A Brief Introduction to Thyroid

Most people understand and also know that the thyroid gland is very large and is located at the front portion of the neck and more precisely below a person’s Adam’s apple. In shape it resembles a butterfly and its ‘wings’ are the right as well as left lobes that are wrapped around a person’s trachea.

A medical condition is often also a reason for suffering from hair loss and one such condition is that the thyroid gland starts to malfunction. It certainly will be a good idea to understand how such a malfunctioning gland leads to the problem of hair loss.

When the gland in question starts to malfunction you can suffer from a variety of ailments though the most common of these are hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. These two conditions can individually as well as severally cause you to lose your hair prematurely. Both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism can lead to cessation of the process of growing new hair.

In the beginning, these hormonal supplements must be taken in small dosages and then after the effects are tested and found to be good you can increase the dosage. The thyroid gland is in turn stimulated by a gland known as the pituitary gland that is located at a person’s brain’s base. When stimulated it causes production of T4, which is a hormone. If there is not enough T4 in the blood it leads to production of TSH and when both T4 as well as TSH levels are lower than normal a person risks developing a condition known as hypothyroidism.

On the other hand when the level of T4 and TSH are above normal, it causes a condition called hyperthyroidism to develop. When this happens the best treatment is to undergo surgery to remove the offending part of the gland; another solution is to insert radioactive iodine which however is more of means to test the functioning of the gland rather than treating it.

Both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism can exist and remain undetected for many years. However, by becoming aware of their symptoms it is possible to identify a certain pattern that should then help you suspect that you have a problem.

Hyperthyroidism is a condition that arises when the gland starts to produce excessive amounts of hormones. To treat this problem use is made of radioactive iodine and in addition the condition can also be treated through use of certain drugs and surgery too is another option worth considering. The last named can slow down the progress of the disease and also put an end to it once and for all.

When the gland becomes enlarged the condition is known as Goiters for which the best treatment is to remove the offending Goiters through compression of the trachea; but, this will make normal breathing and swallowing a lot more difficult.

Another problem with the thyroid gland is a condition called thyroiditis in which the immune system starts to attack the gland and this can cause over or under production of vital hormones. Such a condition can however be treated with the use of certain medication.

Would you like to learn more about foods for thyroid? Read other article at thyroid diet

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