The thyroid is a very important gland for your health because it behaves like a control unit that regulates, through the production of hormones, organs and functions fundamental to our body, such as metabolism , the cardiovascular system, the reproductive system .
The symptoms of hypothyroidism, that is a thyroid that does not work , can cause many disorders : among these, weight gain or loss, difficulty losing weight, insomnia, nervousness, tachycardia. But a thyroid disease can also cause infertility and, in pregnancy , put the health of mother and baby at risk.
There are no detailed epidemiological data, but it is estimated that in Italy there are about 6 million people who suffer from thyroid diseases , with a greater prevalence among women , more frequently after a pregnancy, and a higher incidence of hypothyroidism compared to hyperthyroidism.
What are the alarm bells that can make us understand that something in our thyroid does not work as it should? How to make a correct diagnosis and what are the most appropriate therapies? Let’s find out everything there is to know about this gland that is so crucial for our body.
Thyroid diseases
The most common pathologies, which can lead to an increase in thyroid volume (enlarged thyroid or goiter), are hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism .
Hyperthyroidism
If the thyroid works too much and produces excessive amounts of hormones, the diagnosis will be hyperthyroidism .
Symptoms
Hyperthyroidism is accompanied by an accelerated metabolism. The typical symptoms that characterize it are:
- slimming
- nervousness
- insomnia
- intense sweating
- tachycardia.
In those suffering from hyperthyroidism, energy consumption increases in an absolutely non-commensurate manner. Energy is dispersed in heat, which can cause a rise in body temperature and a consequent increase in sweating.
