The largest endocrine gland in the human body is the thyroid gland. It is located in front of the neck and resembles a butterfly in appearance. The thyroid gland consists of two lobes and an isthmus connecting them.
Thyroid function
Not everyone can understand that there are problems that an endocrinologist should deal with. But to monitor the state of this body is necessary. After all, the thyroid gland is engaged in the production of thyroid hormones, such as triiodothyronine and thyroxine. They are also called T3 and T4, respectively.
The hormones produced regulate the supply of energy to the cells of the whole body, which is spent on supporting life. She goes to ensure respiration, the work of the heart muscle, blood circulation, thermoregulation.
But these are not all the functions of the thyroid gland. It also produces the hormone calcitonin. It regulates the metabolism of elements such as phosphorus and calcium in the body. It is responsible for the growth of bone tissue and affects the calcium metabolism that passes inside the cells.
Symptoms of problems
If you don’t like going to the doctors and are unlikely to go to the endocrinologist just for a routine examination, then you need to know by what signs it is worth suspecting problems. To begin to figure out how to check the thyroid gland, what tests you need to pass in this case, it is necessary in the following cases.
If you notice that you become more irritated, cry, sweat excessively, you have trembling hands, a paroxysmal heart rate, sleep disturbances, then it is advisable to visit an endocrinologist. These are signs of thyrotoxicosis - intoxication of the body with an excessive amount of thyroid hormones.
But hypothyroidism may not manifest itself. But often with insufficient thyroid function, there is a decrease in working capacity, fatigue, a sensation of cold appears, the skin turns pale and becomes dry. Also, people notice a decrease in appetite, but the weight at the same time begins to increase.
Necessary research
If you notice a malfunction in your body, then you should think about visiting a doctor. To begin with, you can go to the therapist, he will be able to tell you which doctor is checking the thyroid gland, and, if necessary, will give him a referral. The endocrinologist is engaged in the specified problems.
A specialist can already conduct a full thyroid examination. It begins with a routine examination of the neck and palpation of the specified gland. By the way, everyone can carry out this research at home. It is only important to figure out how to check the thyroid gland yourself. It can be felt on the surface of the neck, it is located in the area of the thyroid cartilage of the larynx. You can feel it if you place your fingers in a specified place on two sides of the larynx and massage gently. Soft and elastic tissue - this is the thyroid gland. Normally, it should be the size of the nail phalanx of the thumb.
After the study, even if no pathologies have been identified, the doctor may recommend a more thorough examination of the thyroid gland. What tests are needed for this, he will tell you. So, you need to donate blood to the hormones T3 and T4. Another important diagnostic study is the determination of the amount of thyroid-stimulating hormone of the pituitary gland - TSH. It does not belong to the thyroid, but it can indicate certain problems with the thyroid gland.
Blood tests
Analyzes allow you to understand if there are problems in the endocrine system of the body. To do this, just find out from the endocrinologist how to check thyroid function. He, in turn, should give you direction for the delivery of TTG, T3 and T4. But, in principle, it is quite informative to determine the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone. It is produced in response to the amount of T3 and T4. Therefore, if TSH is normal, it signals that the level of other hormones is not distorted.
But in most cases, doctors recommend taking all the hormones in the complex. Indeed, in the event of TSH abnormalities, you do not have to re-find out how to check the thyroid gland, and go to donate blood again.
Interpretation of Results
If all the hormones fall within the normal range, then you have no reason to worry. But even a slight step beyond at least one of the results should alert you. In this case, it is necessary not only to find out how to check the thyroid gland, but also to visit the endocrinologist again. Only a specialist can make a diagnosis by evaluating the results of laboratory tests.
For example, if the level of T3 or T4 is too low, then TSH increases. The pituitary gland in this way tries to stimulate the thyroid gland, forcing it to increase the production of these hormones. But the overestimated level of thyroid hormones, on the contrary, leads to a decrease in the TSH value. According to T3 and T4 indicators, the doctor can already tell you what kind of violation you have: thyrotoxicosis or hypothyroidism. In addition, taking into account the obtained values, the severity of disorders in the thyroid gland is estimated. These indicators also provide an opportunity to assess the impact of the prescribed treatment on a person. So, for example, if it was possible to compensate for thyrotoxicosis, then during the first month TSH can be lowered, but at the same time, the values of T3 and T4 decrease and fall within the normal range.
Disease Definition
As mentioned above, there are certain patterns in the ratio of hormones in the body. If you have already figured out where you can check the thyroid gland, passed all the necessary tests and got the results, then you can try to interpret them.
A combination of a decreased or normal level of the hormones T3 and T4 with increased TSH will speak of decreased thyroid function. Such a pattern is observed in primary hypothyroidism.
Also, impaired thyroid function is indicated by a decreased level of T3 or T4 in combination with a decrease in TSH. This situation occurs with secondary hypothyroidism.
