Hasimoto&#039;s Thyroiditis

Thyroid Awareness

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Thyroid Top Ten

As many as 30 million Americans may be affected by thyroid disorders, although more than half remain undiagnosed.
Thyroid disorders are more common amongst women.
Thyroid disorders tend to run in families.
Fatigue is a common complaint for under and overactive thyroid conditions.
TSH testing is the most useful test for thyroid screening.
Regular check-ups are the key to successfully managing a malfunctioning thyroid gland.
Changing formulations and dosage that affect thyroid hormone levels should be followed by retesting.
Do not change your dose of thyroid medication without guidance from your physician.
Thyroid conditions in pregnancy warrant close attention.
Thyroid cancer is one of the fastest growing cancers in America and one of the most curable.

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Hypothyroidisim

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How Your Thyroid Works

How Your Thyroid Works

This helpful overview shows how your thyroid works. The information is an excerpt from The Harvard Medical School Guide to Overcoming Thyroid Problems by Dr. Jeffrey R. Garber, published by McGraw-Hill.

How Your Thyroid Works

Think of your thyroid as a car engine that sets the pace at which your body operates. An engine produces the required amount of energy for a car to move at a certain speed. In the same way, your thyroid gland manufactures enough thyroid hormone to prompt your cells to perform a function at a certain rate.

Just as a car can’t produce energy without gas, your thyroid needs fuel to produce thyroid hormone. This fuel is iodine. Iodine comes from your diet and is found in iodized table salt, seafood, bread and milk. Your thyroid extracts this necessary ingredient from your bloodstream and uses it to make two kinds of thyroid hormone: thyroxine, also called T4 because it contains four iodine atoms, and triiodothyronine, or T3, which contains three iodine atoms. T3 is made from T4 when one atom is removed, a conversion that occurs mostly outside the thyroid in organs and tissues where T3 is used the most, such as the liver, the kidneys, and the brain.

Once T4 is produced, it is stored within the thyroid’s vast number of microscopic follicles. Some T3 is also produced and stored in the thyroid. When your body needs thyroid hormone, it is secreted into your bloodstream in quantities set to meet the metabolic needs of your cells. The hormone easily slips into the cells in need and attaches to special receptors located in the cells’ nuclei.

Your car engine produces energy, but you tell it how fast to go by stepping on the accelerator. The thyroid also needs some direction; it gets this from your pituitary gland, which is located at the base of your brain. No larger than a pea, the pituitary gland is sometimes known as the “master gland” because it controls the functions of the thyroid and the other glands that make up the endocrine system. Your pituitary gland sends messages to your thyroid gland, telling it how much thyroid hormone to make. These messages come in the form of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). TSH levels in your bloodstream rise or fall depending on whether enough thyroid hormone is produced to meet your body’s needs. Higher levels of TSH prompt the thyroid to produce more thyroid hormone. Conversely, low TSH levels signal the thyroid to slow down production.

The pituitary gland gets its information in several ways. It is able to read and respond directly to the amounts of T4 circulating in the blood, but it also responds to the hypothalamus, which is a section of the brain that releases its own hormone, thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH). TRH stimulates TSH production in the pituitary gland. This network of communication between the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, and the thyroid gland is referred to as the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis (HPT axis).

When Things Go Wrong

The HPT axis is a highly efficient network of communication. Normally, the thyroid doles out just the right amount of hormone to keep your body running smoothly. TSH levels remain fairly constant, yet they respond to the slightest changes in T4 levels and vice versa. But even the best networks are subject to interference.

When such outside influences as disease, damage to the thyroid, or certain medicines break down communication, your thyroid might not produce enough hormone. This would slow down all of your body’s functions, a condition known as hypothyroidism or underactive thyroid. Your thyroid could also produce too much hormone sending your systems into overdrive, a condition known as hyperthyroidism or overactive thyroid. These two conditions are most often features of an underlying thyroid disease.

When considering thyroid disease, doctors ask two main questions: First, is the thyroid gland inappropriately producing an abnormal amount of thyroid hormone? And second, is there a structural change in the thyroid, such as a lump—known as a nodule—or an enlargement—known as a goiter? Though one of these characteristics does not necessarily imply that the other is present, many thyroid disorders display both.

