The thyroid gland is a relatively large gland of the endocrine system. It is located in the neck, in front of the trachea and slightly below the larynx.
The thyroid gland directly releases the following hormones into the blood: triiodothyronine and thyroxine, for the formation of which iodine and tyrosine are needed. As well as the hormone calcitonin, which regulates the metabolism of calcium in the body. In addition, they participate in the maturation, growth and functioning of tissues and organs, determine metabolism. Their excess or deficiency is poorly tolerated by the thyroid gland. Signs of diseases resulting from this are easily recognizable. For example, the lack of iodine in the environment, the presence of concomitant diseases in a person lead to the development of hypothyroidism, in which absolutely all metabolic processes slow down, which, in turn, causes disturbances in tissues and organs. The thyroid gland ceases to fully perform its functions. Signs of hypothyroidism are not immediately visible, as it develops slowly. Gradually, the patient becomes weak, drowsy, indifferent to everything, freezes even in the summer, his ability to remember deteriorates. External changes are reflected primarily on the face: first, minor edema appears around the eyes, which, if untreated, diverge throughout the body - myxedema occurs.
It happens that from birth, the thyroid gland functions poorly or is completely absent. Signs of such disorders occurring in the mother’s womb are visible immediately after the baby is born. From birth, he clearly expressed changes in the brain. In this case, they talk about cretinism - an extreme form of the disease. These patients are easy to recognize by their appearance: dry icteric skin, small stature, swollen tongue, which, as if it does not fit in the mouth, does not allow normal speaking, brittle hair, nails. Among them are deaf and dumb.
Another disease is associated with iodine deficiency - endemic goiter. Signs of an enlarged thyroid gland depend on what kind of goiter has developed. It happens diffuse (uniform increase) or nodular (one share is increased).
The opposite of hypothyroidism is hyperthyroidism, in which the thyroid gland secretes excess hormones. Signs of it relate to changes occurring in connection with a violation of the main, which is part of the general, metabolism. As a result of its increase, the body’s need for oxygen increases, a lot of heat is generated in it, the pulse accelerates accordingly, the vessels of the skin expand, the person sweats a lot, the nervous system is excited, the digestive system is activated.
It is worth repeating that much more often the signs of the thyroid gland, which produces too many hormones or, conversely, suffers from their lack, are found in those regions where the environment contains extremely little iodine.
First of all, this refers to territories in all world countries with a predominance of serozems and podzolic soils. To provide the body with the right amount of hormones, the thyroid gland is forced to increase. So the body exhibits a protective reaction. Gland function in endemic areas may be reduced or increased. To prevent various forms of goiter that occur in such places, you need to take sodium chloride, enriched with potassium iodide introduced into it. It is added at the rate of 25 g per kilogram of salt. Typically, such salt is sold in cellophane or paper bundles. It must be stored in a hermetically sealed container made of glass or wood. Other storage conditions lead to the evaporation of potassium iodide and the loss of the preventive value of salt. Such systematic prevention is enough to prevent thyroid disease.