Thyroid Disorder Specialist

What is thyroid disorder?

Thyroid disorder is a general term encompassing all conditions that arise from a dysfunctional thyroid gland. Located in the front of your neck, your thyroid gland releases hormones that largely influence your metabolism.

Metabolism is the process of converting the food you eat into energy that your body uses for every process in its capacity.

When you have a thyroid disorder, your thyroid produces either too many or too few hormones to regulate your metabolism properly.

If you have hyperthyroidism, your thyroid produces too many hormones and your body uses the energy too quickly. With hypothyroidism, your thyroid underproduces hormones and you might gain some weight as a result.

What are some signs of a thyroid disorder?

Different types of thyroid disorders cause very different symptoms. Both hyper- and hypothyroidism can come from different underlying disorders.

Based on your symptoms and the results of a blood or imaging test, Weingrow Wellness & Medical Center may diagnose you with:

Hyperthyroidism

An overproductive thyroid gland can be the result of Graves’ disease, nodules on the thyroid, or thyroiditis. Some of its most common symptoms are anxiety, weight loss, muscle weakness, and insomnia.

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism is linked to conditions like thyroiditis, Hashimoto’s disease, and iodine deficiency. You might just have a non-functioning thyroid gland. Some of the most common symptoms of hypothyroidism are fatigue, weight gain, forgetfulness, and cold sensitivity.

How can I manage thyroid disorder?

Effectively managing a thyroid disorder requires restoring your levels of thyroid hormones to a normal range. If you have hypothyroidism, the team at Weingrow Wellness & Medical Center will likely prescribe a thyroid replacement medication. It includes synthetic hormones that make up for your thyroid’s lack of production.

For hyperthyroidism, the treatment options are more diverse. Medications like anti-thyroid medications or radioactive iodine can reduce the production of hormones within the gland. Beta-blockers are also an option, and while they don’t influence the hormones from your thyroid, they can relieve some of your symptoms.

In a few cases, surgery is necessary to manage hyperthyroidism. A surgeon removes a portion of your thyroid or the entire gland. If they remove the whole thyroid, you’ll need to take thyroid medication for the rest of your life to keep your metabolism going.

Thyroid disorder can influence your weight, mood, and energy. To get testing and find out if thyroid disorder is causing your symptoms, call Weingrow Wellness & Medical Center or book an appointment online today.