Out of Gas

Sometimes the thyroid can’t meet your body’s demands for thyroid hormone, even though TSH levels increase. As your body slows down, you may feel cold, tired, and even depressed. You may gain weight, even though you’re eating less.

There could be a number of reasons why your thyroid is not performing well. For example, if your body isn’t getting enough iodine, your thyroid can’t make enough thyroid hormone, but it will try to respond to rising TSH levels by working harder and harder anyway. This can cause your thyroid to become enlarged and develop into a goiter that looks like a protrusion or large swelling in your neck. Goiters used to be common, but they have become much less common in developed countries because of iodine-fortified foods.

In other cases, your thyroid comes under attack by your body’s own immune system. Normally, substances called antibodies protect you from dangerous bacteria and viruses. But in this condition, known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, your antibodies mistake your thyroid for a foreign invader. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis involves the presence of two types of antibodies called antithyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) and antithyroglobulin (anti-TG) antibodies. These antibodies play a role in the destruction of the thyroid by the immune system. Over time, your defenseless thyroid, inflamed and scarred, surrenders and fails. Ailments like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis that result from an abnormal immune response are called autoimmune diseases. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is but one form of thyroiditis—an inflammation of the thyroid—that causes hypothyroidism.
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Revved Up

Sometimes your thyroid keeps churning out more thyroid hormone, even when your pituitary gland completely shuts down TSH production, a clear signal that your body has had enough. Yet the thyroid appears oblivious to the lack of signals and continues to produce too much, pushing your metabolism into overdrive and speeding up your body’s processes. This is hyperthyroidism. If you’re hyperthyroid, your pulse may be racing, you feel irritable and overheated, and you have trouble sleeping. You may lose weight in spite of a good appetite and experience anxiety and nervousness. As with hypothyroidism, you may develop a goiter; in this case, your thyroid enlarges because your thyroid is working so hard overproducing thyroid hormone.

A toxic multinodular goiter is to blame for hyperthyroidism in many people over sixty years old. This occurs when the thyroid enlarges and develops nodules, which are essentially lumps of thyroid cells that form as part of the thyroid. Nodules may develop on the outer surface of the gland where the doctor can feel them during an examination. If they develop inside the gland, however, they may not be apparent to the touch. Nodules throw off communication between the thyroid and the pituitary gland because they independently produce thyroid hormone and do not depend on TSH to produce hormone.

A type of single nodule, called a solitary toxic adenoma, causes hyperthyroidism in the same way—by producing thyroid hormone at its own whim, regardless of the messages from the pituitary gland.

Not all nodules cause thyroid imbalance. There are different kinds of single nodules that can range from the size of a pea, or even smaller, to the size of a plum, or even bigger. Most are completely harmless and don’t affect thyroid function in the least. These include fluid-containing nodules called cysts and adenomas, which are solid but equally harmless. A very small percentage of nodules are cancerous. Cancerous nodules do not directly affect thyroid function and therefore do not cause an overactive or underactive thyroid.

Another cause of a revved-up thyroid is Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disease that is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism in the United States. As with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, antibodies attack the thyroid, but in this case, they stimulate the thyroid to overproduce thyroid hormone. The kinds of antibodies present in Graves’ disease are known as thyrotropin receptor antibodies (TRAb), including one kind known as a thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulins (TSIs). They work by mimicking TSH, attaching to the TSH receptor on the thyroid gland and confusing the thyroid into producing too much hormone.

In addition to symptoms of hyperthyroidism, some people with Graves’ disease develop thyroid eye disease. Its features vary from case to case and may be characterized by swollen, bulging, red eyes; widely open eyelids; and double vision. In its most severe form, diminished visual acuity may be present.

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Hashimoto's Thyroiditis

Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (also called autoimmune or chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis) is the most common thyroid disease in the United States. It is an inherited condition that affects over 10 million Americans and is about seven times more common in women than in men. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is characterized by the production of immune cells and autoantibodies by the body’s immune system, which can damage thyroid cells and compromise their ability to make thyroid hormone. Hypothyroidism occurs if the amount of thyroid hormone, which can be produced, is not enough for the body’s needs. The thyroid gland may also enlarge, forming a goiter.

