“Hyperthyroidism means that your thyroid gland is making too much thyroid hormone. You may also hear the term thyrotoxicosis. This also means there is too much thyroid hormone in your body.  Everyone is different and you may not have all the symptoms. Symptoms can start suddenly or come on slowly over time.  Hyperthyroidism can be caused by an autoimmune condition (Graves’ disease), inflammation of the thyroid (thyroiditis), or due to thyroid nodules making too much thyroid hormone (hot nodule or toxic multinodular goiter).”

American Thyroid Association (Hyperthyroidism | American Thyroid Association)

Hyperthyroidism, also called overactive thyroid, is when the thyroid gland makes more thyroid hormones than your body needs. The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland in the front of your neck. Thyroid hormones control the way the body uses energy, so they affect nearly every organ in your body, even the way your heart beats.

Possible Causes of Hyperthyroidism:

Hyperthyroidism has several causes, including Graves’ disease, thyroid nodules, and thyroiditis—inflammation of the thyroid. Rarely, hyperthyroidism is caused by a noncancerous tumor of the pituitary gland located at the base of the brain. Consuming too much iodine or taking too much thyroid hormone medicine also may raise your thyroid hormone levels.

-Graves’ disease

Graves’ disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disorder. With this disease, your immune system attacks the thyroid and causes it to make too much thyroid hormone.

-Overactive thyroid nodules

Thyroid nodules are lumps in your thyroid. Thyroid nodules are common and usually benign, meaning they are not cancerous. However, one or more nodules may become overactive and produce too much thyroid hormone. The presence of many overactive nodules occurs most often in older adults.

-Thyroiditis

Thyroiditis is inflammation of your thyroid that causes stored thyroid hormone to leak out of your thyroid gland. The hyperthyroidism may last for up to 3 months, after which your thyroid may become underactive, a condition called hypothyroidism. The hypothyroidism usually lasts 12 to 18 months, but sometimes is permanent.

Several types of thyroiditis can cause hyperthyroidism and then cause hypothyroidism:

• Subacute thyroiditis. This condition involves a painfully inflamed and enlarged thyroid. Experts are not sure what causes subacute thyroiditis, but it may be related to an infection caused by a virus or bacteria.
• Postpartum thyroiditis. This type of thyroiditis develops after a woman gives birth.
• Silent thyroiditis. This type of thyroiditis is called “silent” because it is painless, even though your thyroid may be enlarged. Experts think silent thyroiditis is probably an autoimmune condition.

-Too much iodine

Your thyroid uses iodine to make thyroid hormone. The amount of iodine you consume affects the amount of thyroid hormone your thyroid makes. In some people, consuming large amounts of iodine may cause the thyroid to make too much thyroid hormone.

Some medicines and cough syrups may contain a lot of iodine. One example is the heart medicine amiodarone. Seaweed and seaweed-based supplements also contain a lot of iodine.

-Too much thyroid hormone medicine:

Some people who take thyroid hormone medicine for hypothyroidism may take too much. If you take thyroid hormone medicine, you should see your doctor at least once a year to have your thyroid hormone levels checked. You may need to adjust your dose if your thyroid hormone level is too high.

Some other medicines may also interact with thyroid hormone medicine to raise hormone levels. If you take thyroid hormone medicine, ask your doctor about interactions when starting new medicines

– A noncancerous tumor of the pituitary gland causing too much release of the hormone for the thyroid to release T3 and T4.

This is done by the tumor causing the pituitary gland over release thyroid stimulating hormone-TSH.   Thyrotropinomas are pituitary adenomas that occur in the thyrotropic cells of the pituitary gland and secrete thyroid-stimulating hormone, or TSH. TSH, in turn, triggers the thyroid gland to become overly active and produce too much thyroid hormone, a condition known as hyperthyroidism.

It can also cause a wide variety of signs and symptoms:

• Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) is a condition in which your thyroid gland produces too much of the hormone thyroxine. Hyperthyroidism can accelerate your body’s metabolism significantly, causing sudden weight loss, a rapid or irregular heartbeat, sweating, and nervousness or irritability.
• Sudden weight loss, even when your appetite and the amount and type of food you eat remain the same or even increase
• Rapid heartbeat (tachycardia) — commonly more than 100 beats a minute — irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) or pounding of your heart (palpitations)
• Increased appetite
• Nervousness, anxiety and irritability
• Tremor — usually a fine trembling in your hands and fingers
• Sweating
• Changes in menstrual patterns
• Increased sensitivity to heat
• Changes in bowel patterns, especially more frequent bowel movements
• An enlarged thyroid gland (goiter), which may appear as a swelling at the base of your neck
• Fatigue, muscle weakness
• Difficulty sleeping
• Skin thinning
• Fine, brittle hair
• Graves’ ophthalmopathy=An autoimmune disease that is frequently associated with hyperthyroidism.
• Sometimes an uncommon problem called Graves’ ophthalmopathy may affect your eyes, especially if you smoke. In this disorder, your eyeballs protrude beyond their normal protective orbits when the tissues and muscles behind your eyes swell. This pushes the eyeballs forward so far that they actually bulge out of their orbits. This can cause the front surface of your eyeballs to become very dry. Eye problems often improve without treatment.Older adults are more likely to have either no signs or symptoms or subtle ones, such as an increased heart rate, heat intolerance and a tendency to become tired during ordinary activities. Medications called beta blockers, which are used to treat high blood pressure and other conditions, can mask many of the signs of hyperthyroidism.
• Protruding eyeballs
• Red or swollen eyes
• Excessive tearing or discomfort in one or both eyes
• Light sensitivity, blurry or double vision, inflammation, or reduced eye movementIf you experience unexplained weight loss, a rapid heartbeat, unusual sweating, swelling at the base of your neck or other symptoms associated with hyperthyroidism, see your doctor. It’s important to completely describe the changes you’ve observed, because many signs and symptoms of hyperthyroidism may be associated with a number of other conditions.Causes:  A number of conditions, including Graves’ disease, toxic adenoma, Plummer’s disease (toxic multi-nodular goiter) and thyroiditis, can cause hyperthyroidism.

