Reasons For An Inflamed Thyroid
If you are suffering with an inflamed thyroid, you may have a thyroid disorder. The thyroid gland produces hormones and assists with the metabolic processes within the body. The abnormal production of hormones is the most common problem when it comes to illnesses that related to the thyroid. The sufferer either has an over production of hormones or an under production and many conditions such as an inflamed thyroid is a result of hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism.
Thyroid problems can cause many symptoms and they include dry and course skin, hair loss, constipation, heavy menstrual periods, immune system problems and constipation. They can also cause tremors, weakness and depression. Some of these symptoms can be cured easily and others are not as easy to cure. For example, an inflamed thyroid can be a result of a goiter. These are enlarged thyroid glands and they are not considered dangerous. But an inflamed thyroid can also be an indication of a type of life threatening cancer. Anytime the thyroid gland produces a lump or discomfort, it should be thoroughly checked out by a doctor.
Many things can cause thyroid problems. Most of them are due to an over or under production of hormones. Here are a few illnesses that can produce thyroid problems.
Graves disease is a result of an over production of the hormone thyroxine. This is a problem with the immune system because it attacks the thyroid gland causing the over production of the hormone. This accelerates the metabolic rate within the body and causes many symptoms that include difficulty sleeping, a rapid heart rate, an inflamed thyroid and frequent bowel movements. Another symptom of graves disease is called ophthalmopathy and this happens when the muscles behind the eyes swell and push the eyeballs forward.
If you have an inflamed thyroid and you have also had an upper respiratory recently, you can have the condition called subacute thyroiditis. People who suffer from this illness can feel pain in the back of the neck and it can spread to the mouth and jaw line. The swelling of the thyroid gland can last for a few months. The symptoms include hoarseness, difficulty swallowing and a high fever. This condition falls under the category of hyperthyroidism because it is a result of the over production of hormones. It is thought that viral infections can lead to subacute thyroiditis.
Thyroid cancers can cause an inflamed thyroid but most of the time there are no symptoms until the disease has progressed. People who suffer with cancer of the thyroid can have a small lump or nodule on the thyroid gland. These tiny lumps can appear on a thyroid gland for many reasons and most of them are not dangerous. This is why and nodule found on the thyroid should be quickly checked out by a doctor. People who are over 30 years old have the biggest risk of getting this type of cancer and it can become more aggressive as the person ages.
Genetic mutations can cause a thyroid adenoma and this is a tumor on the thyroid gland. This is not a malignant tumor or lump because it is not cancerous but they do secrete thyroid hormones and this can upset the body’s chemical balance. The sufferer may have a rather large goiter and these tiny nodules or tumors are inside of it. The symptoms of this illness include fatigue, weight gain and depression. This condition falls under the category of hypothyroidism because it is an under production of hormones.
It is recommended that anyone who has an enlarged or inflamed thyroid should seek medical help immediately to make sure that the growth is not cancerous.