This year I was diagnosed with thyroid disease. The diagnosis was not a surprise as most of my family is hypothyroid and my sister had thyroid cancer. Thyroid disease is common in the United States, and statistics indicate more than 20 Million people suffer from thyroid disorder. The thyroid gland is a butterfly- shaped organ located below the Adam’s apple. It is part of the endocrine system and functions to convert iodine into thyroid hormone. The thyroid regulates metabolic energy, body temperature, and other organ functions. People with a family history of thyroid dysfunction often have thyroid disorders. Hypo and hyper thyroid disorder, thyroid nodules, goiter, and thyroid cancer are the most common thyroid disorders.
Hypothyroidism is diagnosed when a person produces insufficient amounts of thyroid hormone. Common symptoms of low thyroid include fatigue, dry skin and hair, constipation, hair loss, sensitivity to cold temperatures, depression, irritability, anxiety, poor concentration, memory loss, weight gain, insomnia, and heavy menstrual periods. Hashimoto’s disease is an auto-immune disorder commonly associated with low thyroid. Hypothyroidism is commonly diagnosed by a blood test, to check the levels of thyroid hormone. Many people try herbal remedies for low thyroid with little success. The disease is usually treated, with prescription thyroid medications, to balance the levels of thyroid hormone.
Hyperthyroid disorder occurs when the body produces more thyroid hormone than is needed. Common symptoms of elevated thyroid include increased perspiration, thinning hair, muscular weakness in the upper arms, shaking hands, anxiety, racing heart, weight loss, infrequent bowel movements, and light menstrual cycles. Related health conditions include toxic multinodular goiter, Graves’s disease, and thyrotoxicosis. Common treatment for hyperthyroidism includes antithyroid medications, radioactive iodine treatment, and thyroidectomy.
Thyroid nodules are another form of thyroid disease. Thyroid nodules are irregular growths ranging in size and appearance which occur in 50% of the population. Nodules are either solid growths or cysts and are present with or without thyroid imbalance. In some cases, multiple thyroid nodules are formed due to hyperthyroidism. Multiple nodules may occur in one or both lobes of the thyroid, such as multinodular and bilateral multinodular goiter. In most cases, thyroid nodules are non cancerous and do not affect the thyroid’s function. The incidence of thyroid cancer is higher with a family history of thyroid cancer, a single hard nodule, the presence of a cold nodule in an RAI scan, and a nodule that is attached to the surrounding anatomical structure. Thyroid nodules are usually discovered during a routine physical exam. If a thyroid nodule is present, your doctor will refer you to an endocrinologist. The endocrinologist will require more tests including an ultrasound scan, and in some cases, a radio-active iodine scan. Usually, a fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy will be performed to determine of the nodule is cancerous. With early detection, thyroid cancer is highly responsive to treatment.
If you have suspect you have thyroid problems, ask your doctor to check your thyroid hormone levels. While there is no cure for thyroid disease, the condition is treatable with proper medical treatment, early detection, and lifestyle changes.
"Thyroid Diseases: MedlinePlus." National Library of Medicine - National Institutes of Health.
Web. 21 Mar. 2011. <http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/thyroiddiseases.ht
