Thyroid diseases: diagnosis, symptoms, treatment

The whirl of the modern world is imprinted on our behavior and condition: we hurry, we fuss, we get tired, we get irritated. And few people will associate these symptoms with disorders of the endocrine system. And thyroid diseases occupy the second place in a number of pathologies, the increase of which is 5% per year according to WHO. Contrary to ideas, the disease occurs not only due to a lack of iodine in the body, so self-medication with iodine-containing drugs is not only ineffective, but also harmful. The correct diagnosis can only be established by an endocrinologist on the basis of an examination, an analysis of symptoms and the results of laboratory tests.

Diagnosis of thyroid diseases

The danger of thyroid diseases is in attributing symptoms to everyday life and ignoring them until structural, visible to the eye disorders appear. Sometimes people learn about the disease by accident, donating blood for hormones.

If you suspect a thyroid disease, a blood test is prescribed for the content of TSH( thyroid-stimulating hormone), T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine). In addition to the tests, they examine the appearance (the condition of the nails, hair, skin on the elbows), interview and observe the behavior of the patient.

Possible questions from an endocrinologist

general:

  • have you been feeling better lately;
  • were there any changes in blood pressure;
  • have you noticed an increase in sweating;
  • what were you ill with in the near future and what were you treated with;
  • were there any changes in taste sensations;
  • tell us about your general emotional state: how do you react to failures, success, etc.;
  • do you have headaches, how often;
  • do you react to changes in the weather;

for men:

  • has there been a decrease in potency recently?

women:

  • how the menstrual cycle has changed: the abundance of secretions, soreness, frequency.

In case of unfavorable tests, detection of a complex of characteristic symptoms, the presence of seals, an increase in the size of the gland, hardware diagnostics are prescribed: Ultrasound or X-ray. In controversial cases, a tissue biopsy is performed. There are two types of thyroid disorders: functional and structural. Treatment is chosen depending on the diagnosis, the dosage of drugs is selected based on studies of the hormonal background.

Functional disorders of the thyroid gland

Functional disorders of the thyroid gland include hypothyroidism (insufficient production of hormones) and thyrotoxicosis (excessive production of hormones).

Hypothyroidism: symptoms, treatment

Symptoms of hypothyroidism are often disguised as other conditions: depression, menstrual disorders, lethargy. This makes it difficult to timely contact the right specialist and make the correct diagnosis. Among the characteristic signs of hypothyroidism are:

  • hair loss, fragility and dullness,
  • dryness of the skin of the face and certain areas of the skin,
  • reduced performance, weakness, rapid fatigue (which is often taken for ordinary laziness),
  • deterioration of memory, attention,
  • chilly, cold limbs.

When hypothyroidism is diagnosed, hormone replacement therapy is prescribed, designed to make up for the lack of production of your own thyroid hormones. Such drugs are taken for life with a gradual increase in dosage.

Thyrotoxicosis: symptoms, treatment

A persistent increase in thyroid hormones in the blood is called thyrotoxicosis. It leads to the following symptoms:

  • increased irritability,
  • sleep disorders,
  • constant sweating,
  • weight loss,
  • a slight increase in temperature (which you may not even notice),
  • cardiac arrhythmias.

When thyrotoxicosis prescribes drugs that block the production of hormones-thyrostatics. To achieve the desired hormonal balance, courses of thyrostatics are alternated with hormone replacement therapy.

Structural disorders of the thyroid gland

Structural disorders of the thyroid gland include adenoma, cysts, nodular formations. Symptoms: visual increase in size, compaction on palpation, goiter formation. In the early stages, medication is prescribed, in complex cases – surgery followed by HRT.

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