Thyroid 101 what you need to know about

Amongst the various medical problems on a rise, thyroid sure is
amongst the top few. Thyroid problems are becoming more common
in the present society with every passing day. Major causes of
the problem are improper nutrition and lack of nutrients in the
soil. To understand the effects of thyroid malfunctioning, it’s
important to understand what exactly the gland des in the body.
Thyroid is a small butterfly shaped gland located directly below
the Adam’s apple. This gland swells up accompanied by an
inflammatory sensation, when not working properly. This can be
seen as a small bulge in the area. Doctors might feel the size
of the gland by keeping hand around your neck and making you
swallow. 

Thyroid is known as the hormone factory of the body, as it
manufactures a number of hormones for the body. T3 and T4 are
the major hormones amongst them. Among various other things
these hormones control the body’s metabolism and energy levels.
Body fails to function properly in case of excess or lack of
these hormones. While lack of these hormones make the body
sluggish and slow an excess of these make the person hyper
active sending the body in an overdrive. 

Thyroid has to be taken care of properly as it affects the
entire body. Damage to thyroid ends up effecting entire body
over a period of time. Brain might be effected in terms of
memory loss and moodiness, reproductive health, heart, body
weight etc are some matters that can occur with thyroid
disorders. 

Thyroid malfunctioning more often then not leads to heart
problems and a number of other problems as well. Often a part of
auto immune problems, thyroid can go simultaneously with
cholesterol and other problems. Body may experience arthritis
type pain which shall diminish as soon as the hormone levels are
back to normal. 

Thyroid problems affect irrespective of age and sex. According
to the American Thyroid Association, half of the people with
thyroid problems do not even know about it. It often goes
unnoticed as the symptoms are mistaken as that of some other
disease. For eg tiredness is a major symptom but is generally
overlooked as a general feeling or is associated to other health
problems. 

However certain groups of people are more susceptible to the
disease then others. For eg women are 8 times more likely then
men to face the disorder. You are also more prone if you have a
family history of the autoimmune diseases. In such a case
regular checkup of the thyroid gland is highly recommended. 

People with a high exposure to radiation also have higher
chances of a thyroid disorder as the gland is sensitive to any
radiation. Similarly elderly people amongst us also run a higher
risk of disorder. 

Being a victim of thyroid disorder can be a sad story and at
times really discouraging. Symptoms can be painful and tend to
pull you sown. However the facts remain that you can live with
it, and live happily at that. 

First step is getting the right treatment. Contacting the right
doctor and taking the full course of treatment. Being proactive
is also very important and if medications don’t prove effective,
then tell your doctor immediately. Another important thing is
eating healthy. Sugar rich and processed foods should be
avoided. Most importantly, help someone else. It’s rarely
prescribed by doctors, but is in fact an excellent antidote, for
many ailments.