What is hyperthyroidism?
Hyperthyroidism is when your body makes too much thyroid hormone. There are several causes of hyperthyroidism. Some common ones include:
Graves’ disease
In Graves’ disease, the thyroid grows and secretes too much thyroid hormone. This type of hyperthyroidism tends to run in families and it occurs more often in young women.
Goiter
When nodules or lumps in the thyroid gradually grow and increase their activity so that the total output of thyroid hormone into the blood is greater than normal. This condition is known as toxic nodular or multinodular goiter.
Thyroiditis
You can experience temporary symptoms of hyperthyroidism if you develop thyroiditis, a problem with the immune system or a viral infection that causes the gland to leak stored thyroid hormone. In thyroiditis there is excess thyroid hormone but the thyroid is not overactive.
What are the symptoms of hyperthyroidism?
If there is too much thyroid hormone, your body functions tend to speed up. Hyperthyroidism increases your metabolism, so you might have a lot of energy to start with until the body tends to break down and you start to feel exhausted. Other symptoms of hyperthyroidism include:
Nervousness, irritability, anxiety and difficulty sleeping
Increased sweating, heart racing and hand tremors
Thinning skin, fine brittle hair and weakness in your muscles, especially in the upper arms and thighs
More frequent bowel movements
Weight loss despite a good appetite
For women, lighter or infrequent periods
Enlarged or bulging eyes (especially common in Graves’ disease)
Swelling in the front of the neck from an enlarged thyroid gland (a goiter)
How do I know if I have hyperthyroidism?
At first, the symptoms of hyperthyroidism may be mistaken for nerves or stress. They usually begin slowly but these changes can be very abrupt in some patients.
Hyperthyroidism is diagnosed using a combination of tests to measure the levels of thyroid hormones in your blood. If blood tests show that your thyroid is overactive, a thyroid uptake scan, which measure the ability of the gland to collect iodine, will be done to find out if your entire thyroid gland is overactive or whether you have a thyroid nodular goiter or thyroiditis (thyroid inflammation).
How do you treat Hyperthyroidism?
There are many effective treatments for hyperthyroidism. Our endocrinologists will combine treatments depending on your age, the type and severity of hyperthyroidism and if you have any other medical conditions. Some common forms of treatment include:
Beta-blockers - This medication will block the action of thyroid hormone on your body by slowing down your heart rate, reducing symptoms of nervousness and tremors. Even though they do not change the high levels of thyroid hormone in your blood, this medication will make you feel better within hours to days while other treatment takes effect.
Antithyroid medication - Drugs known as antithyroid agents can help by blocking the thyroid gland’s ability to make new thyroid hormone.
Radioactive iodine - This is a safe treatment taken as a pill to damage or destroy the thyroid cells that make thyroid hormone. Once swallowed, the radioactive iodine gets into your bloodstream and quickly is taken up by the overactive thyroid cells, which need iodine to make thyroid hormone. The result is that the thyroid or thyroid nodules shrink in size, and the level of thyroid hormone in the blood returns to normal.
Surgery - Removing part or all of your thyroid gland to remove the source of your hyperthyroidism. After surgery, your thyroid hormone levels can be restored to normal by taking a thyroid hormone supplement.