Hypothyroidism Essay

702 Words2 Pages

Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism
The thyroid gland is part of the endocrine system, and it is controlled by the pituitary which is known as the “master gland” of the endocrine system. The pituitary controls the thyroid by producing Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) which stimulates the production of thyroid hormones. . The thyroid gland secretes two main hormones: Thyroxine (T4) and Tri-Iodothyronine (T3). These hormones increase metabolic rate, heat production, oxygen consumption, appetite, growth hormone secretion, alertness and quicker reflexes. The thyroid gland is located in the anterior portion of the neck, beneath the Adam’s apple. It is divided in two lobes on either side of the windpipe: right lobe and left lobe. These lobes create what looks like a butterfly shape. The gland is essential to the contribution of maintaining the homeostasis of the body. It plays a role in monitoring the body’s expenditure of energy and running the body’s metabolism. …show more content…

Among these disorders are hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. Hypothyroidism is a disorder in which one is diagnosed for having and underactive thyroid. The probability for women over the age of sixty to develop an underactive thyroid is higher than those of other individuals. If left untreated it can potentially lead to obesity, joint pain, heart disease, and other health complications. On the contrary, hyperthyroidism is a disorder in which a person is diagnosed for having an overactive thyroid. This can cause nervousness and anxiety, hyperactivity, unexplained weight loss, and swelling of the thyroid gland which causes a noticeable lump to form on throat (known as a

Show More
Related

  • Hypothyroidism Case Study Essay

    397 Words  | 1 Pages

    First I will be discussing about the thyroid gland, so the thyroid gland is a gland in the neck that secretes hormones. These hormones regulate growth and development, and metabolism. The main hormone secreted is Thyroxine. So when a person like Margie is diagnosed with hypothyroidism it means the thyroid gland does not secrete enough hormones. As many females get over the age of 50, they are more at risk of developing hypothyroidism. The symptoms

    Read More

  • Prolactinoma: A Pituitary Tumor

    598 Words  | 2 Pages

    The location of the pituitary gland is in the sella turcica of the sphenoid bone and attaches to the hypothalamus(Marieb & Hoehn 441). The Hypothalamus is included in the function of the pituitary gland as it sends chemical stimulus to it(Marieb & Hoehn 442).Part of the pituitary is called the “ master endocrine gland” due to the fact that is produces many hormones that affect the whole body(Shannon 175).This part of the pituitary gland is called the anterior pituitary(Marieb & Hoehn 601). There are six hormones that the anterior pituitary secretes normally. These Hormones are growth hormones,thyroid stimulating hormones,adrenocorticotropic hormones,luteinizing hormones,follicle stimulating hormones and prolactin hormones( Shannon 175).The Hormone prolactin is one that in normal function stimulates the act of lactation for new mothers to feed their baby(Shannon 175).

    Read More

  • Thyroid Gland Disorders of Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism

    889 Words  | 2 Pages

    Hypothyroidism develops when the thyroid gland does not produce enough of certain hormones. (“Hypothyroidism”, n.d.). Hypothyroidism can be broken down even further. The two types of hypothyroidism are congenital hypothyroidism or acquired hypothyroidism. According to Porth 2011, “Congenital hypothyroidism develops prenatally and is present at birth. Acquired hypothyroidism develops later in life because of primary disease of the thyroid gland or secondary to disorders of hypothalamic or pituitary origin.” (p. 786). Some common symptoms include increased sensitivity to cold, dry skin, fatigue, constipation, drowsiness, hypothermia and muscle weakness (“Hypothyroidism”, n.d.).

    Read More

  • Dessicated Thyroid versus Synthetic Therapies in the Treatment of Hypothyroidism

