The thyroid works to create and produce certain hormones that play an essential role in different systems of your body. You may get thyroid disease when the thyroid starts making too much or less of these essential hormones.
There are many types of thyroid diseases like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, hyperthyroidism, thyroiditis, and hypothyroidism. The thyroid gland refers to a small organ present in front of your neck and wrapped around the trachea or windpipe. Its shape is similar to a butterfly.
It’s smaller in the middle and has two wide wings that are extended around the area of your throat. The thyroid works as a gland, and you have so many glands in your body. These glands release and create different substances that help your body to perform a specific function.
The thyroid makes certain hormones that help your body to perform many vital functions. When the thyroid stops working properly, it impacts your whole body.
Function Of Thyroid
Thyroid releases and controls certain hormones that work to manage your metabolism. It is a process where the amount of food you take alters into energy. Your body uses this energy to perform many functions correctly. Take your metabolism as a generator.
It works to take raw energy and then uses this energy to power something greater. The thyroid uses some specific hormones to control your metabolism. These hormones are T4 and T3. The thyroid creates these two hormones. These hormones guide your body in the use of energy.
If your thyroid is properly working, it helps your body to maintain an average rate of metabolism. Thyroid continues making replacements as the hormones in your body are used. The pituitary gland supervises this whole process. It is located below your brain at the center of your skull.
The pituitary gland works to monitor and control the quantity of thyroid hormone in your bloodstream. When this gland notices that the amount of thyroid hormone is disturbed in your body, it uses its hormones to adjust this amount.
This hormone is known as thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). Your pituitary gland sends this hormone to your thyroid, and it tells your thyroid what to do to get your body back to normal functioning.
Thyroid Disease
It is a general term used for a particular medical condition that stops your thyroid from making the usual amount of hormones. Typically, your thyroid is involved in making certain hormones that work to keep your body functioning.
The body starts using energy quickly when the thyroid begins making hormones in higher amounts. It is known as hyperthyroidism. It makes your heart beat faster, and you may lose weight quickly. You will be surprised to see that it can even make you nervous sometimes.
We call it hypothyroidism when we see the flip side of this process when the thyroid makes too little hormone. If the hormone is present in less amount in your body, it makes you feel tired and start gaining weight. You become prone to not tolerate cold temperatures.
Causes
Certain diseases can impact the working of the thyroid hormone. These conditions can lead to thyroid disease.
- Thyroiditis
- Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
- Postpartum thyroiditis
- Iodine deficiency
- Non-functioning thyroid gland
Following are the conditions that can lead to hyperthyroidism.
- Grave’s diseases
- Nodules
- Thyroiditis
- Excessive iodine
Symptoms
If you are experiencing thyroid disease, you can have many symptoms. Unfortunately, the symptoms of thyroid disease match the symptoms of some other medical conditions and certain stages of life.
It is tough to know if your symptoms are associated with thyroid disease or any other medical condition. You can divide the symptoms of thyroid disease into two main groups. One is having too much thyroid that is referred to as hyperthyroidism.
Another is having less amount of thyroid hormone, which is known as hypothyroidism. Following are the symptoms that people can have if they are experiencing the condition of hyperthyroidism.
- Losing weight
- Having nervousness, anxiety, and irritability
- Having goiter or enlarged thyroid gland
- Problems with sleeping
- Having tremors and muscle weakness
- Sensitivity to heat
- Having irregular menstruation
- Inhibition of menstrual cycle
- Vision issues
Following are the core symptoms of underactive thyroid hormone or hypothyroidism.
- Fatigue
- Gaining weight too quickly
- Having the issues of forgetfulness
- Having dry hair
- Suffering from heavy menstrual periods
- Sensitivity to cold temperature
- Having a voice like hoarse
