Thyroid problems are a group of diseases that affect the thyroid gland. The thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland located in the front section of the neck. It produces hormones that regulate metabolism, cell growth, and other functions in the body.
What are thyroid problems?
If a person has a thyroid problem, their body doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormones which can lead to a condition known as hyperthyroidism, or their hormones are produced in an abnormal manner. Thyroid disorder can also lead to conditions like goiter (enlarged gland).
The effects of thyroid problems can make you uncomfortable and irritating, many thyroid issues can be controlled and cured if they are diagnosed and treated on time.
Causes of Thyroid Problems
Thyroid problems can be caused by many things, including genetics, age, and environmental factors, such as pollution and radiation. They are also sometimes referred to as hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism, which are terms for when the thyroid produces too much or too little thyroid hormones in the body, respectively. Thyroid problems can be serious, but they are usually treatable with medication. They often require treatment with medication and sometimes surgery, but they do not always require treatment.
All sorts of hyperthyroidism are caused by an excess production of thyroid hormones. However, the condition can happen in more than one way:
- Graves’ disease: It is a disorder of the thyroid that causes your body to make too much or too little thyroid hormone. This can lead to symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, and learning problems. When your thyroid function is normal, you don’t usually experience symptoms.
- Malfunction of the Pituitary gland and growths of cancer cells in the thyroid gland: It is a rare condition. Many people with pituitary gland malfunctions or cancerous growths in the thyroid gland do not know it. The pituitary gland is a small gland that secretes hormones that affect growth and help control the body’s hormones. It is found at the base of the brain in a small cavity that is called the pituitary gland. Pituitary gland malfunctions or cancerous growths in the thyroid gland can lead to other problems, such as diabetes, or hyperthyroidism. Surgery to remove the thyroid gland is often necessary.
- Subacute thyroiditis: Subacute thyroiditis is a condition in which the thyroid gland becomes inflamed. The swelling of the gland can cause the thyroid to produce too much thyroid hormone, which is called hyperthyroidism. The thyroid can become inflamed in response to a virus. In rare cases, subacute thyroiditis can lead to permanent thyroid damage or even cancer.
- Toxic adenomas: A toxic adenoma is a type of thyroid disorder that causes the gland to become enlarged and develop nodules. It most often occurs in young women, but it can also affect men or women at any age. The nodules and enlargement of the gland are caused by a build-up of abnormal thyroid cells that produce too much thyroid hormone. In case, excess hormone production is noticed from a single nodule in the gland, this is referred to as toxic adenoma.
Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland doesn’t make enough of these two hormones thyroxine and tri-iodothyronine. These hormones help your body make energy, control your body temperature, and regulate the use of fats and carbohydrates. Hypothyroidism causes include:
- Hashimoto’s thyroiditis: It is an autoimmune disorder that impacts the thyroid gland and thyroid tissues that are attacked by your body. This can lead to hypothyroidism in which the thyroid doesn’t produce enough hormones. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis also called chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis and is the most common reason for hypothyroidism in the United States.
- Thyroid gland removal surgery: In this procedure, your doctor performs thyroid surgery to remove the thyroid or chemically destroy it.
- Excessive iodide exposure: Medicines for sinus, cold, heart, or various contrast dyes given prior to a few X-rays, may expose you to excessive iodine. An individual with a history of thyroid problems may be at higher risk of getting hypothyroidism.
If it is not treated on time and ignored for the long term, hypothyroidism can cause myxedema coma, a rare medical condition, however, a serious problem that needs urgent hormone treatment.
Hypothyroidism can develop an extraordinary risk to babies and newborn children. Infants who are born with a lack of thyroid hormones can develop cretinism (learning disability and physical deformity) and dwarfism. Many newborns are examined for thyroid levels soon after their birth. In case, hypothyroidism is diagnosed in babies, their treatment starts immediately. Hypothyroidism in babies and in adults can be caused due to:
- Thyroid disorder
- The absence of the gland completely
- Disorder of the pituitary gland
In infants, hypothyroid is generally silent and inactive, with a weak appetite, and sleeping for a longer duration.
Thyroid gland cancer is a rare condition and happens in just around 5percent of thyroid nodules. It could take several years for one or more thyroid nodules to be diagnosed as malignant. Individuals who got head and neck radiation treatment in past, presumably as a treatment for acne, have a higher-than-average chance of acquiring thyroid cancer.
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For more information on Thyroid Problems and Thyroid Treatment at Southlake General Surgery, Texas. You can contact our healthcare expert today at +1 (817) 748-0200. You can also make an online appointment with us.