Hyperactive thyroid? Understanding the basics

The thyroid gland is one of the largest endocrine glands in our body, and is found in the neck, just below the "Adam's apple"

The thyroid although only a very small part of our body, is extremely essential to our health, as it controls our metabolism ( how quickly our body functions) by producing thyroid hormones T3 and T4.

Over 95% of cases of hyperactivity of the thyroid are due to Graves' disease, and can , or not, be accompanied by an enlarged thyroid ( goiter)

When a goiter is not present, early warning signs to look out for are:

Restlessness/ insomnia

Anxiety

Unexplained weight loss

Sweating, greasy skin and hair, acne, hair loss

Diarohea

Muscle weakness

Sensitivity to heat/ cold

Increased heart rate.

If you suspect that you have hyperactivity of the thyroid, make an appointment with your doctor, who will send you for blood tests, testing for hormone levels of T3, T4, and TSH (Thyroid stimulating hormone) as well as levels of thyroid anti bodies. A normal person should have a negative count for thyroid antibodies.

Our body itself will try and correct the hyperactivity of the thyroid by producing less T.S.H. At this stage, we will also generally find a high level of thyroid antibodies present, as our body works to try to correct itself, by killing off a small part of the thyroid.

A normal level of T.S.H is considered as anywhere between 0.5 and 3.5. So if you are diagnosed as hyperactive, your levels of T.S.H will actually be below the normal range as our bodies will produce less T.S.H in order to try to correct our thyroids' production level . Levels of T3 and T4 may, or may not be affected at this stage.

Once hyperactivity is confirmed, you will be referred to a blood specialist ( Endocrine) who will closely monitor your hormone levels. You maybe prescribed tablets to help you sleep,

To cure ongoing Graves' disease, radioactive iodine treatment can be used, which kills off a part of the thyroid, therefore lowering activity levels. This though may later result in hypoactivity ( under activity) of the thyroid which in turn is controlled by hormone replacement.