Description

Hyperthyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone. This condition is also called overactive thyroid. Hyperthyroidism accelerates the body's metabolism. That can cause many symptoms, such as weight loss, tremors in the hands, and a rapid or irregular heartbeat.

There are several treatments are available for hyperthyroidism. Anti-thyroid medications and radioactive iodine can be used to reduce the amount of hormones from the thyroid gland produces. Sometimes, hyperthyroidism treatment involves surgery to remove all or part of the thyroid gland. In some cases, depending on what's causing it, hyperthyroidism can improve without medication or other treatment.

Symptoms

Hyperthyroidism sometimes looks like other health problems. That can make it difficult to diagnose. It can cause many symptoms, including:

  • Losing weight without trying.
  • Rapid heartbeat, a condition called tachycardia.
  • Irregular heartbeat, also called arrhythmia.
  • Palpitation of the heart, sometimes called heart palpitations.
  • Increased hunger.
  • Nervousness, anxiety and irritability.
  • Tremor, usually a small tremor in the hands and fingers.
  • Sweating.
  • Changes in the menstrual cycles.
  • Increased sensitivity to heat.
  • Changes in bowel patterns, especially more frequent bowel movements.
  • Enlargement of the thyroid gland, sometimes called a goiter, which may appear as a swelling at the base of the neck.
  • Fatigue.
  • The muscle weakness.
  • Sleep problems.
  • Moist and warm skin.
  • Thinning of the skin.
  • Well, brittle hair.

Older adults are more likely to have symptoms that are hard to notice. These symptoms may include uneven heartbeats, loss of weight, depression, feeling weak or tired during the day to day activities.

When to see a doctor

If you lost weight without trying, or if you notice a rapid heartbeat, sweating, unusual swelling at the base of your neck, or other symptoms of hyperthyroidism, make an appointment with your health care provider. Tell your doctor about all the symptoms that I have noticed even if they are minor.

After a diagnosis of hyperthyroidism, most of the people the necessity of regular follow-up visits with your health care provider to control the condition.

Causes

Hyperthyroidism can be caused by several medical conditions that affect the thyroid gland. The thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland at the base of the neck. It has a great impact on the body. Every part of your metabolism is controlled by hormones that the thyroid produces.

The thyroid gland produces two main hormones: thyroxine (T-4) and triiodothyronine (T-3). These hormones affect every cell in the body. They support the speed at which the body uses fats and carbohydrates. Help to control the body temperature. Have an effect on heart rate. And help to control the amount of protein that the body makes.

Hyperthyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland makes excess of thyroid hormones in the blood. Conditions that can lead to hyperthyroidism include:

  • The Graves disease. Graves disease is an autoimmune disorder that causes the immune system to attack the thyroid gland. That tells the thyroid to make too much thyroid hormone. Graves disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism.
  • The hyperfunction of the thyroid nodules. This condition is also called toxic adenoma, toxic multinodular goiter, and Plummer's disease. This form of hyperthyroidism occurs when an adenoma of the thyroid produces too much thyroid hormone. An adenoma is a part of the gland that is fenced off from the rest of the gland. Form lumps are non-cancerous growths that can cause the thyroid gland larger than usual.
  • Thyroiditis. This condition occurs when the thyroid gland becomes inflamed. In some cases, it is due to an autoimmune disorder. In others, the reason for this is not clear. The inflammation may produce more thyroid hormone is stored in the thyroid gland to leak into the bloodstream and cause symptoms of hyperthyroidism.

Risk factors

Risk factors for hyperthyroidism include:

  • A family history of thyroid disease, especially Graves ' disease.
  • A personal history of certain chronic diseases, including pernicious anemia and primary adrenal insufficiency.
  • A recent pregnancy, which increases the risk of developing thyroiditis. This can cause hyperthyroidism.

Complications

Hyperthyroidism can lead to the following complications.

Heart problems

Some of the most serious complications of hyperthyroidism involve the heart, including:

  • A heart rhythm disorder called atrial fibrillation increases the risk of stroke.
  • Congestive heart failure, a condition in which the heart can't circulate enough blood to meet the body's needs.

Fragile bones

Untreated hyperthyroidism can lead to weak, brittle bones. This condition is called osteoporosis. The strength of your bones depends, in part, on the amount of calcium and other minerals in them. Too much thyroid hormone makes it difficult for the body to get the calcium in the bones.

Vision problems

Some people with hyperthyroidism develop a problem called thyroid eye disease. It is more common in people who smoke. This disorder affects the muscles and other tissues around the eyes.

