Thyroid Disorders

620 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Thyroid dysfunction

Thyroid Disorders
Many people probably are not familiar with thyroid disorders. They might not even be aware of any family history of thyroid disorders. There are several types of thyroid disorders which can affect men, women, and children. Thyroid disorders are commonly found in women. Everyone should know their family history and get their thyroid checked regularly.
A thyroid disorder is an autoimmune condition related to the thyroid gland. A thyroid disorder impacts the metabolic processes. About 20 million Americans have a thyroid disorder. Most of them are women – 8 out of 10 women are diagnosed (“Thyroid Disorders”).
The thyroid is a small gland at the base of the neck. The thyroid is shaped like a butterfly. It releases hormones that deliver energy to the cells of the body (Shomon). The thyroid releases two hormones called T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine). The hormones control rates in the body such as, how fast the heart beats and how fast calories are burned. These activities make up the metabolism (“Publications”).
The thyroid can be affected by different th...

Show More
Related

  • Hypothyroidism Case Study Essay

    397 Words  | 1 Pages

    First I will be discussing about the thyroid gland, so the thyroid gland is a gland in the neck that secretes hormones. These hormones regulate growth and development, and metabolism. The main hormone secreted is Thyroxine. So when a person like Margie is diagnosed with hypothyroidism it means the thyroid gland does not secrete enough hormones. As many females get over the age of 50, they are more at risk of developing hypothyroidism. The symptoms

    Read More

  • Thyroid Gland Disorders of Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism

    889 Words  | 2 Pages

    Hypothyroidism develops when the thyroid gland does not produce enough of certain hormones. (“Hypothyroidism”, n.d.). Hypothyroidism can be broken down even further. The two types of hypothyroidism are congenital hypothyroidism or acquired hypothyroidism. According to Porth 2011, “Congenital hypothyroidism develops prenatally and is present at birth. Acquired hypothyroidism develops later in life because of primary disease of the thyroid gland or secondary to disorders of hypothalamic or pituitary origin.” (p. 786). Some common symptoms include increased sensitivity to cold, dry skin, fatigue, constipation, drowsiness, hypothermia and muscle weakness (“Hypothyroidism”, n.d.).

    Read More

  • Animal Physiology Lab Report

    749 Words  | 2 Pages

    Thyroid and metabolism hormones play a large role in the daily lives of all living species. Thyroid hormones regulate the metabolism and the metabolism is responsible for maintaining a specific range for the biochemical reactions that occur in the body (Martini 2014). The most important hormone for metabolic maintenance is thyroxine (T4). This hormone also plays a large role in body heat regulation. It is produced by the pituitary gland and secreted by the thyroid gland. The thyroid releasing hormone (TRH) must trigger the thyroid stimulating hormones (TSH) to release thyroid hormones to the thyroid gland. These hormones are under control of the hypothalamus, or main neural control center. Propylthiouracil (PTU) is a medication used to treat

    Read More

  • Grave’s Disease: A Lifelong Commitment

    1788 Words  | 4 Pages

    Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disease that was discovered by Robert Graves in 1835. Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system attacks the thyroid gland and causes hyperthyroidism. Graves’ disease occurs when the antibodies like thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin and thyrotropin receptor antibodies (TRAbs) attack the thyroid gland as if it were a foreign object or a virus of some sort. This disease is the most common type of hyperthyroidism. Attacking the thyroid gland in such a manner makes it excessively overproduce the hormone thyroxine which controls the body’s metabolic rate. Heightened activity of the thyroid can increase the body’s metabolism by 60% to 100%. (Weeks 34-35).

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Hypothyroidism

    874 Words  | 2 Pages

    Today in America thyroid disease is becoming a much larger issue and the worse part of this problem is that many people are not yet diagnosed. This is due to the lack of education and awareness about thyroid disease. There are many different types of diseases but the one that I am passionate about is hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid is when the thyroid is no longer able to produce triiodothyronine, also known as T3 and thyroxine, also referred to as T4. Some of the symptoms include unexpected weight gain, tiredness, depression, or slow movements and thoughts. Most of the time many people notice the way that their bodies act on what they are feeling to their physicians. Many Americans struggle with this disease that

    Read More

  • Thyroid Cancer Essay

    1125 Words  | 3 Pages

    The reasons why are unclear, but there is a sharp distinction between male and female thyroid cancer rates - females tend to develop the cancer more by nearly three times as often (“What Are the Risk Factors for Thyroid...

    Read More

  • Endocrine Disruption

    2630 Words  | 6 Pages

    The endocrine system is very dynamic and has ties to most, if not all of the other major systems of the body. It is responsible for production of hormones and the regulation of them as well. These hormones act as chemical messengers within the body. Through several differing mechanisms, they are able to trigger very specific responses in target cells or organs. This is what enables the endocrine system to guide growth, development, reproduction, and behavior, among many others as well.

    Read More

  • Hypothyroidism Essay

    775 Words  | 2 Pages

    Hypothyroidism is a chronic disease that is part of the endocrine system. Hypothyroidism is due low or lack of tri-iodothryonine (T3) and tetraiodothyronine (T4) thyroid hormones being produced by the thyroid gland. The lack of thyroid hormones could be due to iodine or thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) deficiency or underactive thyroid gland (Sherwood, 2012). Thyroid hormones T3 and T4 are involved in almost every part of the body. It is ten times more prevalent in female than male, which affects about 4.6% of U.S population (Lellis-Santos et al, 2011). In the most cases, the symptoms are cold intolerance, fatigue, bradycardia and weight gain. Depending on the cause on hypothyroidism, a goiter may develop, which is the enlargement of the thyroid gland. In most cases taking thyroid hormone supplement is an effective treatment.

