Thyroid disease

**Thyroid disease** be a medical condition wey dey affect de structure den/anaa function of de thyroid gland. De thyroid gland dey locate at de front of de neck den dey produce thyroid hormones wey dey travel thru de blood to help regulate chaw oda organs, wey dey mean say e be an endocrine organ. Dese hormones normally dey act insyd de body to regulate energy use, infant development, den childhood development.

Der be five general types of thyroid disease, each plus dema own symptoms. A person fi get one anaa chaw different types at de same time. De five groups be:

# Hypothyroidism (low function) wey be caused by not having enough free thyroid hormones
# Hyperthyroidism (high function) wey be caused by having chaw free thyroid hormones
# Structural abnormalities, most commonly a goiter (enlargement of de thyroid gland)
# Tumors wich fi be benign (no be cancerous) anaa cancerous
# Abnormal thyroid function tests widout any clinical symptoms (subclinical hypothyroidism anaa subclinical hyperthyroidism).

Insyd de US, na dem find hypothyroidism den hyperthyroidism be respectively insyd 4.6 den 1.3% of de >12y old population (2002).

Insyd sam types, such as subacute thyroiditis anaa postpartum thyroiditis, symptoms fi go away after a few months den laboratory tests fi return to normal. However, chaw types of thyroid disease no dey resolve on dema own. Common hypothyroid symptoms dey include fatigue, low energy, weight gain, inability to tolerate de cold, slow heart rate, dry skin den constipation. Common hyperthyroid symptoms dey include irritability, anxiety, weight loss, fast heartbeat, inability to tolerate de heat, diarrhea, den enlargement of de thyroid. Structural abnormalities no fi produce symptoms; however, sam people fi get hyperthyroid anaa hypothyroid symptoms wey relate to de structural abnormality anaa notice swelling of de neck. Rarely goiters fi cause compression of de airway, compression of de vessels insyd de neck, anaa difficulty swallowing. Tumors, dem often call thyroid nodules, fi sanso get chaw different symptoms wey dey range from hyperthyroidism to hypothyroidism to swelling insyd de neck den compression of de structures insyd de neck.

Diagnosis dey start plus a history den physical examination. Screening for thyroid disease insyd patients widout symptoms be a debated topic although commonly e be practiced insyd de United States. If dysfunction of de thyroid be suspected, laboratory tests fi help support anaa rule out thyroid disease. Initial blood tests often dey include thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) den free thyroxine (T4). Total den free triiodothyronine (T3) levels be less commonly used. If autoimmune disease of de thyroid be suspected, blood tests wey dey look for Anti-thyroid autoantibodies sanso fi be obtained. Procedures such as ultrasound, biopsy den a radioiodine scanning den uptake study sanso fi be used to help plus de diagnosis, particularly if a nodule be suspected.

Thyroid diseases be highly prevalent worldwide, den treatment dey vary based on de disorder. Levothyroxine be de mainstay of treatment for people plus hypothyroidism, while people plus hyperthyroidism wey be caused by Graves' disease fi be managed plus iodine therapy, antithyroid medication, anaa surgical removal of de thyroid gland. Thyroid surgery sanso fi be performed to remove a thyroid nodule anaa to reduce de size of a goiter if e dey obstruct nearby structures anaa for cosmetic reasons.

## References


## External links

* Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia entry for Thyroid Disease
* National Institutes of Health