The 4 Common Types of Thyroid Disorder
Having a thyroid disorder is a very common health problem plaguing millions of men and women around the world. This very stealthy disease can easily be overlooked by the afflicted person and can go unnoticed for years.
In order for us to understand the various thyroid disorder types, we must first take a look at the role our thyroid plays in our body. Our thyroid gland is an organ with consisted of two lobes on each side. It is located at the front part of our neck just below our larynx. It is the one responsible for regulating the rate of how our tissues utilize food and natural chemicals for energy which is then converted to muscular energy and body heat.
Hypothyroidism is an ailment caused by an underactive thyroid. The incapacity of the thyroid to produce enough quantities of thyroid hormones affects the temperature and metabolic rate of the patient. Symptoms of this thyroid disorder ranges from, slow reflexes, low blood pressure, fluid retention, fatigue, constipation, fuzzy thinking, body pains, depression, to weight gain.
Hyperthyroidism is an ailment caused by an overactive thyroid. In this case, the thyroid produces large quantities of thyroid hormones thus overwhelming or speeds up the metabolic rate of the patient. The thyroid becomes overactive because of autoimmune disease. It is a state where in the body’s immune system identifies the thyroid as a foreign body and a threat therefore attacking it. Symptoms of this thyroid disorder ranges from disturbances of the patient’s vision, sensitivity or bulging of the eyes, high blood pressure, increased heart rate, anxiety, an high blood pressure, diarrhea, to rapid and abnormal weight loss.
Goiter to put it simply is the enlargement of the thyroid and its nodules due to infection. Goiter is present in both a hyperactive and underactive thyroid. A patient with a swollen thyroid feels a throbbing pain and fullness in his or her neck, and difficulty in swallowing and breathing. In most cases goiter is the most visible of all thyroid ailments.
Thyroid storm is a very uncommon and a life threatening complication of a patient that has hyperthyroidism. Medical experts strongly advices patients showing symptoms of thyroid storm to seek immediate professional medical help. This happens when the thyroid hormones of a patient that has hyperthyroidism becomes dramatically high, pushing ordinary hyperthyroid symptoms to a serious condition. What differentiates thyroid storm from other thyroid conditions is the sudden elevation of the patient’s core temperature. Some documented cases have shown that the temperature of patients can reach to 106 Fahrenheit. Thyroid storm though the rarest of all of the thyroid disease, is a thyroid disorder tht is very life threatening and can lead to death if not treated immediately.