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Things You Should Know About Thyroid Health

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Things You Should Know About Thyroid Health
The various hormones produced in the human body by different glands can affect tissue function, stress, body and mental development, sleep, moods, etc. Consequently, a balance in the hormone levels is significant for proper regulation of the physiological functioning of the body and also for normal psychological behaviour. Healthy functioning of all the glands that secrete hormones is vital the human body.
The malfunctioning of the thyroid is among the widespread health problems in the world. Thus, there is a need for better and pervasive awareness about the thyroid, which is an endocrine gland found in the neck.
What Does The Thyroid Gland Do?
The function of the thyroid gland is to secrete 2 …show more content…

The mildest form of the thyroid disorder is goitre, which is result is swelling or enlarging of the gland and thereby, the neck. This condition is commonly caused by iodine deficiency and it affects about 5% of the people in the world, though the extent to which it is present varies. Hyperthyroidism is a disorder which is characterized by a surplus of thyroid hormones. This disease can be caused due to a benign tumour in the thyroid gland (thyroid adenoma), toxic nodular goitre, and over-activity of the thyroid gland. The disease causes unexplained weakness and increases appetite; while other indications are weight loss or gain, hair loss and anxiety, etc. A complete list of the symptoms can be found here.
Another condition is hypothyroidism, which is instigated by under-activity of the thyroid. Prevalence of hypothyroidism worldwide is shocking as it is estimated that 4-5% of the world population are affected by it. The symptoms of this disease are weight gain, intolerance to cold, slow heart rate and an increase in blood pressure.
A video on ‘common thyroid problems’ can be watched through this YouTube link
Diagnosing Hyperthyroidism And Hypothyroidism
If a doctor finds some persisting symptoms of hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism in a patient, a blood test is recommended for the purpose of diagnosis.
The TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) test indicates the level of this hormone which directly affects the thyroid gland. In adults, the normal range is 0.4 to 4.2

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