Thyroid Research Paper

You may not have known this before you got news of your condition, but Hashimoto’s disease is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the developed world, and it affects literally millions of patients. You are definitely not alone with this condition! “Hypothyroidism” is a medical term, and what it means is simply low thyroid

Hashimoto’s Disease is an autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack the thyroid gland. Hashimoto’s disease causes inflammation to the gland causing chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, resulting in hypothyroidism (Mayo clinic, 2014). This is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the US and the symptoms are manifested by fatigue, cold intolerance, constipation, weight gain, pale , dry skin, hoarse voice, pain and stiffness in the joints and muscles, menorrhagia, and depression (Mayo clinic, 2014).

Hypothyroidism is a complicated disease that affects people all over the world. Hypothyroidism is an endocrine disorder of the butterfly-shaped thyroid gland that negatively affects a person in numerous ways as a result of slowing down the metabolism (Kapustin, 2010). About four to ten percent of the people in the United States above the age of twelve have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism (NIDDK, 2013). Shockingly, this amounts to about eleven million people, not including the numerous people that have been underdiagnosed. Men are ten times less likely to have hypothyroidism than women. Iodine deficiency is the leading cause of this disease world-wide, but here in the United States, hypothyroidism is mostly caused by an autoimmune

Central Idea: The thyroid controls so many things in your body and if not well taken care of can cause major damage to a person or their life.

Hypothyroidism is not a disease itself, but is a condition that a disease state causes (Buckley & Schub, 2008). Many of the causes of hypothyroidism are related to autoimmune conditions, where the body attacks itself, rendering the thyroid useless (Raisbeck, 2009). In fact, this is the most common cause of hypothyroidism (Raisbeck, 2009). Second to autoimmune disease is overcorrection of hyperthyroidism by surgery or radiation treatment (Walker, 2009). Thyroidectomy is the third most-prevalent cause, usually for the treatment of cancer

The main cause of hyperthyroidism Graves’ disease which affects quite a few people in the general population. This disease is characterized as an autoimmune disorder. This means that the body makes antibodies known as thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin that bind and over activate the production of thyroid hormones [3]. So in essence the antibody mimics the thyroid stimulating hormone and when the negative feedback loop is in affect the antibody still binds to the thyroid and T3 and T4 are over produced [2].

Primary hypothyroidism is “caused by the inability of the thyroid gland to make T3 and T4” (Hurd, 2006). It is the inability to make and retain sufficient amounts of T3 and T4, the common thyroid hormones. Secretions are controlled by a negative feedback mechanism, which controls the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) from the pituitary, which then stimulates T3 and T4 secretions (Wiersinga, 2014). Normal functions of the thyroid hormones are to maintain the basal metabolic rate, stimulate oxygen consumption, absorb carbohydrates from the intestines, regulate lipid metabolism, as well as activating the next phase of the hair growth cycle (Melmed, 2011)(Contreras-Jurado, 2015).

However the main focus of this paper will be to discuss, inform, and elaborate data pertaining to hypothyroidism. As we stated in the above paragraph, Hypothyroidism is is considered to be when the thyroid doesn’t supply enough of the thyroid hormone. Hypothyroidism is very simple and most of the time noninvasive to treat. Without treatment this thyroid imbalance can become very detrimental to your heart and present issues concerning obesity, joint pain, and infertility. The signs and symptoms presented due to hypothyroidism can vary and depends on the severity of the hormone deficiency. With many they barely notice the symptoms of hypothyroidism which include fatigue and weight gain, or may just ignore them relating them to aging .Of coursed as you age your metabolism continues to slow down and they probably will experience more apparent signs and symptoms. If left untreated, the symptoms of hypothyroidism will for sure progress. Rarely, severe life threatening complications may result involving depression, heart failure, or even a coma. While there is a possibility that some will not experience any clinical features of hypothyroidism. But for those who do experience any of the signs and systems related to the disease may be suffering or encounter a slow metabolism causing “sudden or unintentional weight gain, fatigue, increased sensitivity to cold, constipation, dry skin, puffy face, hoarseness, muscle weakness , elevated blood cholesterol level, muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness, pain, stiffness or swelling in your joints, heavier than normal or irregular menstrual periods, thinning hair, slowed heart rate, depression, and impaired memory.” Although hypothyroidism is the most prominent among middle-aged and older women, everyone is at risk for

