Skip to main content

Meet your Thyroid.




Hello friends,
It's another week on our health segment. We will be taking a look at the Thyroid gland.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The thyroid gland is about 2 inches long and lies in front of the windpipe.
The thyroid has two sides called lobes on either side of your windpipe, and is usually connected by a strip of thyroid tissue known as the Isthmus.
In some persons, the Isthmus is absent and instead they have two separate thyroid lobes.

Functions of the Thyroid gland.

The thyroid gland is part of what we call the endocrine system  which is made up of glands that produce, store and release hormones into the bloodstream so the hormones can reach the body cells.

The thyroid uses iodine from the food you eat to make two main hormones;
1.Tri-iodo thyronine.(T3)

2.Thyroxine(T4)

These hormones go into the blood stream and create certain effects;

1.The thyroid hormones control metabolism, this they do by causing the cells to use up fats and stored glucose to carry out body activities.

2. They regulate heart rate.

3. They play a role in regulating the menstrual cycle in females.

4.  They are responsible for controlling muscle strength by participating in the production of proteins which are the building blocks for muscles.



The Control System for the release of the Thyroid Hormones.

The thyroid hormone production is controlled by a feedback system that involves the hypothalamus and the pituitary.

When there is a drop in the blood level of the thyroid hormones the hypothalamus responds by releasing the TSH releasing hormone that signals the pituitary to release the Thyroid Stimulating  Hormone(TSH).
This is then sent to the thyroid to stimulate it to produce T3 and T4.

Also high levels of these hormones in the blood also inhibit the production of these hormones through a negative feedback effect.

Effects of Hyperthyroidism.
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Nervousness
-Rapid heart rate.
- Missed or light menstrual periods.
- Nervousness /hyperactivity
-Diarrhea
-Weight loss.
-Thin skin
-Bulging eyes(Graves disease).

Effects of Hypothyroidism.
- Inability to sleep
- Dry skin and hair.
-Depression
- Frequent and heavy periods.
- Tiredness/Fatigue.
- Sensitivity to cold.
-Weight gain.

Next week, we will look at some disease conditions that can affect the thyroid.

Credits:
endocrineweb.com
healthline.com
photo:Mayo clinic.org

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tips on Nose bleeding.

Hello friends how's been your week so far This week we'll be looking at Nose Bleeding. This is something a lot of us are familiar with, so we'll just throw some more insight into what it is and how to handle it. Things to know about Nose Bleeding. As the name implies, nose bleeding simply means bleeding through the nose. Nose bleeds are common. They maybe scary but rarely indicate a serious medical problem. The nose is abundantly supplied by blood vessels hence its vulnerability to easily bleed. Nose blessing can be categorized based on where it originates and so based on that we have basically two types of nose bleeding. 1. Anterior nose bleed. - Usually originates from the front part of the nose. - The bleeding usually originates from a blood vessel on the nasal septum where a network of blood vessels converge. - They are easy to control either by measures that can be performed at home or by a health care giver. 2. Posterior nose bleed. - Originat...
Post a Comment
Read more

Useful facts about ECG.

Today we'll be educating ourselves on the ECG. we will be seeing what it is and its usefulness to our overall health. -------------------- --------------------- -------------------- -------------- What is an ECG? An ECG or EKG is simply a non-invasive, painless procedure used to diagnose a variety of heart conditions. It is also a record of the electrical activity of the heart. Electrodes are placed on the skin of the chest and limbs in a particular order and connected to a machine which measures the electrical activity of the heart and records the output on a sheet for the medical officer to evaluate. Uses of ECG. 1. To check the heart rate. 2. To check for any evidence of increased thickness in heart muscles. 3. To detect areas of impaired blood flow to the heart muscle. 4. To detect warning signs of abnormal heart rhythm and disturbed cardiac activity.  5. To help detect signs of an impending heart attack. 6. It is also used as a guide in giving ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Juvenile Diabetes.

Juvenile Diabetes seems like a strange word because that disease is usually associated with adults. But in this article we will look at what that really means.  Sometime last month i was chatting with a friend on issues of diet and she went on to tell me about her observation on how a lot of modern parents in a bid to make their kids feel good or pampered stuff them with all kinds of unhealthy snacks coated with so much sugar and unhealthy preservatives. I remember also reading an article few years back about how exercises were forcefully added to school curriculums in one of these advanced countries in the middle east as they observed lots of their children coming down with obesity and diabetes. These two scenarios prompted me to write this post especially for parents, to mind what their children eat. --------- ------------- ------------ ---------- ------------- What is Juvenile Diabetes? This is a chronic condition in children in which their pancreas produces little o...
Post a Comment
Read more