A Simple Guide to Thyroid Diseases

The Thyroid gland produces the thyroid hormone which plays an important part in the metabolism of our body.

The thyroid hormones regulate how the body breaks down the food we eat.
It uses that energy instantly or stores it for the future.
The pituitary gland in the brain actually controls how the thyroid works.
It is located at the base of the brain and produces thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH).
The blood carries TSH to the thyroid gland where it directs the thyroid to produce more thyroid hormones if required.
The thyroid hormone also regulates the metabolism of the food in organs all over the body by consuming the oxygen in the body and stimulating the production of heat.

Thyroid Diseases occur when there is:
1. excessive thyroid hormones or Hyperthyroidism

2. reduced production of thyroid hormones or Hypothyroidism

3, autoimmune disease of the thyroid gland where the body cells react abnormally to the thyroid cells causing a condition called Hashimoto’s Disease

4. benign tumors or cyst of the thyroid gland due to over growth of the thyroid gland tissues.
They are called thyroid nodules or cysts

5. Thyroid Cancer – a malignant growth of the thyroid gland due to abnormal thyroid cells mutating in the thyroid gland

A Goiter just means a diffuse enlarged thyroid gland and may mean any of the above diseases above.

Iodine is one of the ingredients for producing thyroid hormone.
People with low iodine in their bodies tend to have goiters.

Treatment of Thyroid gland disorders is by taking medications or surgery
Prognosis or outlook for most thyroid diseases is good

TABLE OF CONTENT

Chapter 1 Thyroid Diseases

Chapter 2 Hyperthyroidism

Chapter 3 Hypothyroidism

Chapter 4 Goiter

Chapter 5 Thyroid Nodules

Chapter 6 Thyroiditis

Chapter 7 Thyroid Cancer