Signs & Symptoms

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis may not cause symptoms for many years and remain undiagnosed until an enlarged thyroid gland or abnormal blood tests are discovered as part of a routine examination. When symptoms do develop, they are either related to local pressure effects in the neck caused by the goiter itself, or to the low levels of thyroid hormone. The first sign of this disease may be painless swelling in the lower front of the neck. This enlargement may eventually become easily visible. It may be associated with an uncomfortable pressure sensation in the lower neck. This pressure on surrounding structures may cause additional symptoms, including difficulty swallowing.
Although many of the features associated with thyroid hormone deficiency occur commonly in patients without thyroid disease, patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis who develop hypothyroidism are more likely to experience the following:

Fatigue
Drowsiness
Forgetfulness
Difficulty with learning
Dry, brittle hair and nails
Dry, itchy skin
Puffy face
Constipation
Sore muscles
Weight gain
Heavy menstrual flow
Increased frequency of miscarriages
Increased sensitivity to many medications

The thyroid enlargement and/or hypothyroidism caused by Hashimoto’s thyroiditis progresses in many patients, causing a slow worsening of symptoms. Therefore, patients with either of these findings should be recognized and adequately treated with thyroid hormone. Optimal treatment with thyroid hormone will eliminate any symptoms due to thyroid hormone deficiency, usually prevent further thyroid enlargement, and may sometimes cause shrinkage of an enlarged thyroid gland.

Causes

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis results from a malfunction in the immune system. When working properly, the immune system is designed to protect the body against invaders, such as bacteria, viruses, and other foreign substances. The immune system of someone with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis mistakenly recognizes normal thyroid cells as foreign tissue, and it produces antibodies that may destroy these cells. Although various environmental factors have been studied, none have been positively proven to be the cause of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.

Diagnosis

A physician experienced in the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid disease can detect a goiter due to Hashimoto’s thyroiditis by performing a physical examination and can recognize hypothyroidism by identifying characteristic symptoms, finding typical physical signs, and doing appropriate laboratory tests.
You can perform a simple “Neck Check”. Click here to learn how.

Antithyroid Antibodies – Increased antithyroid antibodies provide the most specific laboratory evidence of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, but they are not present in all cases.
TSH (Thyroid — Stimulating Hormone or Thyrotropin) Test –Increased TSH level in the blood is the most accurate indicator of hypothyroidism. TSH is produced by another gland, the pituitary, which is located behind the nose at the base of the brain. The level of TSH rises dramatically when the thyroid gland even slightly underproduces thyroid hormone. So in patients with normal pituitary function, a normal level of TSH reliably excludes hypothyroidism.
Other Tests:
- An estimate of free thyroxine - the active portion of all of the thyroxine circulating in the blood. A low level of free thyroxine is consistent with thyroid hormone deficiency. However, free thyroxine values in the “normal range” may actually represent thyroid hormone deficiency in a particular patient, since a high level of TSH stimulation may keep the free thyroxine levels “within normal limits” for many years.
- Fine-needle aspiration of the thyroid- usually not necessary for most patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, but a good way to diagnose difficult cases and a necessary procedure if a thyroid nodule is also present.

Treatment

For patients with thyroid enlargement (goiter) or hypothyroidism, thyroid hormone therapy is clearly needed, since proper dosage corrects any symptoms due to thyroid hormone deficiency and may decrease the goiter’s size. Treatment generally consists of taking a single daily tablet of levothyroxine. Older patients who may have underlying heart disease are usually started on a low dose and gradually increased, while younger, healthy patients can be started on full replacement doses at once. While you may improve in many ways within a week, the full impact of thyroid medicine may take quite some time. For example, skin changes may take up to 3-6 months to resolve. Because of the generally permanent and often progressive nature of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, it is usually necessary to treat it throughout one’s lifetime and to realize that medicine dose requirements may have to be adjusted from time to time.

Optimal adjustment of thyroid hormone dosage, guided by laboratory tests rather than symptoms alone, is critical, since the body is very sensitive to even small changes in thyroid hormone levels. Levothyroxine tablets come in 12 different strengths, and it is essential to take them in a consistent manner every day. If the dose is not adequate, the thyroid gland may continue to enlarge and symptoms of hypothyroidism will persist. This may be associated with increased serum cholesterol levels, possibly increasing the risk for atherosclerosis and heart disease. If the dose is too strong, it can cause symptoms of hyperthyroidism, creating excessive strain on the heart and an increased risk of developing osteoporosis.
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Thyroid Cancer

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Graves’ Disease

Graves’ Disease

Graves’ disease (named after Irish physician Robert Graves) is an autoimmune disorder that frequently results in thyroid enlargement and hyperthyroidism. In some patients, swelling of the muscles and other tissues around the eyes may develop, causing eye prominence, discomfort or double vision. Like other autoimmune diseases, this condition tends to affect multiple family members. It is much more common in women than in men and tends to occur in younger patients.

