Thyroid disorder often remain undetected long

One third of all US suffering from a thyroid disorder. The small butterfly-shaped organ located in the front of the neck and is responsible for the main metabolic processes in our body. Through the hormones it secretes, it controls the operation of almost all organs, has an impact on circulation, growth and even our psyche. If with thyroid is something wrong, different diseases may result.

Overactive thyroid disorder is the most common.

In the thyroid, the important hormones produced T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine). Is the thyroid too much or too little of these hormones to the body and because of it occur different symptoms. Frequent disorder is overactive thyroid – thyroid releases too many hormones. In this case, patients are nervous and irritable, and weight loss is possible. In some cases, the enlargement of the thyroid is also visible from the outside. Cause of overactive thyroid is iodine deficiency. For the production of hormones the thyroid iodine, which are recorded only on the food needs. If this is not the case, the thyroid enlarged to also absorb the smallest iodine particles from the bloodstream.

The autoimmune disorder Graves’ disease may be triggered by an overactive. It’s leads the immune system astray, the thyroid is suddenly perceived as a foreign body.

Another fault is the underactive thyroid. Here too little hormones are produced, the performance decreases. Patients feel listless, tired, cold, and take no apparent reason to. Again, an autoimmune disease with the game be that Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, which causes chronic inflammation of the thyroid gland.

Thyroid cancer is the most common cancer among the hormone-producing (endocrine) organs. Under 6,000 people in US every year got a thyroid cancer is diagnosed. Women are affected three times more often. The causes of the development are not fully understood, but in most cases the disease is easily cured.

Diagnosis and Therapy.

If you suspect a malfunction of the thyroid function, the TSH level is first checked in the blood. TSH is the hormone that stimulates the thyroid gland to produce the hormones T3 and T4. Also thyroid antibodies, indicate an autoimmune disease can be detected by blood test.

This reflects a change in value, we see then on ultrasound (sonography) whether the size or texture of fabric has changed. Here, a node visible, brings a further digestion scintigraphy. Here the patient a weak radioactive substance is injected. With a so-called gamma camera is visible how much of the substance accumulates at the thyroid.A small deposit is a sign of a decreased metabolic rate, so an underactive. One speaks of a cold knot. If, however, an increased activity to see a hot node is diagnosed, an overactive exists.

Both malfunctions easily treatable. When underactive modern medicines can balance the hormonal level. Is there an overactive thyroid, there’s the possibility of surgery. Here parts or even the thyroid gland will be removed as a whole. The patient must take the hormones for the rest of their lives in the form of drugs. A more elegant variant is the radioiodine therapy. Here the overactive parts of the thyroid are turned off, the institution itself remains intact.

Healthy eating is the most effective safeguard.

Iodine is the cornerstone of a functioning thyroid. Because the body cannot produce itself, the dietary intake is crucial. Fish is the main source of iodine, as well as rye bread, fresh fruit and vegetables and dairy products should be on the menu.

It is also important the early diagnosis: When you realizes that with body or soul is something wrong, you should see a doctor. Often a thyroid malfunction is detected late and the patients lose valuable time in the quality of life.