Contents:
- Medical Video: Thyroid Self-Test Medical Course
- What is the thyroid gland?
- What is thyroid disease?
- Causes of thyroid disease
- What are the symptoms of thyroid disease?
- Hyperthyroidism
- Hypothyroidism
- Swelling of the thyroid gland
- Distinguishes the swelling of the thyroid gland and lymph nodes
- Swelling of the thyroid gland
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Treatment for diseases of the thyroid gland
- Hypothyroidism
- Hyperthyroidism
Medical Video: Thyroid Self-Test Medical Course
The thyroid gland is a small gland in the neck that is useful in almost all processes in the body. The thyroid gland in the neck produces hormones that can become unbalanced and can cause disease. This hormone can be very active or also less active. If this homron disease is not treated properly it can be dangerous and can cause swelling of the thyroid gland in the neck.
Even so, this condition can be treated by using home care or also the thyroid gland medication from a doctor. This article will discuss all about the thyroid gland, thyroid disease, the characteristics of the swollen thyroid gland, and the tird gland drug.
What is the thyroid gland?
The thyroid gland is a small butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of the neck just below the Adam's apple and above the breastbone. The endocrine gland is part of the complex glandular tissue of the olive endocrine system.
Through the hormones it produces, the thyroid gland is useful for almost all metabolic processes in the body. In addition, the thyroid gland also regulates energy in the body, body temperature, and body tissue growth.
The hormones produced by the thyroid gland also affect the work of organs such as the heart, digestion, muscles, and nervous system.
What is thyroid disease?
Thyroid disease is a common problem that causes an imbalance of thyroid hormones in your body. This thyroid disease occurs when the thyroid gland in the neck does not produce enough hormones or becomes less active (hypothyroid), produces too much hormone or is overactive (hyperthyroid), swells or goiter.
This thyroid disease is more common in women than in men. Thyroid disease can also affect everyone at any age
Although the effects of thyroid disease can make you uncomfortable, but most conditions due to disorders of the thyroid gland can be treated properly if diagnosed and treated properly.
Causes of thyroid disease
Thyroid disease is generally caused by the production of hormones produced by this gland which is not sufficient to work according to its function.
When the thyroid gland in your neck does not produce enough hormones, the balance of chemical reactions in your body can be disrupted. There are several causes, including autoimmune diseases, treatment for hyperthyroidism, radiation therapy, thyroid surgery and certain drugs.
The hormones produced by the thyroid gland are triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). Both of these hormones have a huge impact on your health and affect all aspects of your metabolism.
The hormone produced by the thyroid gland in the neck also regulates the use of fats and carbohydrates in the body, helps control your body temperature, affects your heart rate, and helps regulate protein production.
Thyroid disease can also be caused by infections, such as viruses or bacteria, which work in the same way as antibodies cause inflammation of the gland. Drugs such as interferon and amiodarone, are known to cause damage to thyroid cells and cause thyroid disease.
In addition, the thyroid gland that produces more or too active hormones (hyperthyroidism) is generally caused by Graves' disease, toxic multinodular goiter, and toxic adenoma, although many other diseases can cause it.
What are the symptoms of thyroid disease?
Hyperthyroidism
Symptoms of the disease of the thyroid gland due to hyperthyroidism are divided into two: general symptoms and specific symptoms of the body organs where this hormone works.
Common symptoms of hyperthyroidism are not being able to withstand hot air, fatigue, neck enlargement, weight loss, frequent hunger, frequent bowel movements.
Meanwhile, specific symptoms of hyperthyroidism include:
- Digestive system: lots of eating, thirst, vomiting, difficulty swallowing, enlarged lymph.
- Reproductive system: impaired menstrual cycle, decreased libido, infertility, gynecomastia in men.
- Skin: excessive sweating, wet skin, hair loss.
- Psychic and nervous: labile, irritable, difficulty sleeping, trembling hands.
- Heart: heart palpitations, heart rhythm disorders, hypertension, heart failure.
- Muscle and bone system: fatigue, bone pain, osteoporosis.
In hyperthyroidism caused by Graves' disease, other symptoms are usually found, such as swelling in the shin of the foot, protruding eyeballs, decreased vision, double vision and injury to the cornea of the eye.
Hypothyroidism
Symptoms of disease of the thyroid gland in the neck due to too little hormone produced (hypothyroid) can vary depending on the severity. However, in general hypothyroid symptoms tend to develop slowly, often for several years.