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Radioactive Iodine Treatment

Thyroid Cancer

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Treatment for Thyroid Conditions

Treatments

The great majority of patients with hyperthyroidism can be successfully treated. In order to ensure your chances for successful treatment, it is important to receive treatment and follow-up care from those with a great deal of experience in the diagnosis and treatment of hyperthyroidism. This is usually an endocrinologist, a doctor who specializes in hormone-related disorders.

Iodine is an essential ingredient in the production of thyroid hormone. Each molecule of thyroid hormone contains either four (T4) or three (T3) molecules of iodine. Since most overactive thyroid glands are quite hungry for iodine, it was discovered in the 1940’s that the thyroid could be “tricked” into destroying itself by simply feeding it radioactive iodine. The radioactive iodine is given by mouth, usually in capsule form, and is quickly absorbed from the bowel. It then enters the thyroid cells from the bloodstream and gradually destroys them. Maximal benefit is usually noted within three to six months.

It is not possible to eliminate “just the right amount” of the diseased thyroid gland, since radioiodine eventually damages all thyroid cells. Therefore, most endocrinologists strive to completely destroy the diseased thyroid gland with a single dose of radioiodine. This results in the intentional development of an underactive thyroid state (hypothyroidism), which is easily, predictably and inexpensively corrected by lifelong daily use of oral thyroid hormone replacement therapy. Although every effort is made to calculate the correct dose of radioiodine for each patient, not every treatment will successfully correct the hyperthyroidism, particularly if the goiter is quite large and a second dose of radioactive iodine is occasionally needed.

Thousands of patients have received radioiodine treatment, including former President of the United States George H. W. Bush and his wife, Barbara. The treatment appears to be a very safe, simple, and reliably effective one. Because of this, it is considered by most thyroid specialists in the United States to be the treatment of choice for hyperthyroidism cases caused by overproduction of thyroid hormone.

Surgical Removal of the Thyroid

Although seldom used now as the preferred treatment for hyperthyroidism, operating to remove most of the thyroid gland may occasionally be recommended in certain situations, such as a pregnant woman with severe uncontrolled disease in whom radioiodine would not be safe for the baby. Surgery usually leads to permanent hypothyroidism and lifelong thyroid hormone replacement therapy.
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Antithyroid Drugs

In the United States, two drugs are available for treating hyperthyroidism: propylthiouracil (PTU) and methimazole (Tapazole). Except for early pregnancy methimazole is preferred because PTU can rarely cause fatal liver damage. These medications control hyperthyroidism by slowing thyroid hormone production. They may take several months to normalize thyroid hormone levels. Some patients with hyperthyroidism caused by Graves’ disease experience a spontaneous or natural remission of hyperthyroidism after a 12- to 18-month course of treatment with these drugs, and may sometimes avoid permanent underactivity of the thyroid (hypothyroidism), which often occurs as a result of using the other methods of treating hyperthyroidism. Unfortunately, the remission is frequently only temporary, with the hyperthyroidism recurring after several months or years off medication and requiring additional treatment, so relatively few patients are treated solely with antithyroid medication in the United States.

Antithyroid drugs may cause an allergic reaction in about five percent of patients who use them. This usually occurs during the first six weeks of drug treatment. Such a reaction may include rash or hives; but after discontinuing use of the drug, the symptoms resolve within one to two weeks and there is no permanent damage.

A more serious effect, but occurring in only about one in 250-500 patients during the first four to eight weeks of treatment, is a rapid decrease of white blood cells in the bloodstream. This could increase susceptibility to serious infection. Symptoms such as a sore throat, infection, or fever should be reported promptly to your physician, and a white blood cell count should be done immediately. In nearly every case, when a person stops using the medication, the white blood cell count returns to normal. Very rarely, antithyroid drugs may cause severe liver problems, which can be detected by monitoring blood tests or joint problems characterized by joint pain and/or swelling. Your physician should be contacted if there is yellowing of the skin (“jaundice”), fever, loss of appetite, or abdominal pain.

