Thyroid

What is the thyroid?

The thyroid is a small gland located at the bottom of your neck. It’s shaped like a butterfly and produces hormones that help regulate your metabolism and growth. If your thyroid produces too many or too few hormones, it can result in serious health problems. Fortunately, with early intervention, thyroid disease is possible to treat.

What are some common thyroid disorders?

Farr Medical Group, Inc. treats various thyroid disorders, including:

Hyperthyroid

Hyperthyroid occurs when your thyroid gland produces too many hormones. This type of thyroid disease is especially common in women, affecting about 1% of the population.

Common symptoms of hyperthyroid include irritability, restlessness, trouble sleeping, and unexplained weight loss. Treatment typically involves antithyroid drugs, radioactive iodine, or in severe cases, surgery.

Hypothyroid

Hypothyroid occurs when your thyroid gland is underactive and produces too few hormones. The most common cause of hypothyroid is Hashimoto’s disease. Common symptoms include fatigue, dry skin, weight gain, and constipation. Most cases of hypothyroid are mild. The condition usually responds well to thyroid hormone pills. 

Goiter

A goiter causes your thyroid gland to swell. The most common cause of goiters is iodine deficiency, but they can also occur due to hyperthyroid. Goiters are small at first but grow in size. Common symptoms of a goiter include difficulty breathing, coughing, and tightness in the neck.

Thyroid nodules

Thyroid nodules are masses that form on the thyroid gland. The majority of thyroid nodules are benign, but some are cancerous. Most nodules are too small to detect.  As they grow in size, common symptoms include high pulse rate, nervousness, and weight loss.

How is thyroid disease diagnosed?

To diagnose thyroid disease, your provider at Farr Medical Group, Inc. conducts a comprehensive physical exam, reviews your medical history, and asks about your lifestyle and symptoms. They then order several blood tests, including:

• Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)
• T4: Thyroxine
• FT4: Free thyroxine
• T3: Triiodothyronine
• FT3: Free triiodothyronine

These tests can’t diagnose a specific condition, but they can alert your provider to abnormally low or abnormally high levels of certain hormones. 

Farr Medical Group, Inc. might also recommend that you get a blood test for thyroid antibodies, thyroglobulin, or calcitonin.

How are thyroid problems treated?

Treatment of thyroid disease depends on the severity of the condition and its effect on your quality of life. Usually, Farr Medical Group, Inc. recommends conservative treatments and healthy lifestyle changes like eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and keeping stress levels in check.

You might also benefit from:

• Antithyroid drugs
• Beta-blockers
• Radioactive iodine
• Surgery

To learn more about the management of thyroid disease, request a consultation at Farr Medical Group, Inc. Schedule an appointment with the online booking tool or call the office today.