Thyroid disorders belong to the group of diseases that most often attack Poles. Because of them, 20% of the population is struggling with them. Mainly women are exposed to diseases of the thyroid gland – their risk is nine times higher than in men – doctors warn on the occasion of launching the campaign “Thyroid – take care of her”. The thyroid gland suffers, among others, from Katarzyna Dowbor, campaign ambassador.
Lumps, goiter and thyroiditis as well as autoimmune diseases – these are the most common disorders of the thyroid gland faced by women – emphasizes Elżbieta Kozik, president of the Polish Amazon Social Movement. These conditions can result in an overactive or underactive thyroid gland.
The campaign ambassador, TV journalist Katarzyna Dowbor admitted that she had been suffering from Graves’ disease for seven years. “I have an overactive thyroid gland, and have had to take steroids,” she said. She added that she does not want to show off her disease, but only pay attention to this type of disease, because many people do not realize that they are the cause of their ailments and destruction of the body.
Monika Pyrek also has problems with the thyroid gland (the foundation she founded also supports the campaign “Thyroid – take care of it”). The athlete suffers from Hashimoto’s disease, one of the most common causes of thyroiditis, and from goiter, i.e. an enlarged thyroid gland. The Polish woman probably began to fall ill at the end of primary school.
Prof. Ireneusz Nawrot from the Department and Clinic of General, Vascular and Transplant Surgery at the Medical University of Warsaw reminds that the thyroid gland is an endocrine organ located in the neck. Formerly it was thought to be only an organ protecting the larynx, but it affects the metabolism of most cells in the body, including the nervous system and the heart. “Any disturbance of the balance of thyroid hormones, such as hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, has drastic effects in the body” – emphasized the specialist.
According to prof. Relapsing, it is worth paying attention to such symptoms as:
- rapid weight loss or weight gain
- constant fatigue and drowsiness or hyperactivity and nervousness
- weakness and difficulty concentrating attention
- Heart arythmia
- muscle aches in the back of the neck and shoulders.
Thyroid may also be indicated by bulging eyes, hair loss, dry, rough, and itchy or scaly skin.
In such a situation, it is worth checking the level of (thyrotropic) TSH, T4 (free thyroxine) hormones in the blood and performing an ultrasound of the thyroid gland, which allows to detect even 2-3 mm lesions.
Prof. The relapse emphasized that not all thyroid nodules, which can sometimes be felt with the fingers, are neoplastic changes. Most often, these are benign changes, and in case of doubt, a fine-needle biopsy is performed under ultrasound guidance. Hoarseness, shortness of breath, dysphagia, and enlarged lymph nodes in the neck may indicate thyroid cancer.
– If necessary, thyroid surgeries are performed, but this is rather a last resort – said prof. Recurrence. adding that if the procedure is necessary, it should not be feared, it must only be performed by an experienced surgeon specializing in this type of procedure.
Estimates show that in Poland in 2017 for the first time over 25 thyroid surgery, by more than 10 thousand. more than in 1990. Their indications include thyroid cancer and tumors with an undefined malignancy potential that undergo progression, nodular goitre and hyperthyroidism.
President of the Polish Club of Endocrine Surgery prof. Marcin Barczyński admitted that many people are afraid of thyroid surgery due to the risk of losing their voice. – However, such a procedure is safe if it is performed by an experienced surgeon. In addition, neuromonitoring of the laryngeal nerves is increasingly used, which minimizes the risk of phonation disorders after surgery, he assured.
According to the Polish Club of Endocrine Surgery, out of about 100 thyroid surgery centers in Poland, laryngeal nerve monitoring is used in every fifth facility.