Thyroid : What It Is And Why It Should Be Tested

The thyroid gland is part of the endocrine system. It produces specific chemicals which are secreted into the bloodstream. They send messages to cells and tissues in other parts of the body.

The thyroid gland is in the front of your neck, underneath the Adam’s apple. It is split into the right lobe and left lobe, which are on either side of the windpipe and are connected by thyroid tissue called the isthmus.

It produces two hormones which it emits into the blood. Thyroxine is often called T4 as it includes four iodine atoms. Likewise, triodothyronine is often called T3 as it includes three iodine atoms. Within the body’s cells and tissues, T4 is turned into T3 and secreted into the blood from the thyroid gland. T3 is responsible for affecting the activity and behaviour of the body’s cells and tissues.

The thyroid hormones play a key role in controlling the speed at which the cells in the body work. If the thyroid gland exudes too much of these hormones, it makes the cells work overtime. This is known as hyperthyroidism. It can result in symptoms such as a fast heart rate and diarrhoea . If the thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough of the thyroid hormones, the cells work too slowly. This can result in a slow heart rate and constipation, and is known is hypothyroidism.

The thyroid gland is controlled by the pituitary gland at the base of the skull. It observes the amount of thyroid hormones in the blood. If the amount drops below what the pituitary gland classes as the normal amount, it produces a hormone called TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) which rouses the thyroid gland to start creating more of the thyroid hormones. It does the reverse and stops producing TSH when it perceives the amount of thyroid hormone in the blood to be too high.

What are the symptoms of hyperthyroidism? There are many warning signs, including palpitations and an irregular heartbeat, breathlessness, hair loss, weight loss without consciously trying to lose weight, a tender or swollen feeling at the front of the neck (around the thyroid gland) , insomnia, anxiety and irritability, excessive sweating, sensitivity to heat, constant or abnormal thirst, very regular bowel movements and diarrhoea, weak muscles in the upper arms and legs, fast pulse, feeling hungry more than usual, problems in concentrating and remembering, pain in the eyes and double vision, pain-free red bumps often found on the shins, irregular or sparse menstruation, osteoporosis, low levels of cholesterol, low blood pressure, and loss of sex drive and/or impotency.

What are the symptoms of hypothyroidism? Again, there are multiple warning signs, but they include fatigue, sensitivity to the cold, split and flaking fingernails, husky and gravelly voice, constipation, weak and sore muscles, cramps and aches in the muscles, problems in climbing the stairs, pins and needles, heavier and longer-lasting menstruation, fertility issues, inexplicable increase in weight, puffy eyes and bags under the eyes, slow speaking/actions/ thoughts, depression, problems in concentrating, high levels of cholesterol, slow heart rate and a little higher blood pressure, anemia, difficulty in hearing, swelling at the front of the neck around the thyroid gland, the feeling of there being a lump in the throat, loss of sex drive and/or impotency.

Your doctor will be able to diagnose your thyroid activity by assessing your answers to a series of questions, and examining you. A blood test can determine the amount of thyroid hormones in the blood, and how much of each is being emitted into the blood. A test can also be done to calculate the amount of thyroid antibodies, which can indicate the onset of an autoimmune disorder, which can ultimately result in thyroid problems.

Thyroid cancer is very uncommon. Most growths are benign (not cancerous), but sufferers of thyroid cancer have a great survival rate. The majority are totally restored to health.