The thyroid gland is located on the neck, namely in front of the trachea. The iron consists of two lobes - left and right, in the middle between them - the isthmus. The thyroid gland takes part in the synthesis of such hormones as thyroxin and triiodothyronine, the level of secretion of which is regulated by the thyroid-stimulating hormone of the pituitary gland. If this level of thyroid hormones rises or falls, then pathological changes begin to occur, which affect one way or another all organs and systems of the body. Thyroid diseases, and today there are more than a dozen of them, the science of thyroidology is studying. The main diseases are: bazedova disease, myxedema, cancer, thyroiditis, thyroid adenoma, etc.
For decades now, the question of what etiological factors exist for the development of a particular thyroid disease has been of concern to scientists and patients all over the world. However, to date, a clear answer has still not been possible. It is known that the hereditary factor plays a very important role in the development of the thyroid disease - under the influence of certain internal and external influences, it is able to activate. Also of considerable importance in violation of the functioning of the thyroid gland is iodine deficiency, stressful situations, infectious agents, solar insolation, etc.
Signs of thyroid disease
It is worth noting that the course, and the clinical picture, and symptoms, and diagnostic methods, and treatment of thyroid diseases are quite specific. Let's see what signs of disease exist.
1. With the acceleration of metabolic processes in the body and increased production of hormones, there is: rapid heartbeat, tremors, weakness, irritability, tearfulness, a sharp decrease in weight.
2. On the contrary, with a deficiency of thyroid hormones, the so-called hypothyroidism, metabolic processes slow down, which provoke the appearance of such signs of thyroid disease as weakness, dry skin, fatigue, swelling in different parts of the body, weight gain, bradycardia, hair loss, hypertension. Hypothyroidism can cause very unpleasant things, namely the development of infertility in women or various defects (most often from the central nervous system) in the fetus in the womb of a sick mother.
3. As a rule, if there is a pathology of the thyroid gland, then there is a decrease or, conversely, an increase in its size, the appearance of tumors or nodes, a change in density. True, in some cases this may be a clinical picture of not just a thyroid disease, but, for example, physiological processes such as puberty, pregnancy.
4. If the thyroid gland is significantly enlarged, then nearby tissues and organs (vessels, esophagus, trachea, cervical nerves) are compressed, and the patient develops the so-called compression syndrome, that is, the feeling of the presence of an foreign body in the neck and associated shortness of breath, hoarseness difficulty swallowing.
5. In some cases, there are pains in the area of the thyroid gland, which are very unpleasant signs - hemorrhage in the thyroid gland or inflammatory processes in its tissue.
6. Autoimmune diseases of the thyroid gland are widespread: toxic diffuse goiter and autoimmune thyroiditis, in which leukocytes and special proteins are formed in the patient’s blood - antibodies that together contribute to damage to the thyroid tissue or stimulate its function. The most common signs of autoimmune thyroid disease are bradycardia, a change in the voice timbre, memory impairment, gradual weight gain, shortness of breath during physical exertion, coarsening of the facial features, blurred speech, as well as menstrual irregularities and infertility in women.