Surely a few representatives of the weaker sex focus on increased fatigue, anxiety, irritability. All this is attributed to the rapid rhythm of life.

Sometimes the culprit of this condition is the thyroid gland, the symptoms of the disease in women occur very early, so if you carefully listen to your own body, you can identify the disease at an early stage.

A few words about the thyroid gland

The thyroid gland is a small organ located in the center of the neck. It has the shape of a butterfly and is normally practically not palpable.

Organ functions:

• produces iodine-containing hormones;
• participates in the regulation of metabolism;
• affects the growth of cells and the whole organism.

The hormones produced are called thyroxine – T4 – and triiodothyronine – T3.

The mass of the thyroid gland in an adult is 12-25 grams, and in a newborn child – 2-3 grams. The parameters of each lobe are: length – 25-40 mm, width – 15-20 mm and thickness – 10-15 mm.

Diseases of the thyroid gland can occur against the background of reduced – hypothyroidism, – increased – thyrotoxicosis – and normal production of hormones. Organ dysfunction can be caused by iodine deficiency. The diagnosis in this case sounds like “endemic goiter”. Acute microelement deficiency ends with severe pathology – cretinism.

The first signs of illness: when should I go to the doctor?

An endocrinologist is a doctor who identifies the causes and treats the thyroid gland. Do not ignore his advice if you notice signs indicating a malfunction of the organ.

The initial symptoms of thyroid disease in women are unmotivated weight changes. With an excess of hormones – hyperthyroidism – there is a rapid decrease in body weight. If the gland does not secrete enough biologically active substances for the full functioning of the body, then weight gain is observed.

In addition to changes in body parameters, additional symptoms occur in women, which directly depend on the level of thyroid hormones.

With hyperthyroidism, a woman becomes too impulsive, nervous, irritable, she has a very good appetite, but at the same time her weight drops. The speech is too fast, all the movements are swift, as if she is late for something. Sleep is disturbed. The woman suffers from insomnia and nightmares.

Thyroid disease is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• increased heart rate;
• trembling in the hands;
• hair loss;
• excessive sweating – hyperhidrosis;
• violation of the menstrual cycle.

At the advanced stage of hyperthyroidism, two visible signs are observed – these are bulging eyes and an enlarged goiter. It happens that the patient does not know about her illness, while others notice unpleasant changes in the woman’s behavior.

How does hypothyroidism manifest itself? His symptoms will be exactly the opposite. A woman develops lethargy, constant drowsiness, fatigue, mood swings.

Hypothyroidism also manifests itself in the following:

• hair loss;
• bradycardia;
• swelling of the limbs and face;
• deterioration of thinking and memory;
• tearfulness, apathy;
• cold intolerance.

Nodules and tumors can form in the thyroid gland. In the early stages, they do not bother, but as they grow, the woman feels discomfort in the neck, periodic coughing, heaviness when swallowing and breathing. During palpation, you can feel an increase in the lymph nodes of the neck.

Methods of treatment and methods of prevention of thyroid diseases

Proper and timely treatment will help to cope with the pathology. What can doctors suggest if a thyroid disease is found?

Treatment of the gland can be carried out with medication or with the help of surgery. In the early stages of thyrotoxicosis, drugs that inhibit the production of hormones are prescribed.

A diet is recommended for diseases: the exclusion of spicy, smoked and pickled foods.

The duration of the course of treatment is about a year. All this time it is necessary to control the level of hormones in the blood, as well as undergo ultrasound, adhere to the principles of proper nutrition in case of illness. Introduce iodine -containing foods into the diet.

With hypothyroidism, hormonal drugs are prescribed, the dosage of which is determined on an individual basis.

A form that is not amenable to conservative treatment is treated only surgically – by complete or partial excision of the organ. With the diagnosis of cancer, the removal of the thyroid gland along with adjacent lymph nodes is indicated.

We also suggest that you familiarize yourself with the table, which describes the principles for the prevention of thyroid diseases.

The consequences of thyroid diseases can lead to disability, in some cases we are talking about the most priceless thing – life. Listen to your own body!