Treating an overactive thyroid can also be tricky. Most doctors recommend radioactive iodine. For about 90 percent of patients, this treatment also involves the use of thyroid hormones to bring levels back to normal. Since Graves' disease can go into remission, a doctor may decide to try other drugs instead. In about five percent of cases, however, the medications cause side effects, including a rash, low-grade fever or joint aches.
Blood tests can diagnose thyroid disorders.
A proper thyroid test measures both TSH and the principal thyroid hormone, thyroxine. There are also blood tests for the antibodies found in Hashimoto's and Graves' diseases. A history of radiation exposure, especially to the head or neck, is a primary risk factor for thyroid cancer.