The causes of the thyroid gland and its various problems

Thyroid causesEven if you do not see the thyroid gland, but it remains an essential pillar on which all the metabolic processes that your body performs are built upon, and any problem with it affects the functioning of these functions, so we will talk about Thyroid causes Or, more precisely, thyroid problems and diseases.

What is the thyroid gland and its function?

It is a small butterfly-shaped gland located in the middle of the lower neck. It produces both the T3 and T4 hormones in appropriate and sufficient quantities for the body. The primary function of the gland is to control the metabolic processes that the body needs to carry out its basic functions.

The pituitary gland controls the amounts of hormones produced by the thyroid gland in the blood, and in the event that there is a problem with this quantity, the pituitary gland leads to modifying the hormone (TSH) and sends it to the thyroid gland to fix the problem.

Thyroid causes and problems

There are several different reasons that lead to the occurrence of thyroid disorders, whether it is deficiency or hyperactivity of the gland, and among the causes of hypothyroidism:

  • Inflammation of the thyroid gland, which leads to decreased production of hormones.
  • Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is a painless hereditary autoimmune disease.
  • Postpartum thyroiditis.
  • iodine deficiency

The causes of hyperthyroidism are:

  • Graves’ disease, which causes excess production of hormones.
  • Hyperactivity of nodules within the thyroid gland.
  • Excessive iodine intake.
  • Subacute thyroiditis.
  • Pituitary abnormalities or cancerous tumors.

Thyroid diseases

When a disorder occurs in the amount of hormones produced by the thyroid gland, this causes some disorders that lead to the most common thyroid diseases, including:

  • Lethargy or hypothyroidism: due to a lack of hormone production, which makes the body use energy more slowly than it should be.
  • Hyperthyroidism: due to an overproduction of hormones, which causes the body to use energy faster than it should.
  • goiter.
  • Thyroid nodules.
  • Thyroid cancer.

There are other pathological conditions related to the thyroid gland, but we will mention the most famous of them today, which is related to the problems that result from the disorder of hormone production.

Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid gland)

It is one of the most common thyroid gland disorders that results from insufficient production of hormones by the body. Among the most common symptoms of an underactive thyroid gland are:

  • feeling tired
  • feeling depressed
  • overweight.
  • prolonged menstrual bleeding.

One of the most common causes of hypothyroidism is Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, acute thyroiditis, etc., and many other causes that have been mentioned.

Hypothyroidism is often treated with hormonal tablets to compensate for the lack of hormones that the gland does not produce enough for the body.

You can learn more about hypothyroidism and everything related to it, through the article Causes and Treatment of Hypothyroidism.

Hyperthyroidism

It is a less common condition of hypothyroidism, and it results from excessive production of thyroid hormones, and its most common symptoms are:

  • Tremor and nervousness.
  • Increased heart rate.
  • Increased sweating and heat intolerance.

Among the most common causes of hyperthyroidism are hyperiodine, Graves’ disease, etc., and other causes that were mentioned previously. Treating this condition is more difficult than hypothyroidism. Treatment depends on controlling the amount of hormones that are produced, such as pharmacological treatments that reduce blood sugar levels. hormone production.

You can learn more about how to treat hyperthyroidism in Symptoms and Treatment of Hyperthyroidism.

We would like to emphasize the need not to take any medications without consulting a doctor, as the symptoms may be specific to another condition, so tests must be performed to make sure, and you can also learn more information about thyroid problems.