All about Thyroid Disorders
What is a Thyroid gland?
One of the largest pure endocrine glands in the body (» 20gms in adults) located in the neck just below the larynx, on either side of & front of the trachea (wind pipe). It is not visible under normal conditions, but can be seen/felt during swallowing if enlarged.
What are its functions?
The thyroid gland produces hormones T3 (Triiodothyronine) & T4 (Thyroxine) that regulate the body’s metabolic rate controlling heart, muscle and digestive function, brain development and bone maintenance. Its correct functioning depends on a good supply of iodine from the diet.
What is Hyperthyroidism?
Overactive tissue within the thyroid gland causing an overproduction of thyroid hormones.
Symptoms:
- High state of excitability.
- Intolerance to heat; feeling of being overheated and leading to heavy sweating.
- Mild to extreme weight loss.
- Varying degrees of diarrhea.
- Muscle weakness.
- Extreme fatigue but inability to sleep.
- Nervousness or other psychic disorders.
- Tremor of the hands.
Thyroid Gland
Treatment:
- Surgical removal of most of the thyroid gland.
- Radioactive Iodine, absorbed by the gland and destroys most of the secretory cells of the thyroid gland.
- blockers.
What is Hypothyroidism?
Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) is a condition in which your thyroid gland does not produce enough of thyroid hormones.
Types of hypothyroidism
- Autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto disease).
- Auto-immunity against the thyroid gland with diminished or absent secretion of thyroid hormone.
- Nodular gland; inflamed (thyroiditis) and non-inflamed portions.
- Abnormality of the enzyme system required for formation of the thyroid hormones.
- Goitrogenic substances (anti-thyroid activity), turnips and cabbages.
Symptoms:
- Fatigue and extreme somnolence with sleeping up to 12 to 14 hours a day.
- Extreme muscular sluggishness.
- Slowed heart rate, decreased cardiac output, decreased blood volume.
- Sometimes increased body weight.
- Constipation.
- Mental sluggishness.
- Failure of many trophic functions in the body evidenced by depressed growth of hair and scaliness of the skin.
- Development of a frog like husky voice.
- In severe cases, development of an edematous appearance throughout the body called myxedema.
- Atherosclerosis: increases the quantity of blood cholesterol due to diminished liver excretion of cholesterol in the bile.
- Goiter (not in all cases).
Treatment of hypothyroidism.
- Oral thyroxine 0.1-0.2 mg/day.
- Intravenous T3 for rapid response 20ug tds.
Goiter
- A goiter is an enlarged thyroid gland
- Palpable and usually highly visible
- Occurs whenever either TSH or TSI excessively stimulates the thyroid gland
- May accompany hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, but it need not be present in either condition.
CAUSES
Simple goiters may occur in people who live in areas with iodine-poor soil. People in these areas might not get enough iodine in their diet. (0.1 mg/day).
SYMPTOMS
- Swelling Breathing difficulties (may rarely occur with very large goiters).
- Cough.
- Hoarseness of voice.
- Swallowing difficulties.
TREATMENT
- Thyroid hormone replacement, if the goiter is due to an underactive thyroid.
- Small doses of Lugol’s iodine or potassium iodine solution if the goiter is due to a lack of iodine.
- Surgery (thyroidectomy) to remove all or part of the gland.