Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism

The thyroid is often compared to a thermostat for the body. There’s a good reason for this; the thyroid produces hormones that the body uses to regulate internal temperature, as well as your metabolism and heart rate. Looking somewhat like a very small butterfly, the thyroid is located in your throat.

When everything is running smoothly, you shouldn’t even notice that it’s working. But just as you quickly realize that you’ve got a broken thermostat on your air conditioner or heater, so too will you notice when the thyroid goes haywire. It doesn’t happen very often, though the chances increase as you get older.

In some cases, the hormone supply shuts down significantly; this is known as hypothyroidism. How you can tell if you’ve got it? Severe fatigue, dry skin, chills, a puffiness in the face that wasn’t there before and other symptoms point to the onset of hypothyroidism. Looking at that list of symptoms you may wonder if you are suffering from it right now since they are all pretty common. That’s probably the major reason why hypthyroidism goes untreated. It’s just too easy to overlook.

If you also notice that you’re suddenly having problems concentrating, that you find you are forgetting things more often, that you are getting depressed longer than deeper than usual, and even that your sex drive is lagging, then it may be time to visit a doctor, even if everybody is telling you that you’re just getting older. Age doesn’t automatically bring on all these symptoms, especially not at once.

There is a rather simple medical treatment for hypothyroidism, but it does have one drawback that many consider rather huge. The treatment consists of nothing more complicated than hormone pills to reset the balance. The problem is that you can expect to take these pills every single day for as long as you live. Still, it beats surgery.

On the other side of the coin is a conditon called hyperthyroidism. In this case, as you might expect, the thyroid kicks into overdrive and creates too much hormone. Symptoms of hyperthyroidism include a racing heartbeat, irritability, nervousness, tremors and weight loss. As far as treatment goes, there are more choices available. You can also take the pill route for this in the form of a drug that will block hormone production and bring it back into balance. Another treatment involves using a radioactive dose of iodine to reduce thyroid cells. If the condition is bad enough, it may require surgery to remove parts, or in some cases all, of the thyroid.

Thyroid complications are more likely among women than men, and genetics play a large part in your probability of developing one of the above conditions. In addition, some studies have found a link between tobacco use and the development of Graves’ disease, which is a major cause of hyperthyroidism.

Is there any way to avoid developing hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism besides not smoking? As much as you don’t want to hear it, the best thing to do is simply eat healthy and consult a doctor if you suspect any problem.