Thyroid Diseases

Thyroid Disorders The thyroid gland is the biggest gland in the neck. It is situated in the anterior (front) neck below the skin and muscle layers. The thyroid gland takes the shape of a butterfly with the two wings being represented by the left and right thyroid lobes which wrap around the trachea. The sole function of the thyroid is to make thyroid hormone. This hormone has an effect on nearly all tissues of the body where it increases cellular activity. The function of the thyroid therefore is to regulate the body's metabolism. There is a complex relationship between thyroid disease, body weight and metabolism. Hypothyroidism Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland produces too little thyroid hormone. Symptoms may include any of the following: feeling run down, slow, depressed, sluggish, cold, tired, having dry skin and hair, constipation, muscle cramps, or weight gain. Women may have a heavier menstrual flow. Some patients have a swelling in the front of the neck due to thyroid enlargement (a goiter). How to spot the "hidden" health problem? Hypothyroidism can be easily diagnosed and treated by a physician. We hope the acronym SLUGGISH will help you to remember some of the symptoms of the disease by reminding you of the overall effect of an under active thyroid on the body. S leepiness, fatigue, tiredness L oss of memory U nusually dry coarse skin G oiter (enlarged thyroid) G radual personality change, depression I ncrease in weight, bloating, or puffiness (edema) S ensitivity to cold H air loss, sparseness of hair Hyperthyroidism Hyperthyroidism refers to any condition in which the body has too much thyroid hormone. Symptoms may include weight loss, nervousness, irritability, increased perspiration, a racing heart, hand tremors, anxiety, difficulty sleeping, increased bowel movements, fine brittle hair, and muscular weakness—especially in the upper arms and thighs. Graves’ disease is a form of hyperthyroidism where patients may have inflammation of the eyes, swelling of the tissues around the eyes, bulging of the eyes, or double vision. Thyroiditis Thyroiditis includes a group of individual disorders that all cause thyroidal inflammation. As a result, there may be many different clinical presentations, from hypothyroidism to an enlarged thyroid (goiter) to symptoms similar to hyperthyroidism. Postpartum thyroiditis is an inflammation of the thyroid that occurs in women after the delivery of a baby. Thyroid Cancer Thyroid Cancer is the most common endocrine-related cancer. The outlook for patients with thyroid cancer is excellent in that safe and effective therapy is available in most cases. A lump (nodule) in the thyroid is the key sign of its presence. Most thyroid cancers do not cause any symptoms, and only rarely do they cause pain, difficulty in swallowing, or hoarseness.