The thyroid gland is a 2-inch, butterfly-shaped gland located in the anterior portion of the neck. Located inferior of your thyroid cartilage, popularly known as the Adam’s apple. The thyroid is one of the many glands that consist of the Endocrine system. Like every gland there is, it secretes hormones that are vital for metabolism and other processes in the body.
Hypothyroidism is a condition caused by the low output of thyroid hormones by the thyroid gland. Several factors are blamed for the occurrence of hypothyroidism. In many countries, the most common cause for this disorder is iodine deficiency. Other hypothyroidism causes are Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, of hormonal deficiencies cased by the hypothalamus or the pituitary gland.
Hypothyroidism is a condition characterized by abnormally low thyroid hormones. It is said that approximately 95% of hypothyroidism cases are caused by a problematic thyroid, while the remaining 5% is caused by other causes. What are some of the other hypothyroidism causes? One example is a disease of the brain that may affect the hypothalamus or the pituitary, a small gland located at the base of the brain.
Our thyroid glands are responsible for producing thyroid hormones. The thyroid gland is made up of two lobes on both sides of the trachea. The thyroid produces hormones that are needed in almost every part of the body. In adults, the main role is to maintain the body’s metabolic rate. Thyroid hormones can both be found in the thyroid gland and in the blood. The thyroid gland together with the pituitary and the hypothalamus gland works hand in hand to monitor thyroid hormone levels in the body and help keep it that way. Without these thyroid hormones, our body’s metabolic rate is greatly affected creating thyroid problems. We will be discussing what having a low thyroid level means in this article.