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Diseases that affect the Thyroid.





Hello friends,
It's another week here again to learn about our bodies. Last week we looked at what the thyroid is and the  role it plays in our body.
Today we will see some diseases that affect the normal functioning of the thyroid gland as we wrap up our discussion on the thyroid.
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1.Grave's Disease.
-It is a common cause of hyperthyroidism.
-It is an autoimmune disorder. It occurs when the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the thyroid gland. This can cause the gland to produce the hormones in excess.
- The disease is hereditary and may develop at any age in males or females. But more common in females.

Risk factors.
-stress
-pregnancy
-smoking.

Symptoms
-goitre
-bulging eyes.
-impaired vision.


2. Hashimoto's Disease.
- This is another autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid gland.

-This disease acts by producing antibodies that slowly destroy the thyroid gland and its ability to produce hormones.
In some it shows no symptoms for a very long time.

-It is a common cause of hypothyroidism.

Symptoms.
- mild weight gain.
-dry, thinning hair.
-pale, puffy face.
-an enlarged thyroid.
-intolerance to cold.


3. Goitre
A goiter is an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid. Although most are painless, large goitres can because a cough and make it difficult for you to swallow or breath.

The most common cause of goitre worldwide is deficiency of iodine in the diet.

Having a goitre doesn't necessarily mean that your thyroid isn't functioning normally. Even when it is enlarged, it may still produce normal amounts of hormones.

Causes of Goiter.
-  Iodine deficiency.

- Graves disease which causes overstimulation of the thyroid to produce hormones can cause goiter.

-Multinodular Goiter.
This is a condition in which several solid or fluid filled nodules develop inside both sides of the thyroid, resulting in overall enlargement of the gland.

-Solitary Thyroid nodules.
Here solitary nodules develop in each wing of the gland also resulting in an overall increase in size of the thyroid.
Most of such nodules have been found to be benign and do not lead to cancer.

-Thyroid cancer.
This is far less common than the benign thyroid. A biopsy is always necessary to confirm this.

- Thyroiditis.
(Inflammation of the thyroid).
This condition can cause pain and swelling in the thyroid. It may lead to an over or under production of the hormones.

Risk Factors for Goitre.
- Lack of dietary iodine.
- Being female.
- Age(more common after age 40).
- Medical history of family or personal episodes of autoimmune diseases.
- Pregnancy and menopause.
-certain medications
- radiation exposure.

Complications.
-fatigue.
- weight gain.
-irritability.
-trouble sleeping.

Treatment opitons for the various diseases will be along the lines of the causative factors.

Credits:
Mayo clinic.org
Healthline.com



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