Hyperthyroidism

Too much thyroid hormone from an overactive thyroid gland is called hyperthyroidism, because it speeds up the body's metabolism. This hormone imbalance occurs in about 1 percent of all women, who get hyperthyroidism more often than men. One of the most common forms of hyperthyroidism is known as Graves' disease. This autoimmune disorder tends to run in families, although the exact nature of the genetic abnormality is unknown.

 

Symptoms

Hyperthyroidism, the result of an overactive thyroid, more commonly affects women between the ages of 20 and 40, but men can also develop this condition. The symptoms of this thyroid condition can be frightening.

Symptoms can include:

  • Muscle weakness
  • Trembling hands
  • Rapid heartbeat
  • Fatigue
  • Weight loss
  • Diarrhea or frequent bowel movements
  • Irritability and anxiety
  • Vision problems (irritated eyes or difficulty seeing)
  • Menstrual irregularities
  • Intolerance to heat and increased sweating
  • Infertility

 

Causes

It occurs when the immune system produces antibodies that attack the thyroid gland, making it produce too much thyroid hormone and creating a hormone imbalance. This condition happens often in people with a family history of thyroid disease.

Other causes of hyperthyroidism include the following:

  • Thyroid nodules. (Read more on THYROID NODULES.)
  • Taking too much thyroid hormone medication to treat other conditions.
  • Subacute thyroiditis. This painful inflammation of the thyroid is usually caused by a virus. When the infection leaves, the condition improves.
  • Lymphocytic thyroiditis and postpartum thyroiditis. These related autoimmune disorders cause a temporary painless inflammation of the gland. Thyroiditis is marked by lymphocytes (white blood cells) inside the thyroid and leads to leakage of thyroid hormone from the infmlamed gland, raising hormone levels in the bloodstream.

 

Treatments

Antithyroid Drugs: These drugs work to decrease the amount of hormone the thyroid gland makes.

Beta-blockers: Beta-blocker drugs, control many troubling symptoms of this hormone imbalance, especially rapid heart rate, trembling, anxiety, and the high amount of heat the body produces with this condition.

Radioactive iodine: It involves taking a radioactive form of iodine that causes the permanent destruction of the thyroid. The response to treatment can take from 6 to 18 weeks.

Surgery: Removal of the thyroid gland (thyroidectomy) is another permanent solution, but is often the least preferred option.