The symptoms of thyroid eye disease include:

  • The googly eyes.
  • Feeling of having sand in the eyes.
  • Pressure or pain in the eyes.
  • Puffy or retracted eyelids.
  • Redness or inflammation of the eyes.
  • Sensitivity to light.
  • Double vision.

Eye problems that are not treated, they can cause vision loss.

Discolored, inflammation of the skin

In rare cases, people with Graves ' disease develop Severe dermopathy. This causes the skin to change the colors and swell, often on the shins and feet.

Crisis thyrotoxic

This rare condition is also called thyroid storm. Hyperthyroidism increases the risk of a crisis thyrotoxic. It causes severe, sometimes life-threatening symptoms. It requires emergency medical attention. Symptoms may include:

  • Fever.
  • Fast heartbeat.
  • Nausea.
  • Vomiting.
  • The diarrhea.
  • The dehydration.
  • Confusion.
  • Delirium.

Diagnosis

Hyperthyroidism is diagnosed with a medical history, physical examination, and blood tests. Depending on the results of the blood tests, you may need other tests also.

  • The clinical history and physical examination.During the exam, your doctor can check:Slight tremor in your fingers and hands.Overactive reflexes.Fast or irregular pulse.Eye to the changes.Moist and warm skin. Your provider also examines the thyroid gland as a swallow to see if it is larger than usual, full of potholes or bidding.
  • Slight tremor in your fingers and hands.
  • Overactive reflexes.
  • Fast or irregular pulse.
  • Eye to the changes.
  • Moist and warm skin.
  • Blood tests.Blood test that measures the hormones of the T-4 and T-3 and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) can confirm a diagnosis of hyperthyroidism. A high level of T-4 and a low level of ofTSHis common in people with hyperthyroidism. Blood tests are particularly important for older adults because they may not have classic symptoms of hyperthyroidism. Thyroid blood tests may give false results if you take biotin. Biotin is a B vitamin supplement that can also be found in multivitamins. Tell your doctor if you are taking biotin or a multivitamin with biotin. To make sure your blood test is successful, your doctor may ask you to stop taking biotin for 3 to 5 days before the test.

The clinical history and physical examination. During the exam, your doctor can check: Slight tremor in your fingers and hands.Overactive reflexes.Fast or irregular pulse.Eye to the changes.Moist and warm skin.

  • Slight tremor in your fingers and hands.
  • Overactive reflexes.
  • Fast or irregular pulse.
  • Eye to the changes.
  • Moist and warm skin.

Your provider also examines the thyroid gland as a swallow to see if it is larger than usual, full of potholes or bidding.

Blood tests. Blood test that measures the hormones of the T-4 and T-3 and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) can confirm a diagnosis of hyperthyroidism. A high level of T-4 and a low level of TSH is common in people with hyperthyroidism.

Blood tests are particularly important for older adults because they may not have classic symptoms of hyperthyroidism.

Thyroid blood tests may give false results if you take biotin. Biotin is a B vitamin supplement that can also be found in multivitamins. Tell your doctor if you are taking biotin or a multivitamin with biotin. To make sure your blood test is successful, your doctor may ask you to stop taking biotin for 3 to 5 days before the test.

If the test results show the hyperthyroidism, your doctor may suggest one of the following tests. They can help you find out the reason by which the thyroid gland is overactive.

  • Radioactive iodine scan and uptake test.For this test, a small dose of radioactive iodine, called radioactive iodine, to see how much accumulates in the thyroid gland and accumulates in the gland. If your thyroid gland has a high amount of radioactive iodine, that means that the thyroid gland is making too much thyroid hormone. The most likely cause is Graves disease, or overactive thyroid, nodules, lumps. If your thyroid gland takes in a low amount of radioactive iodine, which means that the hormones are stored in the thyroid gland is filtered in the bloodstream. In that case, it is likely that you have thyroiditis.
  • Ultrasound of the thyroid. This test uses high-frequency sound waves to produce pictures of the thyroid. The ultrasound may be better in the search of the nodules in the thyroid are of other tests. There is No radiation exposure with this test, so it can be used by people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, or other people who can't take radioactive iodine.

Radioactive iodine scan and uptake test. For this test, a small dose of radioactive iodine, called radioactive iodine, to see how much accumulates in the thyroid gland and accumulates in the gland.

If your thyroid gland has a high amount of radioactive iodine, that means that the thyroid gland is making too much thyroid hormone. The most likely cause is Graves disease, or overactive thyroid, nodules, lumps.

If your thyroid gland takes in a low amount of radioactive iodine, which means that the hormones are stored in the thyroid gland is filtered in the bloodstream. In that case, it is likely that you have thyroiditis.

