Hyperthyroidism or an overactive thyroid gland is a condition when your thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone. Normally, your thyroid gland produces hormones, known as T3 and T4 hormones that regulate various bodily functions.
In hyperthyroidism, your thyroid gland produces thyroid hormones more than your body requires, which disrupts the normal activities of your body. It can accelerate the metabolism of your body, leading to unintentional weight loss, fast heartbeat, and other symptoms.
The treatment of hyperthyroidism is not complex. It is simple and often effective. The healthcare providers will prescribe medications that can help lower the concentration of thyroid hormone in your body. In this way, adverse symptoms of the health condition also subside.
Along with medications, the healthcare providers may perform surgery to remove a part or whole thyroid gland. If left untreated, hyperthyroidism can become a serious health condition. Therefore you should not ignore it. If you have any symptoms of hyperthyroidism, you should visit the healthcare provider soon. For an expert opinion, you can consult with Best Internal Medicine Specialist in Islamabad.
What Are The Symptoms of Hyperthyroidism?
The symptoms of hyperthyroidism may resemble that of other health conditions, making it difficult for healthcare providers to diagnose it. However, it can be diagnosed with simple and non-invasive tests. The common symptoms of hyperthyroidism are:
- Unintentional weight loss- that occurs even if your food intake is the same or has increased.
- Tachycardia- a condition in which your heart rate is above 100 beats per minute.
- Arrhythmia or irregular heartbeat
- Increased appetite
- Palpitations- a feeling of heart pounding in your chest
- Anxiety
- Nervousness and anxiety
- Tremors- the trembling movement of hands
- Changes in menstrual periods may become lighter or heavy
- Sweating
- Intolerance to heat
- Change in bowel movement- mostly it becomes more frequent
- The enlarged thyroid gland, known as goiter. It may cause swelling at the base of your neck.
- Muscle weakness
- Fatigue and lethargy
- Skin thinning
- Difficulty sleeping
- Brittle and thin hair
In older adults, the symptoms may not be much pronounced and apparent. They may have common symptoms, such as intolerance to heat, increased heart rate, and weight loss.
Grave’s ophthalmology can occur in patients having hyperthyroidism. It may cause your eyeball to protrude out beyond the normal orbits. The eye problem may be solved with time. However, the other symptoms of Grave’s ophthalmology are:
- Red or swollen eyes
- Dry eyes
- Excessive tearing in one or both eyes may become uncomforting
- Blurry or double vision
- Light sensitivity
- Reduced eye movement
- Inflammation of the eye
- Protruded eyeballs
What Are The Causes of Hyperthyroidism?
Hyperthyroidism is a condition when your body produces too much thyroid hormone. It can occur due to various conditions such as Grave’s disease, thyroiditis, and Plummer’s disease.
The thyroid gland is located in your neck. It produces thyroid hormones that regulate various bodily functions. Sometimes, the concentration of thyroxine hormone may get raised due to conditions such as:
- Grave’s Disease- an autoimmune disorder in which your immune system produces antibodies that cause your thyroid hormone to produce more hormones.
- Hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules, known as toxic adenoma, toxic multinodular goiter, or Plummer’s disease. They are conditions when one or more adenomas of the thyroid gland produce too much thyroid hormone.
- Thyroiditis- sometimes inflammation of the thyroid gland can occur, leading to too much secretion of thyroid hormone. It may occur for no reason. Sometimes thyroiditis can be painful, and sometimes it is not.
What Are The Risk Factors for Hyperthyroidism?
Factors that can increase the risk of hyperthyroidism are:
- Having a family history of thyroid disease or especially Grave’s disease
- Being female
- Having a personal history of certain health conditions such as pernicious anemia, type 1 diabetes, and primary adrenal insufficiency
Conclusion
Hyperthyroidism is a condition when your thyroid gland becomes overactive. It can be treated with medications, radioactive iodine, and surgery. If you have any symptoms of hyperthyroidism, you should visit the healthcare provider soon. For an expert opinion, you can consult the Best Internal Medicine Specialist in Karachi.