One of the most vulnerable and capricious systems in our body is the endocrine system. The thyroid gland, which is part of this system, determines the work and state of hormones in our body. The health and efficiency of a person depends on its work. Various pathological conditions that occur due to a malfunction of this organ are collectively called thyroid dysfunction. This concept is characterized by many disorders of the organ and symptoms, let’s take a closer look at what is a violation of the thyroid function, and what danger this condition is fraught with.

Thyroid disorders: causes

Any load and environment affects our body in a certain way. The thyroid gland also suffers from an incorrect lifestyle. After stress, loads on the body, the thyroid gland remains tense for some time. The dysfunction is caused by constant tension and exhaustion.

The main causes of the disease are:

• mental stress;
• physical fatigue;
• influence of temperature changes on the body;
• reduced adaptive capabilities of the body to new conditions;
• taking medications with lithium;
• autoimmune processes;
• lack or excess of iodine in the body.

Physiologically, a violation in the work of the gland occurs as follows: when external conditions change, the human body reacts by increasing the activity of internal processes. Naturally, this requires more energy for the cells of internal organs. Chemical reactions are also accompanied by hormones secreted by the thyroid gland. Adaptation to changing conditions also requires the release of more T3 and T4 hormones. They are secreted by the thyroid gland and they help in the absorption of this energy. As a result of this need for the body, the thyroid gland begins to produce more and more of these hormones, depleting itself. Hormones “go” to more important organs, and the thyroid gland remains without nourishment. Therefore, the symptoms of the disease appear.

How does the disease manifest?

Symptoms of the disease are manifested in each person individually. It all depends on the mechanism by which the gland dysfunction develops. There is hypothyroidism of the thyroid gland and hyperthyroidism. In this disease, hormones are distributed incorrectly, not balanced, so there may be an excess or lack of them.

With an excess of thyroid hormone production, the following symptoms will often occur::

• accelerated metabolism in the body during the normal functioning of all digestive organs;
• the thyroid gland increases in size;
• a person loses weight for no apparent reason and diets;
• unstable stool: difficulty emptying or diarrhea;
• a person complains of a constant appetite;
• problems with the cardiovascular system begin;
• excessive sweating occurs;
• often there is a feeling of anxiety;
• problems appear in the work of the reproductive system: women have an unstable cycle, men report problems with potency;
• increased tearfulness and instability in the central nervous system.

These are the most common symptoms of hyperthyroidism. If due to the depletion of the thyroid gland, the body does not receive enough hormones, this is manifested through the following conditions::

• chronic fatigue, constant weakness;
• for no reason, a person puts on weight;
• there are problems in the work of cognitive processes: memory and concentration of attention suffer;
• dry skin is observed;
• the voice gradually becomes gruff;
• constantly at the end of the day the limbs swell;
• hair falls out and nails become brittle;
• a person is overcome by a feeling of depression and lethargy;
• disruptions in the biological rhythm: sleep and wake patterns are disrupted.

If several of the symptoms described above are observed in one person, there is a high probability of developing thyroid dysfunction. In this case, you need an immediate consultation with an endocrinologist and diagnosis of the organ.

Diagnosis of thyroid depletion

It is impossible to determine and make an accurate diagnosis only from external data, although highly qualified endocrinologists already after palpation indicate the presence of this disease. But this is not a fundamental diagnostic method.

To make a final diagnosis, it is necessary to conduct certain examinations:

• Palpation – palpation of the thyroid gland to determine its size, visually with dysfunction there may be redness in the neck, swelling, compaction, when pressed, painful sensations may appear.
• A blood test to determine the amount of thyroid hormones in the body. The results showed indicators of hormones T3, T4, TSH, T3-free, T4-free. They provide a picture of the functioning of the gland, whether the thyroid gland performs its functions in providing important chemicals to a person.
• Ultrasound of the gland is a fairly informative diagnostic method for thyroid diseases. Thanks to this study, you can see the size of the organ, the condition of the tissues, the surface, the presence of nodes and neoplasms.
• Other methods of examination for thyroid dysfunction. Such diagnostic methods are more likely to mean an examination of a person “from the opposite”, that is, a study of the functions of a particular organ that suffers from a lack of thyroid hormones. For example, with tachycardia, the heart is examined, and at the same time indicators of the thyroid gland are detected.

Thyroid dysfunction is not a sentence. After the examination, the doctor prescribes a special treatment to restore the function of the gland. It is better if the patient seeks medical help in a timely manner.

Treatment of thyroid dysfunction

A set of measures is used for treatment. First of all, the doctor is responsible for determining the factors that caused the increased tension and exhaustion of the gland. Some treat only the symptoms, but with this approach, the disease can resume again, and the depletion of the thyroid gland will not go away. It is necessary to maintain the gland not only with replacement therapy, but also with drugs of different groups to restore its functions.

In medicine, there is a differentiation of therapeutic measures, depending on the nature of the development of the disease:

1. If there is a lack of hormones, replacement therapy is prescribed. In this case, the patient takes drugs based on synthetic artificial substances that replace the hormones of the gland. The components of such medicines fully meet the requirements of the human body to replenish hormones.
2. Preparations with a high content of iodine are prescribed for dysfunction associated with a lack of this trace element.
3. When hyperthyroidism is prescribed drugs that prevent the active production of hormones, often use Propylthiouracil or Methimazole. They convert the hormone T3 into the active form, thereby preventing its excess in the organs.
4. Beta blockers are often prescribed to reduce the severity of symptoms associated with the work of the cardiovascular system. These drugs affect the activity of thyroid hormones, which lead to malfunctions in the heart. With a severe course of the disease and the severity of symptoms, they resort to the help of steroid medications.
5. Herbal remedies are not as effective as synthetic ones, but they can be actively used as auxiliary therapy.
6. Anti-inflammatory drugs. Many people do not understand why they should be used for diseases of the endocrine organ. But few people know that thyroid dysfunction sometimes occurs due to an inflammatory process affecting it. Therefore, conventional drugs are used to prevent the development of the inflammatory process. There are rare cases when it is necessary to use cortisone. In most cases, you can do without nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
7. Vitamin complexes. They contain sets of essential vitamins and trace elements. This is what helps strengthen the body’s immune system and other systems.

All these remedies are prescribed by a doctor, depending on the state of the organ, the person’s state of health and laboratory parameters. Do not delay your visit to the doctor, breast diseases are difficult to determine at the beginning of their development, so timely tests and other examination methods will save you from complications of dysfunction.

Especially serious is the need to take the prevention of the disease. To prevent exhaustion and malfunction of the thyroid gland, it is important to monitor your diet – eat foods containing iodine, selenium. Try to strengthen the body so that it can withstand any changes in the world around us.