Other Treatments

A drug from the class of beta-adrenergic blocking agents (which decrease the effects of excess thyroid hormone) may be used temporarily to control hyperthyroid symptoms until other therapies take effect. In cases where hyperthyroidism is caused by thyroiditis or excessive ingestion of either iodine or thyroid hormone, this may be the only type of treatment required.

Iodine drops are prescribed when hyperthyroidism is severe or prior to undergoing surgery for Graves’ disease.

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Thyroid Awareness

Thyroid Dysfunction

Thyroid Carcinoma

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Thyroid Conditions

Thyroid Conditions

Thyroid disease is more common than diabetes or heart disease. Thyroid disease is a fact of life for as many as 30 million Americans – and more than half of those people remain undiagnosed. Women are 5 times more likely than men to suffer from hypothyroidism (when the gland is not producing enough thyroid hormone).

Click links above to learn about thyroid conditions.

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Overactive Thyroid

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Shes Got the Look: How Kim Alexis Overcame her Thyroid Problem

By Bryan Campbell

It was a relatively warm August morning when I first met supermodel Kim Alexis. I was with a production crew arriving at Kim’s house to tape a public service announcement to help raise awareness of thyroid disease. It didn’t take me long to realize that Kim Alexis isn’t just a supermodel, she is also a supermom.

As it turned out, we were arriving at Kim’s house on the day that she was packing up her house for a move. There was a moving truck in the driveway and boxes as far as the eye could see. But Kim maneuvered all of this gracefully, taking time to work with our crew on lighting, locations, and everything, while also packing boxes, managing a house full of strangers, and taking care of her teenage son.

Kim did all of this with an almost endless supply of energy; bouncing from one activity to the next without pause, keeping the rest of us on our toes. But there’s a reason for Kim’s high energy level; she doesn’t take it for granted. That’s because just a few years ago, she was losing her energy completely.

The fashion world of a supermodel is non-stop. So is the life of a mother. So when Kim noticed that she was running out of energy for no apparent reason, she grew concerned. That’s when she saw an endocrinologist and discovered that she had a thyroid problem. Specifically, she had a condition called Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, a condition that left her body with too little thyroid hormone.

Kim began taking medication to balance her thyroid levels, and today she says she feels ten years younger. You can hear Kim’s own personal message at our website, www.EmPowerYourHealth.org. Kim’s story is a common one. More than 25 million Americans have some form of thyroid malfunction. The most common condition is an underactive thyroid. However, signs and symptoms of an underactive thyroid can sometimes be overlooked. Unexplained fatigue, forgetfulness, weight gain, and dry, itchy skin can all be features of hypothyroidism.

Of those 25 million people with thyroid disease, more than half remain undiagnosed. That means more than 12 million people may be experiencing symptoms like Kim, and don’t know what is causing them.

For many thyroid patients, the solution can be as simple as a thyroid hormone replacement pill. That was the case with Kim. Within a few months of beginning her treatment, she felt better and noticed the fatigue and other symptoms she had been experiencing had gone away.

There is no permanent cure for thyroid disease. In fact, once you are on the proper medication, you’ll want to see your physician or endocrinologist regularly to make sure you are keeping your levels in check. Often, as the body changes, different dosages of thyroid hormone will be needed to ensure proper levels in your body.

An endocrinologist is a thyroid specialist. If you need to find an endocrinologist in your area, log on to www.EmPowerYourHealth.org, and click "Find an Endocrinologist” located under the Resources section. You can search by location and specialty to find the doctor that is right for you.

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Antithyroid Drugs

Antithyroid Drugs

In the United States, two drugs are available for treating hyperthyroidism: propylthiouracil (PTU) and methimazole (Tapazole). These medications control hyperthyroidism by slowing thyroid hormone production, and are frequently used for several months after the initial diagnosis of hyperthyroidism to normalize the thyroid hormone levels. Some patients with hyperthyroidism caused by Graves’ disease experience a spontaneous or natural remission of hyperthyroidism after a 12- to 18-month course of treatment with these drugs, and may sometimes avoid permanent underactivity of the thyroid (hypothyroidism), which often occurs as a result of using the other methods of treating hyperthyroidism. Unfortunately, the remission is frequently only temporary, with the hyperthyroidism recurring after several months or years off medication and requiring additional treatment, so relatively few patients are treated solely with antithyroid medication in the United States.

