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Thyroid Diseases

Home > Illnesses and Disabilities Home > Types of Illnesses & Disabilities > Thyroid Diseases

The thyroid is a gland in your neck, just below your voice box. It makes two hormones that help control how fast your body uses energy from food.

If your thyroid does not make enough hormones, your body slows down. This condition is called hypothyroidism. Hashimoto's disease—a disease in which the body's immune system attacks the thyroid—is the most common cause of hypothyroidism.

Symptoms of hypothyroidism include:

• weight gain
• fatigue (feeling really tired)
• depression
• feeling cold
• dry skin and hair
• constipation

Treatment of hypothyroidism involves taking man-made hormones to restore normal thyroid hormone levels.

If your thyroid makes too much of the hormones, many of your body processes speed up. This condition is called hyperthyroidism. Grave's disease—a disease in which the body's immune system attacks the thyroid—is the most common form of hyperthyroidism. Symptoms of hyperthyroidism include:

• weight loss
• rapid heartbeat
• trembling hands
• irritability and anxiety
• sensitivity to heat and increased sweating
• diarrhea or frequent bowel movements

Some treatments for hyperthyroidism include:

• drugs to keep the thyroid from making too much hormones
• radioactive iodine, which destroys overactive thyroid cells
• surgery to remove the thyroid

Both thyroid diseases are more common in women than men. Hyperthyroidism is less common than hypothyroidism.

Additional Resources

Publications

1.   Frequently Asked Questions - Graves' Disease - This publication provides information on the symptoms, diagnosis, and possible treatment options for Graves Disease.

   http://www.womenshealth.gov/faq/graves.htm

2.   Frequently Asked Questions - Hashimoto's Thyroiditis - This publication explains what Hashimoto's Thyroiditis is, what the symptoms are, how it is diagnosed, what the treatment options are, and what could happen without treatment.

   http://www.womenshealth.gov/faq/hashimoto.htm

3.   Graves' Disease (Copyright © ATA) - This on-line publication offers information on Graves' Disease including its symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.

   http://www.thyroid.org/patients/brochures/Graves_brochure.pdf

4. Hashimoto's Disease: What it is and How It's Treated (Copyright © AAFP) - This on-line publication gives information about Hashimoto's disease, including the symptoms, causes and treatments.

   http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/hormone/548.html

5. Hyperthyroidism (Copyright © New York Thyroid Center ) - This publication provides information about the symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and management of an overactive thyroid.

   http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/dept/thyroid/HyperthyroidismHP.html

6.   Hypothyroidism (Copyright © ATA) - Hypothyroidism refers to a condition in which the amount of thyroid hormones in the body are below normal. This sheet describes the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment for hypothyroidism.

   http://www.thyroid.org/patients/brochures/Hypothyroidism%20_web_booklet.pdf

7. Hypothyroidism (Copyright © New York Thyroid Center) - This publication contains information on the treatments and progression of hypothyroidism, as well as information on the effects of hypothyroidism in pregnancy.

   http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/dept/thyroid/HypothyroidismHP.html

8.   Thyroid and Weight (Copyright © ATA) - This fact sheet has information on the relationship between the thyroid, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism and weight.

   http://www.thyroid.org/patients/brochures/Thyroid_and_Weight.pdf

9. Thyroid Disease in Women: Disorders of Menstruation, Fertility and Pregnancy (Copyright © New York Thyroid Center) - Overactive or underactive thyroid function is sometimes subtle and unsuspected. This publication discusses the specific effects that thyroid disease can have on the reproductive system.

   http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/dept/thyroid/women.html

10. Thyroid Eye Disease (Copyright © New York Thyroid Center ) - This publication provides information on the treatment and management of Thyroid Eye Disease.

    http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/dept/thyroid/EyediseaseHP.html

11.   Thyroid Hormone Treatment (Copyright © ATA) - This publication gives information about thyroid hormone used as a treatment for thyroid diseases.

    http://www.thyroid.org/patients/brochures/HormoneTreatment_brochure.pdf

Organizations

1. American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists
2. American Thyroid Association
3. Endocrine Society
4. National Graves' Disease Foundation
5. New York Thyroid Center
6. The Hormone Foundation

= Indicates Federal Resources

Content last updated May 15, 2008.