Thyroid gland is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located at the front of the neck (below the Adam’s apple).
The thyroid gland is an endocrine gland in your neck. This gland uses iodine (found in small quantities in many foods) to produce two hormones that are secreted into the blood: thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). These hormones control many aspects of health, including:
• The rate at which the body’s cells work – the ‘metabolic rate’
• Body weight and temperature
• Heart rate and blood pressure
• Mental alertness
• Growth in children
The thyroid gland may malfunction in some of the following ways;
• Hypothyroidism: This is when the thyroid is underactive and does not make enough thyroid hormone. Hypothyroidism can go on for years without showing any signs. When symptoms do appear, they can be quite varied and can include tiredness, feeling cold, poor appetite, weight gain, dry skin, constipation, poor concentration/memory, depression, swollen lips and a puffy face, slow heart rate
• Hyperthyroidism: this is when the thyroid is overactive and makes too much thyroid hormone. The most common symptoms of hyperthyroidism are feeling anxious or nervous, increased appetite with weight loss, heat intolerance, sleep disturbance, heart palpitation, diarrhoea and, sometimes, sore and gritty eyes,
• Goitre: When the thyroid grows so large that it becomes visible under the skin, it is called a ‘goitre’. This enlargement can occur when the thyroid is overactive or underactive.
• Graves’ disease: This is an autoimmune disease in which your immune system attacks healthy tissue in your thyroid gland for unknown reasons. It’s the most common cause of hyperthyroidism.
• Hashimoto’s disease: Also known as autoimmune thyroiditis. This is the most common form of hypothyroidism. It is a disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks the thyroid cells as though they were foreign cells, leading to hypothyroidism.
• Thyroid nodules: Are solid or fluid-filled lumps that form within your thyroid. Thyroid Nodules can be caused by benign cysts, benign tumors, or less commonly, by cancers of the thyroid. Only a small percentage of thyroid nodules are cancerous.
• Thyroid cancer: This is when some of the thyroid cells become cancerous.
Problems with the thyroid can be caused by:
• iodine deficiency
• autoimmune diseases, in which the immune system attacks the thyroid, leading either to hyperthyroidism (caused by Graves’ disease) or hypothyroidism (caused by Hashimoto’s disease)
• inflammation caused by a virus or bacteria
• nodules, or non-cancerous lumps
• cancerous tumours
• certain medical treatments, including radiation therapy, thyroid surgery, and some medicines
• genetic disorders; there is a hereditary component to thyroid disease, many thyroid diseases do run in families. Both hypothyroidism (Hashimoto’s) and hyperthyroidism (Graves) have tendency to run in families. Having a first-degree family member with a thyroid disorder is an increased risk factor for developing a thyroid condition.
• pregnancy – occasionally, pregnancy can cause thyroid problems to start or get worse. If left untreated, this can cause problems for mother and baby, including miscarriage, premature birth, preeclampsia and bleeding after birth.
The takeaway: If you have a thyroid problem that is not treated properly, serious health complications can result such as
• death
• thyroid storm
• heart disease
• decreased bone density (osteoporosis)
• stroke
• miscarriage or premature birth
• high cholesterol & triglycerides
• chronic kidney disease
Finally: If you have a strong family history of thyroid disorder, genetic testing may help you make important healthcare decisions.
Also, if you suspect your thyroid gland is broken, or something is out of whack with your thyroid, don’t worry, we can fix it. Feel free to schedule an appointment to meet our homeopath at Farm Herbal Pro. We are here to help