A more serious effect, but occurring in only about one in 250-500 patients during the first four to eight weeks of treatment, is a rapid decrease of white blood cells in the bloodstream. This could increase susceptibility to serious infection. Symptoms such as a sore throat, infection, or fever should be reported promptly to your physician, and a blood cell count should be done immediately. In nearly every case, when a person stops using the medication, the white blood cell count returns to normal. Very rarely, antithyroid drugs may cause severe liver problems, which can be detected by monitoring blood tests or joint problems characterized by joint pain and/or swelling. Your physician should be contacted if there is yellowing of the skin (“jaundice”), fever, loss of appetite, or abdominal pain.

Thousands of patients have received radioiodine treatment, including former President of the United States George Bush and his wife, Barbara. The treatment appears to be a very safe, simple, and reliably effective one. Because of this, it is considered by most thyroid specialists in the United States to be the treatment of choice for hyperthyroidism cases caused by overproduction of thyroid hormone.

Surgical Removal of the Thyroid

Hyperthyroidism

What is Hyperthyroidism?

Hyperthyroidism develops when the body is exposed to excessive amounts of thyroid hormone. This disorder occurs in almost one percent of all Americans and affects women five to ten times more often than men. In its mildest form, hyperthyroidism may not cause recognizable symptoms. More often, however, the symptoms are discomforting, disabling, or even life-threatening.

Signs & Symptoms

When hyperthyroidism develops, a goiter (enlargement of the thyroid) is usually present and may be associated with some or many of the following features:

Fast heart rate, often more than 100 beats per minute
Becoming anxious, irritable, argumentative
Trembling hands
Weight loss, despite eating the same amount or even more than usual
Intolerance of warm temperatures and increased likelihood to perspire
Loss of scalp hair
Tendency of fingernails to separate from the nail bed
Muscle weakness, especially of the upper arms and thighs
Loose and frequent bowel movements
Smooth skin
Change in menstrual pattern
Increased likelihood for miscarriage
Prominent "stare" of the eyes
Protrusion of the eyes, with or without double vision (in patients with Graves’ disease)
Irregular heart rhythm, especially in patients older than 60 years of age
Accelerated loss of calcium from bones, which increases the risk of osteoporosis and fractures

Characteristic symptoms and physical signs of hyperthyroidism can be detected by a physician. In addition, tests can be used to confirm the diagnosis and to determine the cause.
You can perform a simple “Neck Check”. Click here to learn how.

TSH (Thyroid — Stimulating Hormone or Thyrotropin) Test: A low TSH level in the blood is the most accurate indicator of hyperthyroidism. The body shuts off production of this pituitary hormone when the thyroid gland even slightly overproduces thyroid hormone. If the TSH level is low, it is very important to also check thyroid hormone levels to confirm the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism.
Other Tests
- Estimates of free thyroxine and free triiodothyronine – the active thyroid hormones in the blood. When hyperthyroidism develops, free thyroxine and free triiodothyronine levels rise above previous values in that specific patient (although they may still fall within the normal range for the general population), and are often considerably elevated.
- TSI (thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin) - a substance often found in the blood when Graves’ disease is the cause of hyperthyroidism.
- Radioactive iodine uptake (RAIU - a measurement of how much iodine the thyroid gland can collect) and thyroid scan (a thyroid scan shows how the iodine is distributed throughout the thyroid gland). This information can be useful in determining the cause of hyperthyroidism and ultimately its treatment.

Sometimes a general physician can diagnose and treat the cause of hyperthyroidism, but assistance is often needed from an endocrinologist, a physician who specializes in managing thyroid disease.
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Treatment

Before the development of current treatment options, the death rate from severe was as high as 50 percent. Now several effective treatments are available and, with proper management, death from hyperthyroidism is rare. Deciding which treatment is best depends on what caused the hyperthyroidism, its severity, and other conditions present. A physician who is experienced in the management of thyroid diseases can confidently diagnose the cause of hyperthyroidism and prescribe and manage the best treatment program for each patient. See more in the Treatments tab above.

Antithyroid Drugs
Radioactive Iodine Treatment
Surgical Removal of the Thyroid
Other Treatments

Appropriate management of hyperthyroidism requires careful evaluation and ongoing care by a physician experienced in the treatment of this complex condition.

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