Treatment

There are several treatments are available for hyperthyroidism. The best method for you depends on your age and health. The underlying cause of hyperthyroidism and how severe it is to make a difference too. Your personal preference should also be considered as you and your health care provider decide on a plan of treatment. Treatment may include:

  • Anti-thyroid medicine.These drugs slowly to relieve the symptoms of hyperthyroidism by preventing the thyroid gland from making too many hormones. Anti-thyroid medications, which include the methimazole and propylthiouracil. Usually, the symptoms begin to improve over the course of several weeks to months. Treatment with anti-thyroid medicine usually lasts 12 to 18 months. After that, the dose can be slowly decreased or stopped if the symptoms disappear, and if the blood test results show that the thyroid hormone levels have returned to the standard range. For some people, anti-thyroid medicine puts the hyperthyroidism in the long-term remission. But other people may find that the hyperthyroidism is coming back after this treatment. Although rare, serious liver damage that can happen with both anti-thyroid medications. But due to propylthiouracil has caused many more cases of liver damage, it is usually only used when people can't take methimazole. A small number of people who are allergic to these medications may develop skin rashes, urticaria, fever, or pain in the joints. You can also increase the risk of infection.
  • Beta-blockers. These drugs do not affect the levels of the thyroid hormone. But it can lessen the symptoms of hyperthyroidism, such as tremor, tachycardia, and palpitations of the heart. Sometimes, the health care providers prescribed to relieve the symptoms until the thyroid hormones are closer to a standard level. These medications are generally not recommended for people who have asthma. Side effects may include fatigue and sexual problems.
  • Therapy with radioactive iodine. The thyroid gland takes iodine radioactive. This treatment causes the gland to shrink. This medicine is taken by mouth. With this treatment, the symptoms will usually subside within several months. This treatment usually results in the activity of the thyroid to slow down enough to make the thyroid gland is underactive. This condition is hypothyroidism. Due to that, with time, you may need to take medication to replace the hormones the thyroid.
  • The thyroidectomy.This is surgery to remove part or all of the thyroid gland. Not often used to treat hyperthyroidism. But it can be an option for people who are pregnant. It can also be an option for those who can't take anti-thyroid medicine and they do not want or can not take the radioactive iodine therapy. The risks of this surgery include damage to the vocal cords and parathyroid glands. The parathyroid glands are four small glands in the posterior part of the thyroid gland. Help to control the level of calcium in the blood. People who have a thyroidectomy or radioactive iodine therapy you need life-long treatment with the drug levothyroxine (Levoxyl, Synthroid, others). That provides the body with thyroid hormone. If the parathyroid glands are removed during surgery, the drug is also necessary to keep the calcium in the blood in a healthy range.

Anti-thyroid medicine. These drugs slowly to relieve the symptoms of hyperthyroidism by preventing the thyroid gland from making too many hormones. Anti-thyroid medications, which include the methimazole and propylthiouracil. Usually, the symptoms begin to improve over the course of several weeks to months.

Treatment with anti-thyroid medicine usually lasts 12 to 18 months. After that, the dose can be slowly decreased or stopped if the symptoms disappear, and if the blood test results show that the thyroid hormone levels have returned to the standard range. For some people, anti-thyroid medicine puts the hyperthyroidism in the long-term remission. But other people may find that the hyperthyroidism is coming back after this treatment.

Although rare, serious liver damage that can happen with both anti-thyroid medications. But due to propylthiouracil has caused many more cases of liver damage, it is usually only used when people can't take methimazole. A small number of people who are allergic to these medications may develop skin rashes, urticaria, fever, or pain in the joints. You can also increase the risk of infection.

The thyroidectomy. This is surgery to remove part or all of the thyroid gland. Not often used to treat hyperthyroidism. But it can be an option for people who are pregnant. It can also be an option for those who can't take anti-thyroid medicine and they do not want or can not take the radioactive iodine therapy.

The risks of this surgery include damage to the vocal cords and parathyroid glands. The parathyroid glands are four small glands in the posterior part of the thyroid gland. Help to control the level of calcium in the blood.

People who have a thyroidectomy or radioactive iodine therapy you need life-long treatment with the drug levothyroxine (Levoxyl, Synthroid, others). That provides the body with thyroid hormone. If the parathyroid glands are removed during surgery, the drug is also necessary to keep the calcium in the blood in a healthy range.

The thyroid eye disease

If you have thyroid eye disease, you may be able to manage mild symptoms with self-care measures, such as eye drops of artificial tears and lubricating eye gels. Avoid the wind and the bright lights, can also help.

