It is due to an abnormal immune system response that causes the thyroid to produce too much thyroid hormone. Severe illness is more common in women over 20 years of age. Hashimoto Thyroid Disease But the disorder can occur at any age and can also affect men. Thyroid disorders are manageable once diagnosed, but it can be difficult to detect their symptoms.
So even if your symptoms don’t bother you, you still need treatment. Beta blockers such as propranolol, atenolol or metoprolol can be used. When thyroid hormone levels return to normal, beta blocker treatment can be stopped. The least invasive method of treating Graves disease is to use medications that reduce thyroid hormone release .
One of the symptoms of hyperthyroidism can be irregular menstrual cycles, which can make pregnancy difficult. Some people actually start communicating with their healthcare provider because of problems that become pregnant and then learn about thyroid disease. Hyperthyroidism is a manageable and treatable condition and most people do well with the treatment. Although you need to take medications for some forms of treatment for the rest of your life, your thyroid hormone levels are normal. Your doctor will ask you questions about your past health and symptoms and do a physical exam to diagnose hyperthyroidism. If your doctor thinks you have the condition, he or she will have blood tests done to see how much thyroid hormone your body is making.
These powerful hormones affect almost all cells, tissues and organs in the body. When this sensitive gland becomes unbalanced, which is the case in about one in eight women, the problem is classified in two ways, hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. If you have an overactive thyroid gland, the thyroid function test will show that the TSH levels in the blood are consistently lower than normal. Low TSH levels mean that your thyroid is overactive and is likely to produce excessive thyroid hormones. Graves disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. It occurs when the immune system attacks the thyroid gland, making it bigger and producing too much thyroid hormone.
The thyrotoxic crisis is considered to be a medical emergency to be treated immediately. The thyroid is a small organ on the front of the neck that produces hormones. It regulates many of the bodily functions, including metabolism, growth, heart rate and body temperature . This treatment will cure the thyroid problem, but generally leads to permanent destruction of the thyroid gland. You will likely have to take thyroid hormone pills for the rest of your life to provide normal hormone levels. This treatment is generally very well tolerated, but may worsen Graves’ eye disease if it is present.