    1270 Words  | 3 Pages

    Hypothyroidism is an endocrine disorder that effects the lives of many people. In hypothyroidism, the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone, causing an array of symptoms such as fatigue, weight gain, depression, swelling of limbs, lack of focus and many more. The current standard of treatment of hypothyroidism is hormone replacement therapy with a synthetic form of thyroxine (T4) called Levothyroxine or T4 Monotherapy. The whole idea behind T4 Monotherapy is that the Levothyroxine (which is a synthetic version of the natural thyroid hormone thyroxine) will mimic what occurs naturally in the body, and be deiodinated in the peripheral tissues to become the more biologically active thyroid hormone triiodothyronine (T3) and thus, alleviating the patients symptoms. Unfortunately, this however, is not always the case. For some patients, even though they are in the therapeutic range using T4 monotherapy, their bodies aren’t properly converting the synthetic T4 to active T3. Because of this, coupled with the invention of the internet, patients are turning to search engines in hopes to find an answer that will alleviate their symptoms, which has led to a resurgence in the use of desiccated thyroid products. Desiccated thyroid is derived from porcine thyroid glands, and contain both T4 and T3 thyroid hormones. Some alternative medical practioners are claiming there is more benefit in this natural product vs synthetic, but perhaps we need to take a closer look into the alternative treatment options of hypothyroidism- such as desiccated products, and why natural might not always be better.

    Read More

  • Hypomagnesemia Essay

    602 Words  | 2 Pages

    Magnesium is an important element necessary healthy bones and teeth. The use of all muscles, and nerves convert it into energy for daily living. It is also instrumental in maintaining adequate levels of calcium in the blood. Having a therapeutic magnesium level helps prevent cardiovascular disease and reduces the risk of bone loss. The body of the adult human contains about 2000 mEq of Mg. Half of this amount stays within the skeleton and the other half in soft tissues (Wacker and Parisi 1968). The normal concentration in the blood is somewhere in the ranges of 1.7-2.3 mg/dL (Magnesium, 2013)

    Read More

  • Grave’s Disease: A Lifelong Commitment

    1788 Words  | 4 Pages

    Graves’ disease is a thyroid disorder with an unknown cause, although there is an increased risk for those developing it if other family members have it. It is eight times more common in women than in men. It usually occurs in those who are over the age of 20, though children are sometimes affected. Graves’ disease affects more than 3 million people and there are approximately 60,000 new cases of Graves’ disease in the US each year. It accounts for 60% of hyperthyroidism cases. Graves’ disease has many possible symptoms which include fatigue, tremors, double vision, insomnia, anxiety, muscle weakness, unstable weight, nervousness or irritability, restlessness, anxiety, increased sweating, brittle hair and nails, heat intolerance, rapid and irregular heartbeat, freque...

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Hypothyroidism

    874 Words  | 2 Pages

    Today in America thyroid disease is becoming a much larger issue and the worse part of this problem is that many people are not yet diagnosed. This is due to the lack of education and awareness about thyroid disease. There are many different types of diseases but the one that I am passionate about is hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid is when the thyroid is no longer able to produce triiodothyronine, also known as T3 and thyroxine, also referred to as T4. Some of the symptoms include unexpected weight gain, tiredness, depression, or slow movements and thoughts. Most of the time many people notice the way that their bodies act on what they are feeling to their physicians. Many Americans struggle with this disease that

    Read More

  • Endocrine Disruption

    2630 Words  | 6 Pages

    The hormones produced from the endocrine system come from a wide range of different places. Among those responsible for hormone production are the glands and a few organs as well. The glands that are involved are the pituitary, thyroid, thymus, parathyroid, and adrenal. The organs, which also play a vital part, are the pancreas, gonads, kidneys, heart, and parts of the digestive tract. All these different glands or organs work together in the production of certain hormones. Those produced in one location will almost always have an effect on many other areas of the body, not just the surrounding tissues.

    Read More

  • Hypothyroidism Essay

    775 Words  | 2 Pages

    Hypothyroidism is a chronic disease that is part of the endocrine system. Hypothyroidism is due low or lack of tri-iodothryonine (T3) and tetraiodothyronine (T4) thyroid hormones being produced by the thyroid gland. The lack of thyroid hormones could be due to iodine or thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) deficiency or underactive thyroid gland (Sherwood, 2012). Thyroid hormones T3 and T4 are involved in almost every part of the body. It is ten times more prevalent in female than male, which affects about 4.6% of U.S population (Lellis-Santos et al, 2011). In the most cases, the symptoms are cold intolerance, fatigue, bradycardia and weight gain. Depending on the cause on hypothyroidism, a goiter may develop, which is the enlargement of the thyroid gland. In most cases taking thyroid hormone supplement is an effective treatment.

