Overview
What does your thyroid do?
Thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate several bodily functions. The key functions of thyroid include:
- Regulating metabolism – Controls how the body converts food into energy.
- Body temperature – Maintains thermal balance of our body.
- Body growth – Supports growth, particularly in children.
- Heart rate – Influences cardiovascular activity.
- Nervous system function – Affects mood, energy, and cognitive abilities.
- Protein synthesis – Repairs bodily tissues and cellular function.
Where is your thyroid located?
Thyroid gland is located just below Adam’s apple in the front of the neck. It is a butterfly-shaped gland that’s about 2 inches long. Thyroid gland is made up of two lobes and the middle that connects them is the isthmus. A healthy Thyroid gland is not visible from the outside. It secretes important hormones that regulate many of your body’s functions like blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature, metabolism, and more.
What is thyroid disease?
Thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland that sits beneath the skin at the front of your neck. It is a part of your endocrine system, which creates and releases particular hormones that control several essential body functions. Your thyroid’s main job is to control your metabolic rate, or how quickly your body turns the food you eat into energy. Every single cell in your body needs energy to function. When your thyroid isn’t working properly, it can affect your entire body.
Types of thyroid disease
There are mainly two types of thyroid disease: hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid, and hyperthyroidism, or an overactive thyroid. Both can be brought on by a variety of reasons.
Causes behind hypothyroidism:
- Hashimoto’s disease is a lifelong chronic autoimmune condition that can cause an underactive thyroid. It is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in countries where iodized salt and other iodine-enriched foods are widely available.
- Diet with Iodine Deficiency can also cause hypothyroidism. Iodine is needed to make thyroid hormone. It is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in countries where iodized salt is not available completely. This can cause goiter, or enlarged thyroid.
- Congenital hypothyroidism is a rare condition in which a newborn’s thyroid is either absent or underactive at birth.
Hyperthyroidism can result from the following conditions:
- Graves’ disease is the condition where you can have an overactive thyroid. It is a chronic autoimmune condition and the most frequent cause of hyperthyroidism is this.
- Unusual lumps on your thyroid gland are called thyroid nodules. Hyperthyroidism may be brought on by nodules as well.
- Thyroid produces more thyroid hormones than it needs to when your body contains Excessive Iodine. This can happen as a side effect of certain medications.
How common is thyroid disease?
Thyroid is a very common disease, affecting a significant number of people worldwide. Around 10% of people or 1 in 10 gets affected by this disease. Women are more susceptible compared to men, with a higher chance of developing thyroid diseases.
Thyroid Disease: Symptoms and causes
What are the symptoms of Thyroid disease?
If you have thyroid disease, you may experience a range of symptoms. Thyroid has symptoms that are comparable to those of other illnesses. Because of this, it becomes challenging to determine whether the symptoms are caused by thyroid diseases or something else.
Most symptoms of thyroid disease are caused by either hyperthyroidism (excess of thyroid hormone), or hypothyroidism (deficiency of thyroid hormone). Both conditions basically show opposite symptoms. This is due to the fact that hypothyroidism slows down your metabolism, while hyperthyroidism speeds it up.
Here are some prominent symptoms for hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism:
Symptoms of hyperthyroidism:
- Faster heart rate (tachycardia).
- Unusual weight loss.
- Difficulty sleeping.
- Feeling sensitive to heat.
- Clammy or sweaty skin.
- Feeling anxious, irritable or nervous.
- Irregular menstrual cycles or a lack of periods (amenorrhea).
Symptoms of hypothyroidism:
- Slower-than-usual heart rate.
- Feeling tired (fatigue).
- Mood swing.
- Unexplained weight gain.
- Depression.
- Feeling sensitive to cold.
- Dry skin and dry and coarse hair.
- Heavy menstrual periods (menorrhagia).
Causes of Thyroid disease
Thyroid diseases can occur due to:
Causes of Thyroid Disease
- Autoimmune Disorders like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (hypothyroidism) and Graves’ disease (hyperthyroidism).
- Iodine Imbalance, it can be deficiency or excessiveness.
- Genetic history of thyroid disease.
- Viral or bacterial infections affecting the thyroid gland.
- Thyroid Nodules or Tumors.
- Certain medications like Lithium or amiodarone.
- Hormonal Changes during pregnancy or menopause.
- Diet and Lifestyle Factors.
- Stress.
Thyroid Disease : Test and Diagnosis
First diagnosis of thyroid starts with general quiries about common symptoms and medical history. Then it proceeds with physical examinations. During the examination, doctors examines the thyroid gland to see if it is enlarged or if there are any visible nodules.
For accurate results, doctors need to do specific thyroid tests like:
Blood test
Thyroid blood tests include thyroid antibodies, T3 and T4, and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). It can determine whether it is hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.
Imaging examinations
Doctor checks for goiter and/or nodules (lumps) using imaging tests. It is done through thyroid ultrasound. Nuclear medicine imaging like thyroid uptake and scan help to detect if the nodules are overactive or not.
Risk factors for thyroid disease
Thyroid depends on different risk factors.
- Females have more chances of getting thyroid diseases than to a male.
- Elderly people who have crossed their 60, particularly women
- People with a family history of thyroid conditions.
- Living in iodine-deficient areas, taking iodine-rich medications, and being exposed to radiation to the head or neck.
- Thyroid disease risk is greatly increased by autoimmune diseases.
- Thyroid disorders are linked to conditions like Type 1 diabetes, celiac disease, pernicious anemia, Addison’s disease, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and Sjögren’s syndrome.
- People who have Turner syndrome should also be careful.
Thyroid Disease:Management and Treatment
Medicinal Ways (Drugs, medicine, surgery etc.)
The goal of thyroid disease treatment is to return hormone levels to a normal range. Treatment options for hyperthyroidism include radioactive iodine therapy, beta-blockers to control symptoms, and thyroidectomy surgery as an advanced treatment. It requires lifetime thyroid hormone replacement therapy and antithyroid medications such as methimazole.
Thyroid replacement drugs, like levothyroxine, are commonly used to treat hypothyroidism. Such types of drugs restore hormone deficiency. This method preserves regular body functions with successfully managing symptoms.
Home Remedies for Thyroid
- A balanced diet is the key to curb hormone levels. Diet should be adorned with iodine-rich foods (seafood, iodized salt, coriander, chamomile tea), selenium-rich options such as flax seeds and zinc-rich foods like almond butter.
- Fresh fruits and vegetables are good to reduce inflammation. Go for amla juice, turmeric, ginger tea, and omega-3 sources like chia seeds.
- Manage stress with yoga, meditation, and mindfulness to maintain hormonal balance.
- Engage in moderate physical activity to boost metabolism. You can take green tea or giloy juice to boost metabolism.
- Avoid excessive intake of raw cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower). These can interfere with thyroid function.
- Lastly, drink plenty of water for better metabolic function.