Hyperthyroid is a disease that happens when your thyroid gland makes an increased amount of the hormone thyroxine than usual. When having Hyperthyroid your body’s metabolism will increase majorly.This causes many symptoms and signs such as a rapid heartbeat, nervousness, irritability, sweating, insomnia, sudden weight loss, hand tremors( Very big symptom), and the enlargement of the eyes and neck.There are a few different ways the doctor can find out if you have this disease. One of the ways is by your family medical history and a physical exam.

Out of all the different types of thyroiditis, Hashimoto’s disease (or chronic thyroiditis) is the most common. Thyroiditis is often a cause for hypothyroidism and goiter. Since Hashimoto’s disease is the most common form of thyroiditis, it is then concluded that it is also the most frequent cause of hypothyroidism and goiter. Those who have the highest chances of suffering from Hashimoto’s disease are middle-aged women who have a family history of thyroid dysfunctions. Some of the symptoms of chronic thyroiditis are enlarged neck, presence of goiter, constipation, mild weight gain, hair loss, and intolerance to colder temperatures.

The thyroid may be very small and seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but it plays a very important role in the function of the body. The thyroid gland takes iodine (which is found in many foods) and it converts it into thyroid hormones. These hormones are thyroxine (t4) and triiodothyronine (T3). Thyroid cells are the only cells in the body which can absorb iodine. Hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism are two conditions that stem from the thyroid malfunctioning. This paper will go into the about the two conditions, the similarities, and the differences.

Before understanding what hypothyroidism is it helps to know what the thyroid is and how it works. The thyroid is a gland in the lower front of the lower front of the neck just below the Adams apple. Think of it as the bodies thermostat. It impacts many parts of the body the muscles, bones, skin, heart, brain, liver, kidneys, digestive tract, and more. Millions of people have hypothyroidism and many or undiagnosed. Both women and men can develop hypothyroidism, but it is more common among women. In fact, women are five times more likely than men to suffer from hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism is a lifelong condition that can occur at any age. Your body gives you signals that something is wrong the way your body normal feels. This tells you the you need to go to see a doctor to explain your symptoms with him or her. This will give you a better or closer look to see what is causing this issue or change that you notice in your body. You will probably have to have test done to assist them in diagnosing your issue.

It can go undiagnosed for many years causing mental, emotional, and physical stress on individuals and the people around them. The cause of hypothyroidism is primarily due to insufficient TH production from the thyroid gland. This pathology of the thyroid gland can be a problem from birth or develop from iodine insufficiency, autoimmune disorders, or even iatrogenic interventions. The symptoms of hypothyroidism change from individual to individual. While some objective findings may be noticeable right away other subjective symptoms require the use of health assessment skills. Once a person has hypothyroidism they cannot be cured and if not treated hypothyroidism can eventually lead to death. However, proper use of hormone therapies allows many individuals who suffer from hypothyroidism to drastically diminish the symptoms and signs of the disorder and to live a healthy life with normal life expectancy. More research is needed to identify the appropriate guidelines for treatment of subclinical hypothyroidism and how these individuals can reach optimal health

There are two leading problems experienced by the thyroid; hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. These conditions lead to over production or an underactive thyroid gland respectively. Symptoms vary but

The thyroid gland is a part of the endocrine system. This gland is responsible for the production and regulation of thyroid hormones (TH), which plays vital roles in most if not all the bodily mechanisms. This essay would firstly describe and explain the normal physiology of the thyroid gland and its hormones. Then, it would move on to explain the pathophysiology of a thyroid diseased condition called hypothyroidism. Finally, it will then portray the treatment using levothyroxine (levo isomer of thyroxine) and the response the drug has in the body.