What is the Thyroid gland and disease?

One of the important glands of the body which nearly affects every organ in our body is called the Thyroid gland. It is a butterfly-shaped endocrine gland located in the lower front of the neck under the Adam’s apple. The hormones produced by your thyroid gland play a crucial role in regulating numerous essential functions in your body. One of the important works of the thyroid gland is to release and control metabolism. 

By producing two distinct hormones – T4 (thyroxine) and T3 (triiodothyronine), each containing four and three iodide atoms, respectively, the thyroid gland regulates metabolism and directs the cells in the body to utilize energy in appropriate amounts.

If your body makes too much thyroid hormone, you can develop a condition called hyperthyroidism. If your body makes too little thyroid hormone, it’s called hypothyroidism. Both conditions can be caused by other diseases that impact the way the thyroid gland works.

Abnormalities in the production of thyroid hormone can lead to hyperthyroidism when the body produces the excess hormone, and hypothyroidism when there is inadequate production of the hormone. These conditions may produce by other undergoing disorders that affect the normal functioning of the thyroid gland.

What is Thyroid test – Preparation, Procedure and risk

Doctors use thyroid blood tests to check if your thyroid is working correctly by measuring the thyroid hormones in your blood. These blood tests (T3, T4, TSH) help to diagnose thyroid diseases. It is also known as the thyroid function test. These tests are intended to distinguish between hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism.

Preparations for Thyroid Test – 

No specific preparations are necessary for a TSH blood test. However, in some cases, you may have to abstain from eating or drinking for a few hours before the test.

Procedure for Thyroid Test –

During a thyroid blood test, a healthcare provider will take a small amount of blood from a vein in your arm using a tiny needle. You may feel a small prick as the needle goes in or out, but the process takes less than five minutes as only a small amount of blood is needed for the test.

Risk of Thyroid Test – 

Having a blood test is generally safe with very low risks. You might feel some pain or notice a bruise where the needle was inserted, but these symptoms usually disappear soon.

Result of Thyroid Test –

For an adult, the standard range of a thyroid blood test is 0.40 to 4.50 milli-international units per liter of blood (mIU/mL).

TSH test results can indicate whether your thyroid is overproducing or underproducing hormones, the test is unable to reveal the underlying cause behind high or low TSH levels.

If your test results are abnormal, your healthcare provider may order additional thyroid blood tests to determine the root cause of your thyroid issue. These blood tests may include –  T4 thyroid hormone test, T3 thyroid hormone test and thyroid antibodies test.

Symptoms of thyroid disease?

The symptoms of hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid) can include:

• Experiencing anxiety, irritability and nervousness.
• Having trouble sleeping.
• Losing weight.
• Having an enlarged thyroid gland or a goitre.
• Having muscle weakness and tremors.
• Experiencing irregular menstrual periods or having your menstrual cycle stop.
• Feeling sensitive to heat.
• Having vision problems or eye irritation.

Symptoms of an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) can include:

• Feeling tired (fatigue).
• Gaining weight.
• Experiencing forgetfulness.
• Having frequent and heavy menstrual periods.
• Having dry and coarse hair.
• Having a hoarse voice.
• Experiencing an intolerance to cold temperatures.

What type of blood tests are done by the thyroid?

Thyroid blood tests include:

• Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) – Your healthcare provider will most likely conduct this test as the first step in checking for any imbalance in your thyroid hormone levels. Most of the time, thyroid hormone deficiency (hypothyroidism) is related to an elevated TSH level, while thyroid hormone excess (hyperthyroidism) is related to a low TSH level. If the TSH levels are not normal, then a direct measurement of thyroid hormones will be performed.
• T4 or thyroxine tests are used to diagnose hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, as well as to monitor treatment for thyroid disorders. Low T4 levels may indicate hypothyroidism, while high levels may indicate hyperthyroidism. The normal range for an adult is 5.0 to 11.0 micrograms per deciliter of blood.

• T3 or triiodothyronine tests are used to identify hyperthyroidism or determine how severe it is. Low T3 levels can be an indicator of hypothyroidism, but this test is generally more useful in identifying and managing hyperthyroidism, where T3 levels are higher than normal. For an adult, the typical test range for T3 is 100 to 200 nanograms per deciliter of blood (ng/dL).

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How is thyroid disease treated?

Your doctor aims to bring your thyroid hormone levels back to normal. There are different methods to achieve this, and the right treatment will depend on what is causing your thyroid problem.

If your body produces too much thyroid hormone (hyperthyroidism), treatment options may include:

• Antithyroid drugs such as methimazole and propylthiouracil can be used to prevent your thyroid gland from producing too many hormones if you have hyperthyroidism.
• Radioactive iodine is a treatment that destroys thyroid cells, which can help to reduce the production of high levels of thyroid hormones.
• Beta-blockers are medicines that can help control the symptoms of hyperthyroidism, without affecting the levels of thyroid hormones in your body.
• If other treatments are not effective, your doctor may recommend a surgical procedure called a thyroidectomy to remove your thyroid gland. This will stop it from producing hormones, but you will need to take thyroid replacement hormones for the rest of your life.

If you have low levels of thyroid hormones (hypothyroidism), the main treatment option is: 

• The main treatment for low levels of thyroid hormones (hypothyroidism) is thyroid replacement medication. This medication is a man-made way to add thyroid hormones back into your body. A common drug used for this purpose is called levothyroxine. Taking this medication can help manage thyroid disease and allow you to lead a normal life.