About Hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism occurs when your thyroid gland produces an excessive amount of thyroid hormones. These hormones are needed to help maintain the body's metabolism by regulating how fast we burn calories and by maintaining body temperature and weight. When the thyroid gland does not function optimally, it can create a significant impact on your health. Luckily, several treatment options exist to remedy the condition.
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Identification
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The thyroid is located near the bottom of your neck below your larynx. Some people think that this gland looks like a butterfly because there are two lobes, one on either side of the larynx. The thyroid's function is to make and store thyroid hormones. It is important in regulating tissue growth and maintaining blood pressure. Thyroid hormones aid in the development of the nervous and skeletal symptoms and also affect the reproductive system.
Symptoms
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If you have hyperthyroidism, you may not be able to tolerate heat. You may experience frequent sweating and your skin may be warm, red and itchy. It is common to feel nervous or moody. You may find that you don't have as much energy as you once did and you may lose weight without dieting. Your bowel movements may occur more frequently. Your hair might even start to fall out. Because the thyroid regulates the reproductive system, your menstrual cycle could be affected and you might stop menstruating.
Graves' Disease
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The most common cause of hyperthyroidism is Graves' disease, a condition that occurs when the immune system starts to attack the thyroid gland. When this happens, too much of the hormone thyroxine is produced and you may experience many of the common hyperthyroidism symptoms. Graves' disease is more common in women and seems to be inherited in some families. One of the unique symptoms of Graves' disease is the bulging of the eyes that occurs when the muscles and tissues behind the eyes begin to swell. Being a cigarette smoker can increase your chance of developing this symptom. Other eye problems associated with Graves' disease include sensitivity to light, swelling around the eyes and eyelids, excess tear production, a feeling that something is in your eye, and red and inflamed eyes. People who have Graves' disease may also have an enlarged thyroid gland, called a goiter.
Other Causes
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Hyperthyroidism can also be caused by thyroiditis, hyperfunctioning thyroid nodulces or cancer. In thyroiditis, an inflammation of the thyroid gland due to a virus or immune system problem causes an excess amount of thyroid hormones to enter the bloodstream. Hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules occurs when one or more nodules in the thyroid enlarge and produce too much hormone.
Diagnosis
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Your doctor will feel your thyroid gland to determine if it is enlarged. She will be looking for several signs common to people with hyperthyroidism, such as moist skin, weight loss, rapid pulse, changes in the eyes and shaking in your hand or fingers. A blood test will be ordered to measure how much thyroid hormone is present in your blood. You may also undergo a thyroid scan to see how much of your thyroid gland is affected by the disease. A radioactive iodine uptake test may be performed to determine if your thyroid is overproducing thyroid hormones. Before this test is performed, you will swallow radioactive iodine in liquid or pill form and return to the testing facility hours later for testing. A gamma probe, a device used to measure the amount of radioactivity in the thyroid gland, will be placed over your thyroid gland during the test.
Treatment
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Hyperthyroidism can be treated with antithyroid drugs that prevent the thyroid from producing new hormones. Radioactive iodine may be used to destroy overactive cells. This treatment can take several weeks or months before results are seen and antithyroid drugs may be prescribed until the radioactive iodine starts working. In some cases, surgery may be necessary to alleviate symptoms of the disease or remove a cancerous thyroid gland.
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- Photo Credit Lisandra Barros Mendonca