    Read More

  • Essay On Hypothyroidism

    901 Words  | 2 Pages

    The following presentation will help this class in the teaching of a patient with hypothyroidism. The expected outcome of this presentation for the patient will be as follows:

    Read More

  • Essay On Hyperthyroidism

    1547 Words  | 4 Pages

    The thyroid is one of the most essential glands in the body. It is located in the endocrine system, and sits right in the neck just above where the collar bones meet. The thyroid gland functions to produce hormones that control how every cell in the body utilizes energy, also known as a process called metabolism. When a person's thyroid abnormally produces an excessive amount of thyroid hormones, this is a condition referred to as hyperthyroidism. The causes of hyperthyroidism are known to include: eating too much food with iodine, graves disease, inflammation due to viral infections, tumors of the testes and ovaries, taking a large amount of thyroid hormone, receiving medical imaging tests consisting of contrast dye iodine, and growth of thyroid or pituitary gland (Board "Hyperthyroidism"). With an overactive thyroid, the body tends to speed up its functions. Symptoms vary from, fast heartbeats, rapid weight loss, abnormal sweating, nervousness, and mood changes. Hyperthyroidism is normally diagnosed through a series of lab tests. If not properly taken care of, condition may worsen leading to bone and heart problems in the long run. As far as treatment is concerned, options may vary from person to person depending on age and the level of activity of the thyroid. Treatments include antithyroid medicines, radioactive iodine ablation, and the last resort, surgery. Though all treatment plans work, radioactive iodine ablation is a permanent and more reliable remedy for an overactive thyroid. Radioactive iodine ablation is in fact the most commonly used cure for people with hyperthyroidism problems in the US today. “The treatment has been around since 1942 and has been extensively used since the 1950's” ("Radioactive Iodine Treatment o...

    Read More

  • Graves Disease Essay

    1099 Words  | 3 Pages

    The thyroid gland plays a major role in the endocrine, thyroxine, triiodothyronine and metabolism system. The gland can be found in the front of the neck and above where the collar bones meet. The thyroid gland controls the body by releasing T4 and T3 hormones. Controlling metabolism plays an important role when regulating mood, weight,

    Read More

  • The Causes of Hyperthyroidism

    1437 Words  | 3 Pages

    The thyroid gland is found in the front of the neck and produces two main hormones. The hormones are called thuroxine (T4) and Triiodothyronine (T3). Together these hormones regulate the body’s metabolism by increasing energy use in cells, regulate growth and development, help to maintain body temperature and aid in oxygen consumption. These two hormones are regulated by hormones produced by the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. The hypothalamus senses changes in body’s metabolic rate and releases a hormone known as thyropin-releasing hormone (TRH). This hormone then flows through connecting vessels to the pituitary gland which signals it to release another hormone. This hormone is known as thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). TSH then makes its way to the bloodstream until it reaches the thyroid where it is then signaled to activate T3 and T4 production [1]. This mechanism is controlled by a negative feedback loop meaning that when there is a sufficient amount of thyroid hormones in the blood stream, this will signal back to stop production of thyroid stimulating hormones. Complications occur when the thyroid hormones keep increasing even though there is already a sufficient amount of T3 and T4 in the blood stream. This process of over expression of thryroid hormones is known as hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism is a general term that includes any disease that has a consequence of an overabundance of thyroid hormones. Hyperthyroidism is a general term but there are many variant diseases that are in the hyperthyroidism category. These diseases include diffuse toxic goiter, Basedow’s disease, thyrotoxicosis, Parry’s and Graves’ disease.

    Read More

  • Description of Metabolic Syndrome

    657 Words  | 2 Pages

    Because of this, she does seem to have metabolic syndrome. With metabolic syndrome, concomitant disease states occur that the patient may have, including PCOS, and hypothyroidism.

    Read More

  • Diabetes Essay

    2349 Words  | 5 Pages

    Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic disorders which is characterized by hyperglycemia due to insulin deficiency or resistance or both reasons. (1) According to that diabetes mellitus can be divided as type I and type II. This is common and its incidence is rising, 171 million people had diabetes in 2000 it is expected this condition to be doubled in 2030. It is spread in all the countries and therefore has become a major burden upon healthcare facilities. (2)

    Read More

More about Hypothyroidism Essay

Open Document