    Read More

  • Essay On Hypothyroidism

    901 Words  | 2 Pages

    The balance of the thyroid hormone is complicated and involves the participation of different parts of the body (Kaplustin, 2010).

    Read More

  • Essay On Hyperthyroidism

    1547 Words  | 4 Pages

    The thyroid is one of the most essential glands in the body. It is located in the endocrine system, and sits right in the neck just above where the collar bones meet. The thyroid gland functions to produce hormones that control how every cell in the body utilizes energy, also known as a process called metabolism. When a person's thyroid abnormally produces an excessive amount of thyroid hormones, this is a condition referred to as hyperthyroidism. The causes of hyperthyroidism are known to include: eating too much food with iodine, graves disease, inflammation due to viral infections, tumors of the testes and ovaries, taking a large amount of thyroid hormone, receiving medical imaging tests consisting of contrast dye iodine, and growth of thyroid or pituitary gland (Board "Hyperthyroidism"). With an overactive thyroid, the body tends to speed up its functions. Symptoms vary from, fast heartbeats, rapid weight loss, abnormal sweating, nervousness, and mood changes. Hyperthyroidism is normally diagnosed through a series of lab tests. If not properly taken care of, condition may worsen leading to bone and heart problems in the long run. As far as treatment is concerned, options may vary from person to person depending on age and the level of activity of the thyroid. Treatments include antithyroid medicines, radioactive iodine ablation, and the last resort, surgery. Though all treatment plans work, radioactive iodine ablation is a permanent and more reliable remedy for an overactive thyroid. Radioactive iodine ablation is in fact the most commonly used cure for people with hyperthyroidism problems in the US today. “The treatment has been around since 1942 and has been extensively used since the 1950's” ("Radioactive Iodine Treatment o...

    Read More

  • Graves Disease Essay

    1099 Words  | 3 Pages

    The thyroid gland plays a major role in the endocrine, thyroxine, triiodothyronine and metabolism system. The gland can be found in the front of the neck and above where the collar bones meet. The thyroid gland controls the body by releasing T4 and T3 hormones. Controlling metabolism plays an important role when regulating mood, weight,

    Read More

  • The Causes of Hyperthyroidism

    1437 Words  | 3 Pages

    The thyroid gland is found in the front of the neck and produces two main hormones. The hormones are called thuroxine (T4) and Triiodothyronine (T3). Together these hormones regulate the body’s metabolism by increasing energy use in cells, regulate growth and development, help to maintain body temperature and aid in oxygen consumption. These two hormones are regulated by hormones produced by the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. The hypothalamus senses changes in body’s metabolic rate and releases a hormone known as thyropin-releasing hormone (TRH). This hormone then flows through connecting vessels to the pituitary gland which signals it to release another hormone. This hormone is known as thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). TSH then makes its way to the bloodstream until it reaches the thyroid where it is then signaled to activate T3 and T4 production [1]. This mechanism is controlled by a negative feedback loop meaning that when there is a sufficient amount of thyroid hormones in the blood stream, this will signal back to stop production of thyroid stimulating hormones. Complications occur when the thyroid hormones keep increasing even though there is already a sufficient amount of T3 and T4 in the blood stream. This process of over expression of thryroid hormones is known as hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism is a general term that includes any disease that has a consequence of an overabundance of thyroid hormones. Hyperthyroidism is a general term but there are many variant diseases that are in the hyperthyroidism category. These diseases include diffuse toxic goiter, Basedow’s disease, thyrotoxicosis, Parry’s and Graves’ disease.

    Read More

  • Hypothyroidism Essay

    702 Words  | 2 Pages

    Among these disorders are hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. Hypothyroidism is a disorder in which one is diagnosed for having and underactive thyroid. The probability for women over the age of sixty to develop an underactive thyroid is higher than those of other individuals. If left untreated it can potentially lead to obesity, joint pain, heart disease, and other health complications. On the contrary, hyperthyroidism is a disorder in which a person is diagnosed for having an overactive thyroid. This can cause nervousness and anxiety, hyperactivity, unexplained weight loss, and swelling of the thyroid gland which causes a noticeable lump to form on throat (known as a

    Read More

  • Description of Metabolic Syndrome

    657 Words  | 2 Pages

    Because of this, she does seem to have metabolic syndrome. With metabolic syndrome, concomitant disease states occur that the patient may have, including PCOS, and hypothyroidism.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Thyroid Cancer In The Fault In Our Stars

    803 Words  | 2 Pages

    Thyroid cancer is one of the more uncommon types of cancers in the United States. This type of cancer is three times more likely to affect women rather than men (Sarge 1). Even though, it is a rare type of cancer to contract, women are at a higher risk to contract or have already contracted thyroid cancer. In the novel, Hazel Grace, the main character, is a teenage female who has papillary cancer that has metastasized to the lungs. Thyroid cancer is most commonly found in people over the age of 30 (Petit 1). Only a small portion of cancers are diagnosed a year. According to recent survey, about 11,000 cases of thyroid cancer are diagnosed a year, which is not a great deal when compared to other cancers (Thyroid Cancer 1). In addition to this cancer being more prevalent in women, there are certain ethnic groups that have a greater chance of having this...

    Read More

More about Thyroid Disorders

Open Document