How to detect a thyroid problem?
This small organ, located at the base of our neck, plays a big role in the proper functioning of our body by constantly producing thyroid hormones. But sometimes (especially during puberty, pregnancy and menopause) its balance can be disturbed and cause specific thyroid diseases. Doctor Michèle Scheffler, endocrinologist, helps us to spot the warning signs.
Summary
- The thyroid, what is it for?
- How to spot a thyroid problem?
- Hyperthyroidism
- How do you spot thyroid cancer?
- Thyroid Disorder the Diagnosis?
The thyroid, what is it for?
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of our neck, which produces thyroid hormones by using iodine circulating in the blood. These thyroid hormones target all tissues in the human body. “They intervene on the growth of hair, integuments, the functioning of the brain, the intestine, the heart , details Doctor Michèle Scheffler but also on the skin, the genital apparatus, the functions of reproduction, our weight, our size ( dwarfism in children), the regulation of our body temperature… ”.
It is therefore impossible to do without thyroid hormones at the risk of becoming amorphous over the months or conversely a real electric battery if they are produced in too large a number.
How to spot a thyroid problem
At home observe your neck, if you feel a lump, notice a deformity, small nodules towards the base of the neck, neck pain, headaches , a tone of voice that changes suddenly, false routes when eating or drink, it is good to go to your doctor. Even more so if you have noticed a change in mood, hyperactivity or, on the contrary, severe fatigue.
Hyperthyroidism
Your thyroid gland is overactive, meaning that it produces too much thyroid hormone.
Symptoms
- You have the impression of living in accelerated mode,
- You feel emotionally unstable,
- You have noticed mood disorders,
- Great nervousness,
- You sleep badly ,
- You have hot all the time,
- You are bothered by palpitations ,
- You lose weight quickly for no reason.
“All these symptoms should not be neglected, warns the endocrinologist, because the cardiac risk is real (tachycardia, arrhythmias with risk of cardiac decompensation). Without forgetting the brain risks. A person can also decompensate an underlying psychiatric illness if their thyroid is disordered ” . In the long run, this life led at 100 per hour can lead to a state of general exhaustion.
What causes?
Hyperthyroidism can be caused by an autoimmune disease such as Graves' disease (sometimes accompanied by exophthalmos) or caused by the presence of an overactive “toxic” nodule on a thyroid lobe. The autoimmune disease is distinguished by the development of specific autoantibodies causing an exaggeration of the functioning of the thyroid and its inflammation. “Strangely enough, autoimmune diseases are most often triggered by an emotional shock, a trauma such as a car accident, a serious announcement breaking a harmony in the body” , the doctor observed.
We think about it less often but hyperthyroidism can also be caused by the absorption of iodine , this hyperthyroidism is said to be induced by iodine. Many medicines do indeed contain iodine. This is the case with drugs to treat heart rhythm disorders but also certain nutritional supplements. Also pay attention to the contrast medium when performing a medical imaging examination. In this case, it suffices to stop the intake of the drug rich in iodine for a return to normal in 6 to 9 months.
“More rarely Quervain's thyroiditis with its painful acute inflammatory procession of the thyroid, most often occurring in a viral context, is responsible for transient hyperthyroidism to be treated immediately with corticosteroid therapy” , advises the specialist.
What treatments?
Three treatments are generally offered to the patient if an autoimmune disease is the cause of the thyroid disorder. As a first-line treatment with synthetic antithyroid drugs administered daily in the form of tablets. “These are drugs that slow down the autoimmune activity of antibodies,” says the doctor. The first month, a blood test is carried out every week to check the toxicity of the treatment. If all goes well, it is administered between 12 to 18 months then its dosage will be gradually reduced over 4 to 6 months ”.
Post a Comment