THYROID DISORDERS

Your thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in your neck, just above your collarbone. It is one of your endocrine glands, which make hormones. Thyroid hormones control the rate of many activities in your body. These include how fast you burn calories and how fast your heart beats. All of these activities are your body's metabolism.

Thyroid problems include:

• Goiter
  
  
  
  • enlargement of the thyroid gland
  
  
  
  


• Hyperthyroidism 
  
  
  
  •  when your thyroid gland makes more thyroid hormones than your body needs
  
  
  • The symptoms can vary from person to person. They may include
    
    
    
    • Goiter, which is an enlarged thyroid that may cause the neck to look swollen
    
    
    • Weight loss
    
    
    • Frequent bowel movements or diarrhea
    
    
    • Rapid and irregular heartbeat
    
    
    • Hand tremors
    
    
    • Trouble sleeping
    
    
    • Heat intolerance
    
    
    • Fatigue or muscle weakness
    
    
    • Mood swings
    
    
    • Being nervous or irritable
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• Hypothyroidism 
  
  
  
  •  when your thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormones
  
  
  • The symptoms can vary from person to person. They may include
    
    
    
    • Slowed heart rate
    
    
    • Depression
    
    
    • Heavy or irregular menstrual periods and fertility problems
    
    
    • Decreased sweating
    
    
    • Dry, thinning hair
    
    
    • Dry skin
    
    
    • Constipation
    
    
    • Joint and muscle pain
    
    
    • Cold intolerance
    
    
    • A puffy face
    
    
    • Weight gain
    
    
    • Fatigue
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• Thyroid cancer


• Thyroid nodules - lumps in the thyroid gland


• Thyroiditis - swelling of the thyroid

To diagnose thyroid diseases, doctors use a medical history, physical exam, and thyroid tests. They sometimes also use a biopsy. Treatment depends on the problem, but may include medicines, radioiodine therapy, or thyroid surgery



Reference: https://medlineplus.gov/thyroiddiseases.html