But if the amount of T3 and T4 exceeds the norm, while the value of TSH is reduced, then we are talking about hyperthyroidism and an increase in thyroid function.
Preparing for the test
If the endocrinologist gave you a referral for examination, then he also had to tell not only about where to check the thyroid gland, but also about how to prepare for the examination. Venous blood is required for it. It is taken in the morning on an empty stomach. At the same time, after the last meal, at least 8 hours should pass. But it is better if the break is 12 hours.
If during the examination and palpation the doctor noticed certain problems, then, simultaneously with passing the tests, you can also sign up for an ultrasound examination of the thyroid gland. An integrated approach will immediately identify all the problems.
It is also important to know that while taking thyroxine preparations it makes no sense to check T3 and T4. But the level of TSH will be indicative. It can be used to determine how treatment affects the patient.
Ultrasound examination
If you have received disappointing test results, then it will also be necessary to go for an ultrasound scan. With the help of it, the structure of the gland is studied, pathological formations are revealed, its size is estimated. It is important to conduct this examination in dynamics to see how the specified organ responds to the prescribed treatment.
Assessing the image on the screen of the monitor, the doctor checking the thyroid gland can detect even minor changes in the tissues of the examined organ. If structural changes were detected in them or nodules were visualized, then observation in dynamics is simply necessary. This will help prevent more serious problems. After all, the nodes located in the thyroid gland, with a combination of a number of unfavorable factors, can become malignant - degenerate into a malignant tumor. You should go for an ultrasound immediately as soon as you feel pain or notice an enlargement of the gland.
Hypothyroidism
Quite often, endocrinologists in their practice are faced with insufficient thyroid function. This disease may initially be asymptomatic, but over time, everyone notices a feeling of weakness, constant lethargy and drowsiness, swelling. But, unfortunately, such symptoms do not always prompt people to think about how to check the thyroid gland. They attribute bad health to weather, space storms and other factors.
But if you seek help in time, then all these malfunctions in the body can be quickly eliminated. Choosing the right dosage of thyroxine hormone allows you to achieve rapid compensation of the disease. At first, the level of TSH should be monitored monthly. If the lack of thyroid hormones can be compensated, then over time it is enough to take TSH once a year.
Hypothyroidism in children
If in adults the weakening of the thyroid gland causes only poor health, then in babies these hormones are responsible for physical and mental development. Therefore, if you notice a change in the behavior of the child, then it is advisable to find out how to check the thyroid hormones in children, and if necessary, conduct such a study. But first, of course, you need to visit an endocrinologist. He may recommend a cardiogram. Given the fact that insufficient thyroid function leads to irreversible changes in both the mental and physical development of the crumbs, then you need to monitor its condition. It is also important to notice congenital forms of hypothyroidism in time.
Thyrotoxicosis
Excess thyroid hormones are no less dangerous than their lack. Having noticed increased irritability, increased heart rate, increased sweating, it is better to go to the endocrinologist for a consultation and check the level of thyroid hormones. If it turns out to be elevated, it is important to find a competent specialist who knows the treatment regimen with which you can compensate for thyrotoxicosis.
The situation is complicated by the fact that modern pharmacology has not yet developed antidotes that can eliminate thyrotoxic crisis - a condition in which the amount of hormones in the blood increases significantly. Treatment in this case is aimed at detoxifying the body. Of course, in the initial stages there is still the opportunity to compensate for this disease, but the situation is complicated if it is already running.
Treatments for excess thyroid hormones
If the endocrine system malfunctions, then timely and competent therapy cannot be dispensed with. That is why it is so important to know how to check the thyroid gland, and which doctor to contact if you have problems.
Three methods can be used to treat thyrotoxicosis:
- taking thyreostatics, for example, the drug "Merkazolil" or its analogues;
- surgical removal of the thyroid gland;
- radioiodine tissue destruction.
The drug "Merkazolil" will only help if the disease was detected in the early stages. After all, he is able to block the production of new hormones, but can not deactivate previously isolated ones. Moreover, it negatively affects the liver and can lead to cirrhosis. Therefore, the tool "Merkazolil" is used only to compensate for the disease. After that, in most cases, the question still arises of the need to remove the thyroid gland. On the territory of post-Soviet countries, only surgical intervention is practiced.
Thyroid nodules
One of the serious problems faced by regular patients of the endocrinologist is the determination of tactics for the appearance of any formations in the tissues of the thyroid gland. You can detect them during a routine ultrasound examination.
In most cases, in the doctor’s office, patients find out that they have benign nodes. But to find out if they degenerate into malignant is impossible. That is why doctors in some cases recommend removing them. Of course, it makes no sense to go under the knife of a surgeon with a small education, in such cases it is better to just visit the ultrasound room regularly and remember how to check the thyroid gland. But if the node is more than 3 cm in diameter, the question arises of the need for surgical intervention. In addition to size, the doctor must evaluate its density and duration of existence. But in any case, no one can force the patient to remove a benign formation, this issue is decided by the doctor together with the patient.