Hyperthyroidism is an uncommon condition where your thyroid gland which is in your neck goes into 'overdrive'. It produces too much of a chemical called thyroxine. We all have a certain amount of thyroxine in our bodies to keep us working at just the right 'energy level'. If too much thyroxine is made, you can become very ill with tiredness, a fast heartbeat and weight loss. Initially the symptoms can mimic lots of other conditions.
However, the diagnosis is usually made with a simple blood test. A number of treatments are available which makes hyperthyroidism fairly easy to treat: tablets are the mainstay of treatment, followed by radiotherapy. Occasionally surgery is needed. Thyroxine is a body chemical hormone made by your thyroid gland. It is carried around your body in your bloodstream. It helps to keep your body's functions your metabolism working at the correct pace. Many cells and tissues in your body need thyroxine to keep them going correctly.
Hyper thyroidism means an overactive thyroid gland. When your thyroid gland is overactive it makes too much thyroxine. The extra thyroxine causes many of your body's functions to speed up. In contrast, if you have hypo thyroidism, you make too little thyroxine; this causes many of the body's functions to slow down.
See the separate leaflet called Underactive Thyroid Gland Hypothyroidism for more information. Thyrotoxicosis is a term that may be used by doctors instead of hyperthyroidism. The two terms mean much the same. Most people with hyperthyroidism do not have all the symptoms but a combination of two or more is common. Symptoms usually develop slowly over several weeks. All the symptoms can be caused by other problems and so the diagnosis may not be obvious at first.
Symptoms may be mild to start with but become worse as the level of thyroxine in your blood gradually rises. With treatment, the outlook prognosis is excellent as most of the symptoms and risks of complications go. About 2 in women and 2 in 1, men in the UK develop an overactive thyroid gland hyperthyroidism at some stage of their lives.
It can occur at any age but it is more common as you become older. There are various causes of having an overactive thyroid gland hyperthyroidism. They include the following:.
This is the most common cause. It can occur at any age but is most common in women aged years. It can affect anyone but there is often a family history of the condition. There may also be family members with other autoimmune diseases for example, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and myasthenia gravis. Graves' disease is also an autoimmune disease.
The immune system normally makes tiny proteins antibodies which travel in your bloodstream to attack bacteria, viruses and other germs. In autoimmune diseases, the immune system makes antibodies against tissues of your body.
If you have Graves' disease, you make antibodies that attach to your thyroid gland. These stimulate your thyroid gland to make lots of thyroxine. It is thought that something triggers your immune system to make these antibodies. The trigger is not known. In Graves' disease the thyroid gland usually enlarges, which causes a swelling goitre in the neck.
See the separate leaflet called Goitre Thyroid Swelling. The eyes are also affected in about half of cases. If they are affected, your eyes are pushed forwards and look more prominent proptosis. This can cause discomfort and watering of your eyes. Problems with eye muscles may also occur and lead to double vision. It is not clear why eye symptoms occur in some people who have Graves' disease. They may be due to the antibodies affecting the tissues around the eye.
See the separate leaflet called Thyroid Eye Disease for more details. This is a less common cause of hyperthyroidism. Thyroid nodules are lumps which can develop in your thyroid gland. It is not clear why they develop. Thyroid nodules, which are growths on your thyroid. They are usually benign not cancer. But they may become overactive and make too much thyroid hormone. Thyroid nodules are more common in older adults. Thyroiditis, inflammation of the thyroid.
It causes stored thyroid hormone to leak out of your thyroid gland. Too much iodine. Iodine is found in some medicines, cough syrups, seaweed and seaweed-based supplements.
Taking too much of them can cause your thyroid to make too much thyroid hormone. Too much thyroid medicine. This can happen if people who take thyroid hormone medicine for hypothyroidism underactive thyroid take too much of it.
Who is at risk for hyperthyroidism? You are at higher risk for hyperthyroidism if you Are a woman Are older than age 60 Have been pregnant or had a baby within the past 6 months Have had thyroid surgery or a thyroid problem, such as goiter Have a family history of thyroid disease Have pernicious anemia , in which the body cannot make enough healthy red blood cells because it does not have enough vitamin B12 Have type 1 diabetes or primary adrenal insufficiency, a hormonal disorder Get too much iodine, from eating large amounts of foods containing iodine or using iodine-containing medicines or supplements What are the symptoms of hyperthyroidism?
The symptoms of hyperthyroidism can vary from person to person and may include Nervousness or irritability Fatigue Muscle weakness Trouble tolerating heat Trouble sleeping Tremor , usually in your hands Rapid and irregular heartbeat Frequent bowel movements or diarrhea Weight loss Mood swings Goiter, an enlarged thyroid that may cause your neck to look swollen.
Sometimes it can cause trouble with breathing or swallowing. What other problems can hyperthyroidism cause? If hyperthyroidism isn't treated, it can cause some serious health problems, including An irregular heartbeat that can lead to blood clots , stroke , heart failure , and other heart problems An eye disease called Graves' ophthalmopathy.
It can cause double vision, light sensitivity, and eye pain. In rare cases, it can lead to vision loss. Thinning bones and osteoporosis Fertility problems in women Complications in pregnancy, such as premature birth , low birth weight , high blood pressure in pregnancy , and miscarriage How is hyperthyroidism diagnosed?
Your health care provider may use many tools to make a diagnosis: A medical history, including asking about symptoms A physical exam Thyroid tests , such as TSH , T3 , T4 , and thyroid antibody blood tests Imaging tests , such as a thyroid scan, ultrasound , or radioactive iodine uptake test. A radioactive iodine uptake test measures how much radioactive iodine your thyroid takes up from your blood after you swallow a small amount of it.
What are the treatments for hyperthyroidism? The treatments for hyperthyroidism include medicines, radioiodine therapy, and thyroid surgery: Medicines for hyperthyroidism include Antithyroid medicines, which cause your thyroid to make less thyroid hormone. Thyroid stimulating hormone becomes suppressed in this way due to the excessive thyroxine and triiodothyronine already circulating in the body.
This is sensed by the pituitary gland, which inhibits it from producing any more thyroid stimulating hormone. Exact treatment depends on the cause of the condition. There are three main methods of treatment for thyrotoxicosis:. If medication is used to treat the thyrotoxicosis, it is normal for it to take a little time to find the right dose of medication to suit the individual. Therefore, the doctor will request that the patient has regular blood tests, particularly at the start of treatment, so that the levels of thyroid hormones in the blood can be measured and the medication regime altered if levels are too high or too low.
Long-term implications of treated thyrotoxicosis depend on which of the treatment methods are used, but often result in the need for lifelong medication thyroid hormone tablets to be taken daily. Patients on medication should have blood tests taken by their GP at regular intervals to confirm that the dose remains correct. The majority of patients are able to find a medication regime that works well for them and live normal lives.
If untreated, besides feeling poorly and unwell, the patient is also at risk of developing a fast irregular heart beat atrial fibrillation which increases the risk of stroke. In extreme cases, patients may develop heart failure due to the rapid irregular heart rate and increased metabolic demand. British Thyroid Foundation may be able to provide advice and support to patients and their families dealing with thyrotoxicosis.
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