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The thyroid is a large endocrine gland located in the neck. For men, the gland is located just below the area known as the Adam’s apple. While most people do not think much about the function of the thyroid, this gland can have a profound impact on both the physical and emotional well being of the individual.
In design, the thyroid gland is essentially in the form of a “u.” Working in conjunction with the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, the thyroid helps to control a number of body functions that are extremely important, such as body metabolism, breathing and the production of several hormones that regulate various body systems.
For the most part, little attention is given to the thyroid until the gland begins to malfunction. The two most common types of thyroid problems are known as hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. In both cases, the normal production of the various hormones is thrown out of balance. In turn, the overproduction or underproduction of those hormones to have a negative impact on the rest of the body.
Hypothyroidism, which is a lack of sufficient hormone production, can have severe consequences. In children, the underactive production can lead to stunted growth as well as create learning disabilities and upset the emotional balance. For adults who experience hypothyroidism, they may become easily agitated, nervous, anxious and experience other issues ranging from depression to extreme mood swings.
When hyperthyroidism is present, the overactive production of thyroid hormones can also create undesirable effects. As with too little hormone production, a person suffering with hyperthyroidism may also feel anxious, experience a rapid change of emotions, and in general feel constantly keyed up. It is not unusual for a goiter to develop when excess amounts of hormone are produced.
Fortunately, there are many different types of thyroid medicine that can help in treating various issues associated with this endocrine gland. In some cases, the thyroid medicines help to regulate the function of the gland so that hormone production is returned to reasonable limits. In situations where surgery may have been necessary, such as with the presence of thyroid cancer, the medication may be aimed at providing the individual with hormones that any remaining section of the thyroid is no longer able to produce.
It is important to note that physicians tend to try other available treatments before restarting to removing all or part of the thyroid. However, once the thyroid is no longer present, the individual will need to take medication to produce the same hormones and mimic the functions of the thyroid for the remainder of his or her life.
Symptoms of hypothyroidism in infants can include:
Constipation
Poor feeding
Poor growth
Jaundice (yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes)
Excessive tiredness
Symptoms of hypothyroidism in children include:
Symptoms similar to adult symptoms
Excessive fatigue
Poor growth
Poor school performance
Symptoms of hypothyroidism in adults include:
Early symptoms:
Easy fatigue, exhaustion
Poor tolerance to cold temperatures
Constipation
Carpal tunnel syndrome (pain at the wrists and numbness of the hands)
Later symptoms:
Poor appetite
Weight gain
Dry skin
Hair loss
Intellectual ability worsens
Deeper, hoarse voice
Puffiness around the eyes
Depression
Irregular menstrual periods or lack of menstrual periods
Symptoms of hyperthyroidism in children include:
Symptoms similar to adult symptoms
Declining school performance
Behavior problems
Symptoms of hyperthyroidism in adults include:
Insomnia
Hand tremors
Nervousness
Feeling excessively hot in normal or cold temperatures
Frequent bowel movements
Losing weight despite normal or increased appetite
Excessive sweating
Menstrual period becomes scant, or ceases altogether
Joint pains
Difficulty concentrating
Eyes seem to be enlarging
Symptoms of hyperthyroidism in the elderly may cause:
Worsening of angina (chest pain) in persons with heart disease
Worsening of shortness of breath in persons with heart failure
Muscle weakness, especially in the shoulders and thighs
The only sign of goiter or nodule is an enlargement in the lower part of the front part of the neck.
This enlargement is often not painful or bothersome.
When the nodule or goiter becomes large, there can be pressure on the surrounding normal structures in the neck including the esophagus (swallowing tube), trachea (breathing tube) and the blood vessels that bring blood to and from the head. A common symptom is feeling a constant pressure in the front of the neck that is worse when the head is tilted down. This pressure on the breathing tube (trachea) may cause a small, dry cough that can be constant and worsens when lying down. The pressure on the swallowing tube (esophagus) may be noticed as difficulty in swallowing large pills or dry food such as bread and rice with the food "getting stuck" in the lower part of the front of the neck. Rarely, this pressure can damage the nerve that controls the voice box, causing hoarseness of the voice.
The disease occurs in all ages, but is rare in children. At least two-thirds of the patients are women.
The most common sign of thyroid cancer is a lump that in many cases can be seen outside the neck. When the patient seeks medical advice have often been the bump for quite some time. The patient needs to have had no problems, but if the bump is usually far down you get a feeling of pressure or swallowing disorders.
You should always let the doctor examine a lump on the thyroid gland. In most cases it is harmless. Approximately 5 percent of the population in United States has such nodules, but few are cancer.
