doctor for a proper diagnosis. Treatment for thyroid problems depends on the underlying cause, and may include medications, surgery, or radiation therapy.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should see your doctor. He or she can test your thyroid hormone levels and determine if you have a thyroid disorder. Treatment for thyroid disorders may include medication or surgery.
Common Disorders
Thyroid gland disorders are common and include goiter, Graves’ disease, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and thyroid cancer.
Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disease that is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. It is caused by antibodies that stimulate the thyroid gland to produce too much thyroid hormone. Symptoms include weight loss, anxiety, irritability, sweating, and a fast heart rate. Treatment includes medications to decrease thyroid hormone production and surgery to remove the thyroid gland.
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease that is the most common cause of hypothyroidism. It is caused by antibodies that damage the thyroid gland and lead to a decrease in thyroid hormone production. Symptoms include weight gain, fatigue, constipation, and a slow heart rate. Treatment includes medications to replace thyroid hormone and surgery to remove the thyroid gland.
Thyroid cancer is the most common cancer of the endocrine system. It is a relatively rare cancer, with an estimated 2,000 new cases each year in the United States. Symptoms include a lump or swelling in the neck, difficulty swallowing, hoarseness, and a change in the voice. Treatment includes surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.
Causes
There are many potential causes of thyroid problems. Some of the most common causes are iodine deficiency, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Graves’ disease, and thyroid cancer.
Iodine deficiency is the most common cause of thyroid problems in the world. Iodine is a mineral that is essential for the production of thyroid hormone. If there is not enough iodine in the diet, the thyroid gland may become enlarged, called a goiter. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease that is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the United States. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is a condition in which the body’s immune system attacks the thyroid gland. Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disease that is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism in the United States. Graves’ disease is a condition in which the body’s immune system attacks the thyroid gland. Thyroid cancer is a cancer that arises from the thyroid gland.
