Thyroid diseases, manifestations and cure
May 25 is World Thyroid Day
By Dr. Abhishek Kumar
Thyroid gland is a butterfly shaped gland situated in the front of neck, it is part of human endocrine system and produces and releases thyroid hormones like Thyroxine. The function of thyroid is to control the speed or the level of our metabolism. It is important for role in growth and development of children and also in pregnancy for development of the foetus. Deficiency of thyroid hormones in children can result in slow growth, lack of activity and poor performance in school. In severe cases stunted growth can also be seen. Thyroid diseases can be hereditary and are seen to run in families.
Hypothyroidism, also known as underactive thyroid is seen with low thyroid hormone levels on blood tests. It is more commonly seen in women and signs like weight gain, lethargy, intolerance to cold, feeling dull, menstrual irregularities and weakness can be seen. It can be accompanied by swelling of the thyroid gland, also known as goiter. Iodine deficiency is one of the commonest cause and using iodized salt helps in prevention of this form of goiter. Another cause of hypothyroidism can be presence of goitrogens in food, which are compounds that interfere with production of thyroid hormones. There are many goitrogen containing food items, common ones being cauliflower, cabbage, turnip and cassava which need to be consumed in moderation in these patients. The treatment of hypothyroidism is with thyroxine hormone tablets which are taken empty stomach in the morning. Treatment usually continues for life time. Follow up with doctor is recommended every 1 to 2 months initially and on assuming control of disease status, the gap of visit can be widened.
Another form of endocrince thyroid disease is hyperthyroidism which is basically an overactive thyroid. The thyroid gland releases excess of thyroid hormones in this condition. Here either the thyroid gland is producing excess hormones or some infective cause releases the stored hormones from thyroid gland in excess, also known as thyroiditis. Thyroiditis can be accompanied with sore throat, fever and pain in neck. Hyperthyroidism is treated with anti thyroid medications. For thyroiditis there is symptomatic treatment which resolves on its own over time. Common signs of hyperthyroidism are weight loss, anxiety, intolerance to heat and tremors. One should visit doctor and get tested for thyroid disease in case of these complaints. Follow up with doctor is initially at 1 month gap, which is widened after resuming control of thyroid hormone levels. Another treatment option for over functioning thyroid gland is with radioactive iodine, it destroys the thyroid cells and stops further production of excess thyroid hormones. It is used in patients who have been on antithyroid medications for long duration or in cases where control is not achieved despite anti-thyroid medications.
Thyroid cancer, another disease of concern commonly manifests as hard neck swelling. It is usually not painful and shows increase in size over time. Difficulty is swallowing, hoarseness or change in voice can also be seen in thyroid cancer. It is for risk of cancer, people should immediately see a doctor in case of any type of neck swelling and avoid self-diagnosis. The doctor will evaluate the swelling and order necessary tests to rule out cancer. The mode of treatment for thyroid cancer is surgery wherein the entire thyroid gland is removed.
We, at TMH Jamshedpur offer the best treatment for all types of thyroid diseases with the state-of-art modern equipments and techniques. We have facility for thyroid scan, thyroid surgeries and treatment with radioactive iodine.
(Author is a nuclear medicine physician working with TMH, Jamshedpur. He has over 16 years of experience in Nuclear Medicine. He completed his MBBS and MD, Nuclear Medicine from AIIMS, New Delhi. He was working as senior consultant at Medanta, Gurugram before joining TMH, Jamshedpur.)
