DOC TALK-THYROID PROBLEM

Suffering from fatigue and depression? It could be a thyroid problem

Dr Uday Phadke,
Endocrinologist & Diabetologist

Did you know that there is a small butterfly shaped gland on your neck called thyroid?This gland, below or beside the Adam's Apple, has an important impact on your health. And to keep healthy, a well-functioning thyroid gland is essential for the all-round development and growth of the body. Every aspect of your metabolism, from your heart rate to how fast you burn your calories depends on the thyroid glands. So in short, you cannot live without the thyroid gland or its hormones.
The gland makes and secretes two major iodine containing hormones (T3 and T4) which act on target cells and different organs of the body and are carried in the bloodstream. Too much or too little of thyroid hormones affects one's health - the immune system in particular thereby making one more vulnerable to diseases. Several factors may throw the thyroid off balance, especially the autoimmune disorder, though researchers do not know what causes these auto immune diseases.

Hyperthyroidism and Hypothyroidism
Around eight per cent of the adult population suffers from thyroid problem. And the problem occurs mostly in women, than in men. It can occur during puberty and can last for as long as you live. Most people with thyroid problems have under-active and overactive hormones. Hypothyroidism occurs when the gland doesn't produce enough thyroxine (hormone).
On the other hand, the over production of the hormones will lead to hyperthyroidism. It occurs when the thyroid gland releases too much, causing metabolism and other organ functions to accelerate. Untreated hyperthyroidism may lead to heart failure and osteoporosis.

Hashimoto's thyroditis, an auto immune condition, is the primary cause of hypothyroidism, the most common thyroid disability. In this disease, antibodies gradually destroy the thyroid hormones, causing a slowdown in the body's system. Most women dismiss symptoms of fatigue and depression as signs of ageing and pre-menopause. However, failure to treat an under-active thyroid can cause anemia, high cholesterol and heart disease.
Therefore it is important to identify and treat Hyperthyroidism (excessive) and Hypothyroidism (less) at the earliest.

Symptoms
Though treatable, a thyroid disease is elusive as only half the people suffering from this problem know about it. The onset may be gradual with symptoms like irritability and insomnia. These symptoms are often confused with depression, stress and menopause, and that is the reason why a malfunctioning thyroid is often undetected. The other symptoms are rapid heart palpitations, weight gain, weakness, weight loss, dyslexia, premature hair greying, hair loss, chronic hives and vitiligo.
People who have a family history of thyroid disease are at a greater risk.
Postpartum thyroditis is an inflammation of the thyroid that occurs in 5-10 per cent of women following pregnancy. It is responsible for most postpartum depression. The problem usually resolves on its own. Some people develop painless lumps on the thyroid and though most of these nodules are harmless, a doctor usually performs a biopsy to evaluate the cells for cancer. An imaging test can also help diagnose the nodules.

Awareness
Be alert about the symptoms, and if you have any, go for the T3, T 4 and TSH tests.


- As told to Barnalee Handique