More severe symptoms may require treatment with medications called corticosteroids, such as prednisone or methylprednisolone. You can reduce the swelling behind the eyes. Medicine teprotumumab (Tepezza) can also be used for the control of moderate to severe symptoms. If medications do not relieve the symptoms, other medications are sometimes used to treat thyroid eye disease. Include, tocilizumab (Actemra), rituximab (Rituxan) and mycophenolate mofetil (Cellcept).

In some cases, surgery may be needed to treat the thyroid eye disease, including:

  • Orbital decompression surgery. In this surgery, the bone between the eye socket and sinus is removed. This surgery can improve vision. It also gives the eye most of the room, so that he can return to his usual position. There is a risk of complications of this surgery. If you have double vision before the surgery, it may not go away after. Some people develop double vision after surgery.
  • Eye muscle surgery. Sometimes the scar tissue of the thyroid eye disease can cause one or more of the muscles of the eye that is too short. This pulls the eyes out of alignment, causing double vision. Eye muscle surgery can correct the double vision for the cutting of the muscles of the eyeball and plug it in again above.

Lifestyle and home remedies

Once you begin treatment, the symptoms of hyperthyroidism will likely be better. Along with your treatment, your doctor may suggest that you reduce the iodine in your diet. You can make hyperthyroidism worse. Kelp, dulse and other types of seaweed contain a large amount of iodine. Cough syrup and multivitamins may also contain iodine.

Graves disease

If you have Graves disease which causes the eyes or skin problems, take the following steps can help alleviate the symptoms:

  • Do not smoke. Smoking has been associated with the development of thyroid eye disease. You can also make the condition worse. And the habit of smoking can cause symptoms to recur after treatment.
  • Keep the eyes lubricated. Eye drops can relieve the dryness and itching. A cold compress can also provide moisture. If your eye does not close completely, a lubricating gel at bedtime can help to keep the cornea from drying out. Some people also tape your eyelids closed while you sleep.
  • Protect your eyes. Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from the sun and the wind.
  • Keep your head up. Elevate the head of the bed can reduce the inflammation and relieve the pressure in their eyes.
  • The use of creams for the inflamed skin. Creams that contain hydrocortisone which can be purchased without a prescription (Cortizone 10, others) may help relieve the inflammation of the skin on the shins and feet. To help you find these creams, ask your pharmacist for one.

Coping and support

If you have been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, it is important that you receive the medical care that you need. After you and your doctor have decided on a treatment plan, there are also some things that you can do to deal with the disease and help your body heal.

  • Get regular exercise. The exercise can help you feel better. Improves muscle tone and helps to keep the heart and lungs healthy. Exercise can also help you to feel more energized.
  • Learn relaxation techniques. Many relaxation techniques can help you to maintain a positive attitude, especially when suffering from a disease. Research has shown that the disease of Serious, in particular, stress is a risk factor. Learn to relax and find a sense of calm can help keep your physical and mental well-being.

Preparing for your appointment

It is likely to start by seeing your primary care provider. But you can be referred directly to a specialist in disorders of the hormone, called an endocrinologist. If you have vision problems, you may be referred to an eye doctor, also called an ophthalmologist.

Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment and know what to expect from your health care provider.

What you can do

  • Be aware of any pre-appointment restrictions. When you make the appointment, ask if there is something that you need to do to prepare, such as not eating or drinking anything for a certain period of time.
  • Write down your symptoms, including any that may seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment.
  • Write down key personal information, including any major stresses or recent life changes.
  • Make a list of all medications, vitamins or supplements that you are taking, especially any supplements or vitamins that contain biotin.
  • Have a family member or friend along, if possible. Someone who is there with you you can remember the information that you missed or forgot.
  • Write questions to ask their health care provider.

Write a list of questions will help you to make the most of your time with your health care provider. For hyperthyroidism, some questions are:

  • What is the most likely cause of my symptoms?
  • There are other possible causes?
  • What tests do I need?
  • Is my condition likely temporary or long-term?
  • What treatment options are available, and which do you recommend for me?
  • I have other health conditions. How can I manage these conditions?
  • You should see a specialist?
  • Is there a generic alternative to the medicine you're prescribing?
  • Do you have brochures or other printed material that I can take? What sites do you recommend?

Do not hesitate to ask other questions.

What to expect from your doctor

Your health care provider will likely ask you some questions, including:

  • When did your symptoms begin?
  • The symptoms been continuous or occasional?
  • How severe are the symptoms?
  • What, in any case, it makes your symptoms better?
  • What, in any case, it makes your symptoms worse?
  • Do the members of your family have thyroid disease?
  • Have you had any recent explorations of radiology that uses intravenous contrast?
Symptoms and treatment of Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid)