1. Thyroid, the Regulator
Your thyroid is in the front of your neck and beneath your Adam's apple. This gland produces thyroid hormones that serve an important function in our bodies. Their job is to regulate the speed (metabolism) of all your body's processes. Metabolism affects your heart rate and how rapidly your body burns calories. A hyperactive thyroid produces too much hormone and causes those bodily functions to accelerate. This condition is hyperthyroidism.
2. Hyperthyroid - Over Active Thyroid
Graves' disease is responsible for over 70 percent of hyperthyroid cases. Our immune system produces antibodies to protect us against viruses, bacteria and other foreign substances. In Graves' disease, those antibodies stimulate the thyroid, causing it to produce an excessive amount of thyroid hormone. Other potential causes of a hyperactive thyroid include non-cancerous growths on the thyroid or pituitary glands, tumors on the testes or ovaries; inflammation, irritation and swelling of the thyroid caused by viral infections or ingesting too much thyroid hormone or iodine.
3. Symptoms Slow to Surface
Symptoms of a hyperactive thyroid start out slow and often link to stress or other medical conditions. Some sufferers, particularly those over 70, may exhibit subtle symptoms, such as increased heart rate, perspiration and fatigue during routine activities. Common hyperthyroid symptoms include excessive sweating, fatigue, rapid heartbeat, weight loss, insomnia, difficulty concentrating, intolerance to heat, irregular bowel movements, light or no menstrual periods, muscle weakness, hair loss, nervousness and an enlarged thyroid gland (goiter). When caused by Graves' disease, an individual also may have Graves' ophthalmopathy, an eye disorder.
4. Confirm Your Condition
Consult your physician if you experience symptoms of a hyperactive thyroid. The doctor will check you for an enlarged thyroid gland, rapid pulse, moist skin, eye changes and a slight tremor in your fingers or hand. A blood test that measures the level of thyroid hormone can confirm the diagnosis. If the results indicate hyperthyroidism, a thyroid scan will eliminate the possibility of Graves' disease. If left untreated, a hyperactive thyroid can cause heart and eye problems, osteoporosis, inflamed skin and thyrotoxicity.
5. Hyperactive Thyroid's Treatment
Radioactive iodine (RAI), anti-thyroid drugs and surgery treat hyperthyroid symptoms. Radioactive iodine is administered orally. Once in the blood stream, it is absorbed by hyperactive thyroid cells. The RAI damages those cells, shrinks the thyroid and reduces the body's thyroid hormone level. Anti-thyroid drugs, such as Tapazole and PTU, block the thyroid's hormone-producing ability. Symptoms usually improve within 6 to 12 weeks, but treatment extends for one year. Surgery is not as common. Removing your thyroid gland may result in hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid disease, which requires a thyroid hormone supplement to restore normal hormone levels.
