Hyperthyroidism Background

Hyperthyroidism can be very dangerous, and possibly fatal is left untreated for an extended period of time. The thyroid gland is one of the most important parts of the human body. A healthy thyroid is critical to every process and function that our bodies conduct. The thyroid is located in the neck, right under what we call the Adam's apple. The thyroid produces a certain amount of hormones that control the speed at which our body operates. When a person develops Hyperthyroidism, it means that the tissue within the now hyperthyroid is producing too many hormones. The speed at which our body operates is known as the metabolism. So a hyperthyroid is causing all of our body's systems to work too quickly.

Symptoms of Hyperthyroidism

It is very common for people suffering from hyperthyroidism to experience palpitations, or irregular heart beat. Hyperthyroidism can also cause sleeplessness, or insomnia. If the body is working harder than normal all day, it will be very difficult for the body's organs to just be able to rest at any given time. Since the body's metabolism is much quicker than usual, this can also result in much more bowel movements than usual. The inability to breath regularly is common, as well as a dramatic increase in fatigue, because of the lack of rest that your body is experiencing. It will be hard to hold your hands steady because of the increased blood flow and metabolism.

Hyperthyroidism Treatment

There are three main ways to deal with hyperthyroidism treatment. The first is medications, such as thyrostatics, which are anti-thyroid drugs, and beta-blockers. These medications can stop, or slow down the production of hormones from the thyroid. The beta-blockers are more commonly used to treat the symptoms of hyperthyroidism, but not the disease itself. The second option of hyperthyroidism treatment is surgery, which is dangerous because of the sensitive area that the thyroid is in. If any of the surrounding nerves are damaged during surgery, the consequences could be fatal. Finally, the third option of treatment, and probably the most successful, is radioiodine treatment. This is where raioactive iodine is administered in order to stop the thyroid from working. Subsequently, the patient will be given hormone replacement medications to make sure that the body is working properly.

Subclinical Hyperthyroidism

T3 and T4 are the two hormones that the thyroid creates. These are the hormones that regulate our bodies. If there are not enough of these hormones in the body's blood, then the thyroid will produce more stimulating hormones, which then makes it a hyperthyroid. After this occurs, the body's metabolism becomes much quicker. Subclinical hyperthyroidism means that the amount of thyroid stimulating hormones is low, while the thyroid hormone levels are the average. The body basically becomes confused and will not function properly. The thyroid regulates the speed at which our most important functions occur. These include the temperature of our bodies, the rate at which our hearts beat, and even our overall growth and body development. The thyroid also regulates how much energy we need and how much, or little, weight we lose, or gain.