Part of the endocrine system of the body, the thyroid is a gland which produces hormones that are responsible for metabolic regulation. Imbalances in this gland can have many effects on the body including fluctuations in weight, either up or down, that can not be adjusted through diet or exercise alone.
The symptoms which are exhibited depend on whether the imbalance experienced is an overactive or under active thyroid. With an overactive thyroid, also known as hyperthyroidism, there is an overabundance of hormones produced. In the case of an under active thyroid, known as hypothyroidism, too little of these hormones are produced. In either case, the result is a metabolic imbalance.
In the case of hyperthyroidism, the metabolism works too quickly. This will result in weight loss and increased appetite with an inability to gain weight. To a person with weight problems, that might seem ideal. However, it also leads to a speeding up of the entire sympathetic nervous system which in turn can lead to anxiety, palpitations, respiratory problems and a host of other ills.
In the case of hypothyroidism, the person experiences the opposite problem. With the slowing down of the metabolism typically comes water retention and an excessive weight gain. Other symptoms can be increased cold sensitivity, feeling tired more easily than normal and possibly depression.
Symptoms generally do not show up all of a sudden. Rather, they tend to appear slowly and develop over time, from weeks to months. All of the possible symptoms can be related to other illnesses as well, so it can be difficult to determine that it is time to seek medical help. Fatigue, for example, can be present for many reasons and rarely do we first think of a thyroid dysfunction.
There are various tests that can be done to determine if a person has thyroid disease once they do seek out their doctor. Blood tests alone do not always give a correct diagnosis. As there are various causes of thyroid disease, there are various treatment methods as well.
For an overactive thyroid, surgery is normally not recommended if it is possible to avoid. There are medications that can help to balance out the hormone levels, although if too high doses are given, the patient may be pushed into hypothyroidism. In some cases, people taking these medications will end up having remissions of their condition. Another common treatment is with radioactive iodine. However, this treatment is somewhat controversial, due to the inherent radioactivity.
In the case of hypothyroidism, treatment is almost always the taking of medication to replace the thyroid hormones. Generally, these medications are synthetic although there are some available that are produced from the thyroids of pigs.
Among the various alternative therapies which are now considered are yoga and other breathing exercises, acupressure, acupuncture, herbal supplements, and diet. Generally, these therapies are thought to be more effective if the condition is treated in the beginning before the imbalance becomes too severe. Even for people who need to be on medication of some type, these therapies may help to improve the thyroid imbalances as well.
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