Cancer of the thyroid gland is usually divided into four main types: papillary, follicular, medullary, and anaplastic.
The most common form is papillary thyroid cancer, which represents about three-quarters of all cases. Anaplastic cancer is the most severe form and usually affects patients over 70 years. This form is the least common.
The classification is based on the appearance of cancer cells and their origin.
The word papillary is created from the word papilla which means wart. The papillary thyroid cancer begins in one of the cells that produce thyroid hormone.
While follicular cancer starts in a hormone-producing cells. Follicular is formed by the word follicle which means small bag, blow.
Medulla is the name of the single, central part of some agencies. Medullary cancer begins to grow in the thyroid cells that produce the hormone calcitonin.
For anaplastic cancer cells have completely lost the ability to develop into full maturity. They hook up in a very immature stage and divide rapidly.
It may be necessary investigations in several stages and with different methods to safely determine if a nodule in the thyroid gland is a cancer. The medical examination is often complemented by ultrasound. After that cell sample using a thin needle that is inserted into the suspicious lump, called a biopsy. If the test shows that there are papillary, medullary or anaplastic cancer is diagnosed complete. If there is follicular cells requires further investigation to determine if it is cancer or a benign nodule.
Often requires surgery to safely determine if it is cancer or not. This removes a portion of the gland and investigated more thoroughly.
On suspicion of thyroid disease, it is also routine to take a blood test to examine whether its hormone production is normal.
Here is advice for doctor visits
The treatment varies between the different forms of thyroid cancer. The primary method of follicular, papillary and medullary cancer is surgery. After surgery, you can usually leave the hospital within a day or two. Anaplastic cancer is treated with a combination of radiation, chemotherapy and surgery.
In follicular and papillary thyroid cancer is the most common to the entire gland surgically removed. In some cases it is sufficient to remove one lobe.
If the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes are also removed.
After the operation is often called a radioiodine done. Patient drinks a liquid containing a radioactive isotope of iodine. A special instrument used to measure the body has taken up the isotope, and if so where. During treatment the patient is hospitalized in the hospital for one to two days.
The aim is to destroy any remaining normal thyroid tissue, and to destroy any cancer cells that could not be removed. This facilitates checks in the future and probably reduces the risk of relapse. Patients deemed to have a very low risk of relapse may not usually radioiodine.
Studies have shown that radioiodine therapy did not significantly increase the risk of developing other cancers. If the patient is under age 20 are required, however, an individual assessment prior to radioiodine therapy begins.
If the cancer has grown over the thyroid gland to the surrounding organs can be external (external) radiotherapy may be needed. The radiation is usually then given once a day five days a week, usually for 5-6 weeks.
Chemotherapy has not proven to have a good effect on papillary and follicular thyroid cancer.
In medullary thyroid cancer, surgery is the primary treatment. When this cancer is always the entire gland removed. Although the lymph nodes in his neck removed. Neither radiotherapy or chemotherapy has been shown to have no significant effect on medullary thyroid cancer. Certain types of other drugs may be considered when dispersed medullary cancer.
Anaplastic thyroid cancer tends to grow very quickly and therefore begin therapy as soon as there is a certain diagnosis. When given the so-called hyperfractionated radiation. It usually means irradiation twice a day. The treatment will last approximately three weeks. Simultaneously with the radiation, the patient is a cytotoxic drug in low doses. The goal of treatment is to halt cancer growth. Surgery is done if possible 2-3 weeks after completion of radiotherapy.
When the thyroid gland surgically removed lost production of its hormones. Therefore, the patient is thyroid hormone (in tablets) taken daily for life. An important effect of this hormone is also manufactured by the thyroid stimulating hormone TSH from the pituitary gland decreases. Reduced levels of TSH have been shown to reduce the risk of recurrence in papillary and follicular cancer.
One cause of thyroid cancer is ionizing radiation. It has been shown that those who survived the atomic bomb of the two Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War II are at increased risk for the disease, as well as children who lived near Chernobyl when the accident at the nuclear plant occurred there. Even people who have had radiotherapy to the neck for other diseases often develop thyroid cancer. In contrast, examination of the thyroid gland, for example, radioactive iodine or technetium is not meant increased risk.
It has also been shown that jodintaget significance. In areas of the world where the food contains a lot of iodine, for example in the U.S., Japan and Iceland, is the papillary form more than 80 percent of all thyroid cancers. In areas where jodintaget is low, for example in the UK and Central Europe, its share is around 40 percent and there is instead the follicular type common. Where iodine has begun to be put into common salt, the proportion of the more serious anaplastic form declined.