The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped organ located in the base of\u00a0your neck. It releases hormones that control metabolism. The\u00a0thyroid's hormones regulate vital body functions, including:
*Breathing
*Heart rate
*Central and peripheral nervous systems
*Body weight
*Muscle strength
*Menstrual cycles
*Body temperature
*Cholesterol levels<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
How does the thyroid gland work? <\/strong> Symptoms of Thyroid gone Awry<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Weight loss or gain <\/strong> Swelling in the neck <\/strong> Changes in heartrate <\/strong> Changes in mood or energy <\/strong> Hair loss <\/strong> Feeling too cold or too hot <\/strong> <\/p>\r\n\r\n Other Symptoms of Hypothyroidism <\/strong> Other Symptoms of Hyperthyroidism <\/strong> Who should get tested? <\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Diagnosing Thyroid Disorders <\/strong> Treating Hypothyroidism <\/strong> Treating Hyperthyroidism <\/strong> Disclaimer:<\/strong> The advice provided is intended for informational purpose only and does not substitute for professional medical advice.\u00a0\u00a0Consult with your doctor if you\u2019re seeking medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment.\u200b<\/p>\r\n\r\n <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Does fatigue drag you down day after day? Do you have brain fog, weight gain, chills, or hair loss?\u00a0 Or is the opposite true for you: Are you often revved\u00a0up, sweaty, or anxious?\u00a0 Your thyroid gland could be to blame.\u00a0 This great regulator of body and mind sometimes goes\u00a0haywire, particularly in women.\u00a0 Getting the right […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":4760,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3505","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3505","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3505"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3505\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6446,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3505\/revisions\/6446"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4760"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3505"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3505"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3505"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
The thyroid gland uses iodine from the foods you eat to\u00a0make two main hormones:
Triiodothyronine (T3)
Thyroxine (T4)
T3 and T4 travel in your bloodstream to reach almost every\u00a0cell in the body.\u00a0
The hormones regulate the speed with which the\u00a0metabolism works.\u00a0
Either the thyroid gland produces too much hormone\u00a0(hyperthyroidism)\u00a0or your thyroid doesn't produce enough\u00a0hormone (hypothyroidism), resulting in your body using\u00a0energy faster or slower than it should.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n![\"Bare](\"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/weight-check.jpg\")
<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
An unexplained change in weight is one of the\u00a0most common signs of a thyroid disorder.\u00a0
Weight gain may signal low levels of thyroid\u00a0hormones, a condition called hypothyroidism.\u00a0
In contrast, if the thyroid produces more\u00a0hormones than the body needs, you may lose\u00a0weight unexpectedly. This is known as\u00a0hyperthyroidism.\u00a0
Hypothyroidism is far more common<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
A swelling or enlargement in the neck is a visible clue\u00a0that something may be wrong with the thyroid.\u00a0
A swelling may occur with either hypothyroidism or\u00a0hyperthyroidism.\u00a0
Sometimes swelling in the neck can result from\u00a0thyroid cancer or nodules, lumps that grow inside the\u00a0thyroid.\u00a0
It can also be due to a cause unrelated to the\u00a0thyroid.\u00a0
Consult your doctor if you do see a swelling in the\u00a0neck.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n![\"Smartwatch](\"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/heart-rate.jpg\")
<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Thyroid hormones affect nearly every organ\u00a0in the body and can influence how quickly\u00a0the heart beats.\u00a0
People with hypothyroidism may notice\u00a0their heart rate is slower than usual.\u00a0
Hyperthyroidism may cause the heart to\u00a0speed up.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Thyroid disorders can have a noticeable\u00a0impact on your energy level and mood.\u00a0
Hypothyroidism tends to make people feel\u00a0tired, sluggish, and depressed.\u00a0
Hyperthyroidism can cause anxiety,\u00a0problems sleeping, restlessness, and\u00a0irritability.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n![\"Woman](\"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/tangled-hair.jpg\")
<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Hair loss is another sign that thyroid\u00a0hormones may be out of balance.\u00a0
Both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism\u00a0can cause hair to fall out.\u00a0
In most cases, the hair will grow back once\u00a0the thyroid disorder is treated.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Thyroid disorders can disrupt the ability to\u00a0regulate body temperature.\u00a0
People with hypothyroidism may feel cold\u00a0more often than usual.\u00a0
Hyperthyroidism tends to have the opposite\u00a0effect, causing excessive sweating and an\u00a0aversion to heat.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/improper_sleep.jpg\")
<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Dry skin\u00a0
Brittle Nails
Trouble Sleeping
Frequent, heavy periods
Joint and muscle pain<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n![\"Scrabble](\"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/anxiety-2.jpg\")
<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Vision Problems
Anxiety
Nervousness, hyperactivity
Trembling hands
Missed or light menstrual periods<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
<\/strong> If you think you have symptoms of a thyroid problem, ask your doctor if you should be tested.\u00a0
People with symptoms or risk factors may\u00a0need tests more often.\u00a0
Hypothyroidism is the most common thyroid\u00a0disorder in India, affecting 1 in 10 adults.\u00a0
A family history raises your risk of either\u00a0disorder.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n![\"Two](\"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/pexels-blood-samples.jpg\")
<\/p>\r\n
*If your doctor suspects a thyroid disorder, a blood test can help provide an answer.\u00a0
*This test measures the level of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), a kind of master hormone that regulates the work of the thyroid gland.\u00a0
*Along with TSH measurements , thyroid hormone levels are also analyzed.\u00a0
*If TSH is high, it typically means that your thyroid function is too low (hypothyroid).\u00a0
*If TSH is low, then it generally means the thyroid is overactive (hyperthyroid.)\u00a0
*In some cases, imaging studies are used, and biopsies are taken to evaluate a thyroid abnormality.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
If you are diagnosed with hypothyroidism, your\u00a0doctor will most likely prescribe thyroid\u00a0hormones in the form of a pill.\u00a0
This usually leads to noticeable improvements\u00a0within a couple of weeks.\u00a0
Long-term treatment can result in more energy,\u00a0lower cholesterol levels, and gradual weight loss.\u00a0
Most people with hypothyroidism will need to\u00a0take thyroid hormones for the rest of their lives.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
A\u00a0common treatment\u00a0for hyperthyroidism is\u00a0antithyroid medication, which aims to lower\u00a0the amount of hormones produced by the\u00a0thyroid.\u00a0
The condition may eventually go away, but\u00a0many people need to remain on medication\u00a0for the long term.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n