What is Thyroid?
The thyroid is an endocrine gland, basically a ductless gland that secretes
hormones directly into the bloodstream. Located on the front side of the neck,
right under the skin, the thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland that
produces hormones and, through those hormones, is mainly responsible for
regulating body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, metabolism, growth,
and development of the human body. Dr. Rizvi, under R-Endocrinology, has
expertise in this subject and is known for diagnosing, treating, and managing
thyroid-related issues.
Thyroid Disorders:
The thyroid gland is supposed to release certain hormones in the bloodstream.
Two prominent hormones released by the thyroid are triiodothyronine (T3) and
thyroxine (T4); they also release calcitonin, which is vital for bones.
Thyroid disorders refer to medical conditions where the thyroid gland is not
producing the right amount of hormones. In this case, it is either
over-producing the hormones or under-producing them. This disrupts the
activities performed by thyroid hormones and can then affect weight, moods,
heart rate, digestion, etc.
Causes of Thyroid Disorders:
As mentioned earlier, thyroid disorders and their symptoms are majorly
dependent on the amount of hormones released by the gland. Either the gland is
producing more hormones than required or less hormones than required.
There is a chance that thyroid disorder is caused when the body’s immune
system attacks the thyroid gland.
Types of Thyroid Disorders:
Some of the thyroid disorders are discussed as follows:
Goiter:
Goiter refers to the enlargement of the thyroid gland. The primary cause of
this condition is iodine deficiency. The symptoms include:
- Exhaustion and fatigue
- Disturbed stool cycle, constipation
- Drowsiness
- Skin getting drier
- Higher sensitivity to cold
Hyperthyroidism:
Hyperthyroidism is a condition where Thyroid activity is more than required.
In simple words, when the thyroid produces too many hormones, it causes a
situation where the functions of the body associated with the thyroid speed up
too much. The causes of Hyperthyroidism include excess thyroid hormonal
medication, iodine deficiency, and thyroid inflammation. One of the most
common causes of Hyperthyroidism is Grave’s disease. The symptoms include:
- Restlessness, anxiety-like condition
- Disturbed sleep cycle
- Increased heartbeat
- Unexpected weight loss
Hypothyroidism:
Hypothyroidism is the opposite of Hyperthyroidism. It is a condition where the
thyroid is less active than it should be and produces less than required
hormones. As a result, the functions associated with the thyroid are delayed,
stalled, and inefficient. The leading causes of Hypothyroidism include strong
medication, iodine deficiency, thyroiditis, etc. The symptoms might consist
of:
- Exhaustion
- Depression and low mood
- Excessive weight gain
- Low heart rate
- Constipation
Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis:
An autoimmune condition where the thyroid swells or gets inflammatory. It can
cause goiter.
Thyroid Tumors:
Thyroid tumors, also known as adenomas, can be classified as non-malignant
growths inside the gland that can lead to Hyperthyroidism.
Thyroid Cancer:
Thyroid cancer can be caused by exposure to any radiation, more specifically
to the neck, chest area, or head. It can occur without these known risk
factors, too.
Thyroid Disorders in Women:
Thyroid imbalance in women can have an impact on menstruation, fertility,
pregnancy, and the postpartum period of women. In pregnant women, thyroid
passes hormones to the fetus, which can often lead to Hypothyroidism, which is
treatable. Postpartum period in women can be characterized by Hyperthyroidism
or Hypothyroidism, which is again manageable.
Techniques to Diagnose Thyroid Disorders:
If a person feels symptoms related to the thyroid disorders mentioned above,
the immediate action should be to consult a competent doctor. R-Endocrinology
is an ideal place for anyone experiencing such symptoms who has no idea how to
proceed with the treatment. The medical experts at R-Endocrinology will guide
the patients and treat and manage them to their satisfaction.
R-Endocrinology offers services regarding all the conditions mentioned above
and has Dr. Rizvi’s credible and internationally recognized presence to
manage, treat, and diagnose the issues and conditions.
To get the diagnosis of thyroid, the following are the most commonly used,
accepted, and recommended procedures:
Blood Tests:
Blood tests are conducted to gain insight into the level of hormones produced.
They are done mainly to determine the function of the thyroid. The two most
commonly conducted tests are supposed to check thyroid-stimulating hormone
(TSH) or T4 (thyroxine) levels.
Imaging Tests:
Image tests are often conducted in cases where there is a doubt of nodules or
enlargement in the thyroid gland. The ultrasound test is meant to bring forth
any growth, cyst, or unrequired and inconsistent presence that later might be
diagnosed and treated accordingly. Image tests can detect growth, but they are
not enough to differentiate any cancerous or non-cancerous growth. More
sophisticated scans are conducted for that purpose.
Thyroid Scans:
Thyroid scans are conducted to observe the working of thyroid nodules. A
thyroid scan is typically done by inducing radioactivity in iodine. As iodine
is picked up or accessed by the thyroid gland in the body, this kind of
imaging test shows how thyroid tissues access iodine;
it would specify if an
area is taking up excess iodine, would be an area releasing more hormones, and
an area taking up less iodine would correspond to the area releasing less than
required hormones. The area with less hormonal production, called “cold
nodule,” might sometimes represent cancer.
Thyroid Biopsy:
Thyroid biopsy takes a thyroid cell or tissue for in-depth examination that a
trained physician generally carries out. It is mostly done when the presence
of cancerous cells is doubted in the thyroid gland.
R-Endocrinology has all these tests available, which are pivotal for the
diagnosis. No disease can be treated or managed correctly if the doctor and
the patient keep swinging between unnecessary tests; it wastes time, energy,
and money. At R-Endocrinology, we have Endocrinology experts under the able
supervision of Dr. Rizvi, who have sound experience and knowledge of their
fields and conduct tests in the best possible manner in a safe and hygienic
environment.
Treatment of Thyroid Disorders:
To treat the thyroid disorders, various methods can be made use of.
Treatment through Medication:
Thyroid disorders can be treated through medication. Various kinds of
medicines are used to treat various issues. If the thyroid is producing excess
hormones, medicine can be given to reduce the production of hormones. If the
thyroid is producing less hormones, synthetic hormones can be given to
increase the production of hormones. Various medicines are also given to treat
symptoms like increased heart rate, body temperature, digestion issues, etc.
Treatment through Surgery:
Surgeries are conducted in case of enlargements, goiter, or excessively
performing nodules. In case of the possibility of cancer, surgery is also
performed. If a thyroid gland is entirely removed, medication for producing
synthetic hormones becomes mandatory.
R-Endocrinology offers these sophisticated treatments and surgeries and has a
record of phenomenally managing patients. Under this roof, a patient would be
treated with utmost respect, empathy and compassion as well as exceptional and
technologically advanced techniques would be used to address the concerns.
Once treated, patients are called for follow-up. We believe in maintaining a
cordial and long-term relationship with our customers. We offer our services
24/7 and have the best doctors and professionally trained staff to ensure our
patients have nothing to complain about once they leave the premises.