Initially you may not be aware of hypothyroid symptoms, such as fatigue and weight gain. However, the longer this condition will keep your metabolic process slowing down. If this happens, you will feel the symptoms more clearly.
Hypothyroid symptoms may include fatigue, more sensitivity to cold air, constipation, dry skin, swollen face, hoarseness, weakened muscles, elevated cholesterol levels, muscle aches, stiffness, swollen or stiff joints, irregular menstrual periods and feeling heavier, hair thinning, slowing heart rate, depression, memory problems.
If hypothyroidism is not treated, the signs and symptoms will get worse. Stimulation of the thyroid gland to release more hormones can cause the thyroid gland to swell (goiter).
In addition, you will also be forgetful, slow in thinking, or feeling stressed.
Continuous hypothyroidism, otherwise known as myxedema, is rare, but when this condition occurs it can be life-threatening. Symptoms include low blood pressure, decreased breathing, decreased body temperature, slow response and even coma. In extreme cases, myxedema can be fatal.
Swelling of the thyroid gland
Swelling of the thyroid gland in the neck, also known as goiter, usually causes no pain. Other symptoms of goiter depend on thyroid disease which is the cause. Whether it's hypothyroid or hyperthyroid.
The characteristics of the thyroid gland are swollen due to hypothyroid conditions, including:
- Limp
- Body weight increases with decreased appetite
- Can't stand cold
- Dry skin and hair loss
- Often feel sleepy
- Constipation (difficulty defecating)
- Emotions are unstable and often forget
- Vision function decreases
- Hearing function decreases
Meanwhile, in the characteristics of the thyroid gland that is experiencing swelling due to the condition of hyperthyroidism, its characteristics are opposite, among others:
- Weight loss
- Does not hold heat
- Anxious feeling
- Often feeling excited
- Tremor (unnoticed vibration of the limbs, usually most clearly seen on the hand)
- Hyperactive
In mumps, to find out whether hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism is found, a further examination is needed to check the hormone levels produced by the thyroid gland in the neck. Mumps requires medical treatment, from taking thyroid gland medication to surgery. Mumps cannot disappear by itself.
Distinguishes the swelling of the thyroid gland and lymph nodes
Lumps in the neck are usually caused by swelling of the thyroid gland in the neck and lymph nodes. However, how to distinguish between the two swells?
Swelling of the thyroid gland
Swelling of the thyroid gland is a lump that is usually dense or filled with fluid. Generally, thyroid gland lumps in the neck are caused by several factors, namely:
- Iodine deficiency
- Excessive growth of thyroid tissue
- Thyroid cyst
- Thyroid cancer
- Chronic inflammation of the thyroid (thyroiditis)
Lumps caused by enlargement of the thyroid gland are usually located in the middle of the neck, like the Adam's apple in men. Generally the shape is small and does not feel when touched because of its location inside the thyroid tissue or is located very deep in the gland.
The characteristic feature of the thyroid gland lump is that it moves along with the process of swallowing. This is because the gland attaches to the cartilage which functions to swallow. Movement of bumps is generally from the bottom up.
Swollen lymph nodes
Lymph nodes are part of the body's immune system that helps the body fight competitive objects that can disrupt the health of the body, such as viruses or bacteria. In addition, lymph nodes also provide white blood cells to fight the virus or bacteria.
Lumps in the neck due to lymph nodes are swollen lymph nodes that usually occur due to infection with certain bacteria or viruses.
Usually swelling occurs near the affected part of the body. For example, swelling that occurs in the neck is usually caused by a throat infection.
In addition, swelling in the lymph nodes can also be caused by autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and cancer.
Other conditions that can also cause swollen lymph nodes are injury, or the use of certain drugs such as dilantin (malaria prevention medicine).
In addition to the neck, swollen lymph nodes can also appear in the groin, armpit, under the jaw, and behind the ear.
Lumps caused by swollen lymph glands are usually located on the right or left side of the neck. Usually sized like peas or red beans, even bigger. Generally this lump is quite visible from the outside and feels if touched.
In addition, other symptoms that may occur are runny nose, sore throat, earache, fever, and fatigue.
Lymph node lumps in the neck arise due to certain conditions such as:
- Sore throat
- Measles
- Ear infections
- Dental infection
- Tuberculosis
- Syphilis
- Toxoplasm
- Lymphoma (lymph cancer)
Check with your doctor immediately if you also experience the following symptoms:
- Lumps don't go away even for weeks
- Breathless
- Sweating at night
- Weight loss
- Weakness or loss of feeling around swelling
- Treatment options for thyroid disease
Treatment for diseases of the thyroid gland
The following are various treatments to treat the disease of the thyroid gland.
Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is a lifelong condition. For many people, the thyroid gland medication can help reduce or relieve symptoms.
Hypothyroidism can be treated using Levothyroxine (Levothroid, Levoxyl). This is a synthetic thyroid gland drug from the T4 hormone that mimics the work of thyroid hormones that are usually produced by your body.
This drug is designed to restore balanced thyroid hormone levels to your blood. After hormone levels are normal, hypothyroid symptoms tend to disappear or at least be much more manageable.
After you start treatment, it takes several weeks before you begin to feel relieved. You will need an advanced blood test to monitor your progress. You and your doctor will work together to find the best dosage and treatment plan to deal with your symptoms.
In most cases, people with hypothyroidism must continue to undergo this treatment for the rest of their lives. However, you will not continue to use the same dose. To ensure that your thyroid gland medicine is still functioning properly, your doctor must test your levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone every year.
If the blood level shows the drug is not functioning properly, the doctor will adjust the dose until your hormonal balance is reached.
Side effects from this treatment are rare. However, if you use too much thyroid hormone, you may experience dizziness, heart palpitations, and difficulty sleeping.
Pregnant women may need to increase their thyroid replacement by 50 percent. It takes about 4 to 6 weeks for the effects of the initial dose or dose changes to be seen in laboratory tests.
Hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism can be treated with iodine (radioactive iodine), anti-thyroid drugs or surgery (thyroidectomy). Also, by making dietary changes.
Radioactive iodine
This treatment can destroy parts of the thyroid gland and control the symptoms of hyperthyroidism. The level of radioactive iodine used in this treatment is quite low, so you don't need to worry about damaging your entire body.
The advantages of this treatment are quick and easy to do and low recurrence rates. The disadvantage is that 50 percent hyperthyroid recurrence can occur after therapy.
This treatment is not recommended for pregnant women, or those planning a pregnancy in the next 6 months. Because it can damage the development of the fetal thyroid gland.
In addition, patients can use anti-thyroid drugs so that hyperthyroidism can be controlled within 6 weeks to 3 months.
Anti-thyroid medication
The medication for the tidroid gland to control hyperthyroidism is thyroid. This anti-thyroid drug serves to inhibit thyroid hormone synthesis and suppress the autoimmune process.
Giving this drug initially in the largest dose or according to clinical, then lowered to the lowest dose where thyroid hormones are still within normal limits.
Side effects of this drug are rashes on the skin, itching, allergies, muscle aches and joint pain.
Examples of anti-thyroid drugs include propylthiouracil (PTU), metimazole, carbimazole.
Thyroid surgery (thyroidectomy)
Thyroid surgery can be done in total or in part. Thyroid surgery is needed if you experience the following:
- Severe hyperthyroidism in children.
- Not cured with radioactive iodine, anti-thyroid drugs or other thyroid gland medications, and other treatments.
- Swelling of the thyroid gland causes severe swollen eyes.
- Swelling causes breathing problems or difficulty swallowing.
- Requires fast recovery such as pregnant women, mothers planning a pregnancy in 6 months or people with unstable heart disease.
Another drug for thyroid gland given for hyperthyroidism is beta-blockers. This drug serves to reduce symptoms of hyperthyroidism such as palpitations, trembling hands and others. Examples of these drugs are propranolol and metoprolol.
Diet for hyperthyroidism
People who have several characteristics of the thyroid gland that experience swelling due to hyperthyroidism can be treated with a healthy diet.
A healthy diet for hyperthyroidism is done by eating foods high in calcium (broccoli, almonds, fish, okra); foods high in vitamin D (sardines, cod liver oil, salmon, tuna and mushrooms); high magnesium foods (dark chocolate, almonds, cashews, seeds); and selenium-containing foods (mushrooms, brown rice, kuaci, sardines).
Hyperthyroidism causes calcium to be difficult to absorb in the body. If there is no calcium, the bones become vulnerable and vulnerable to osteoporosis can cause brittle bones and osteoporosis.
Vitamin D can help the body absorb calcium from food more easily. You can also get vitamin D intake for the body by sunbathing in the morning. Because most vitamin D is made in the skin through absorption of sunlight.