When to be checked by the doctor:

Any of these signs or symptoms listed above you have that where never checked out by the doctor or if the new symptom (s) just recently started and where never diagnosed by the MD.  If you’ve been treated for hyperthyroidism or currently are being treated, see your doctor regularly as advised so that he or she can monitor your condition.  Also, if you are at a age that makes you in a age group that is more common to have this disease than have your MD check you out to see if you have the disease.

If hyperthyroidism isn’t treated, it can cause some serious health problems, including:

-an irregular heartbeat that can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure, and other heart-related problems

-an eye disease called Graves’ ophthalmopathy that can cause double vision, light sensitivity, and eye pain, and rarely can lead to vision loss

-thinning bones and osteoporosis

Risk factors:

Hyperthyroidism, particularly Graves’ disease, tends to run in families and is more common in women than in men. If another member of your family has a thyroid condition, talk with your doctor about what this may mean for your health with what you need to do.

Hyperthyroidism can be serious don’t ignore it, most people respond well once hyperthyroidism is diagnosed and treated. Hyperthyroidism can mimic other health problems, which may make it difficult for your doctor to diagnose.

Complications:

Untreated, hyperthyroidism can cause serious health problems, including

• an irregular heartbeat that can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure, and other heart-related problems
• an eye disease called Graves’ ophthalmopathy
• thinning bones, osteoporosis NIH external link, and muscle problems
• menstrual cycle and fertility issues

“Hypothyroidism happens when the thyroid gland doesn’t make enough thyroid hormone. This condition also is called underactive thyroid.

Hypothyroidism may not cause noticeable symptoms in its early stages. Over time, hypothyroidism that isn’t treated can lead to other health problems, such as high cholesterol and heart problems.

There are ways to be diagnosed and treated.”

MAYO CLINIC

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism (under-active thyroid) is a condition that occurs when your thyroid produces too little thyroid hormone, a condition that is often linked to iodine deficiency.

Dr. David Brownstein, a board-certified holistic practitioner who has been working with iodine for the last two decades, claims that over 95 percent of the patients in his clinic are iodine-deficient.

In addition, 10 percent of the general population in the United States, and 20 percent of women over age 60, have subclinical hypothyroidism, a condition where you have no obvious symptoms and only slightly abnormal lab tests.

However, only a marginal percentage of these people are being treated. The reason behind this is the misinterpretation and misunderstanding of lab tests, particularly TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone). Most physicians believe that if your TSH value is within the “normal” range, your thyroid is fine. But as I always say, the devil is in the details. More and more physicians are now discovering that the TSH value is grossly unreliable for diagnosing hypothyroidism.

Hypothyroidism can cause a variety of signs and symptoms:

The most sensitive way to find out is to listen to your body. People with a sluggish thyroid usually experience:

Lethargy – Fatigue and lack of energy are typical signs of thyroid dysfunction. Depression has also been           linked to the condition. If you’ve been diagnosed with depression, make it a point that your physician checks your thyroid levels.

• • It’s essential to note that not all tiredness or lack of energy can be blamed on a dysfunctional thyroid gland. Thyroid-related fatigue begins to appear when you cannot sustain energy long enough, especially when compared to a past level of fitness or ability. If your thyroid foundation is weak, sustaining energy output is going to be a challenge. You will notice you just don’t seem to have the energy to do the things like you used to.

• • • Feeling like you don’t have the energy to exercise, and typically not exercising on a consistent basis
    • A heavy or tired head, especially in the afternoon; your head is a very sensitive indicator of thyroid hormone status
    • Falling asleep as soon as you sit down when you don’t have anything to do.
• Rough and scaly skin and/or dry, coarse, and tangled hair– If you have perpetually dry skin that doesn’t respond well to moisturizing lotions or creams, consider hypothyroidism as a factor.
• Hair loss– Women especially would want to pay attention to their thyroid when unexplained hair loss occurs. Fortunately, if your hair loss is due to low thyroid function, your hair will come back quickly with proper thyroid treatment.
• Sensitivity to cold– Feeling cold all the time is also a sign of low thyroid function. Hypothyroid people are slow to warm up, even in a sauna, and don’t sweat with mild exercise.
• Low basal temperature – Another telltale sign of hypothyroidism is a low basal body temperature (BBT), less than 97.6 degrees Fahrenheit averaged over a minimum of three days. It is best to get a BBT thermometer to assess this.
• Weight gain– Easy weight gain or difficulty losing weight, despite an aggressive exercise program and watchful eating, is another indicator.

Hypothyroidism in infants

Anyone can get hypothyroidism, including infants. Most babies born without a thyroid gland or with a gland that doesn’t work correctly don’t have symptoms right away. But if hypothyroidism isn’t diagnosed and treated, symptoms start to appear. They may include:

• Feeding problems.
• Poor growth.
• Poor weight gain.
• Yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes, a condition called jaundice.
• Constipation.
• Poor muscle tone.
• Dry skin.
• Hoarse crying.
• Enlarged tongue.
• A soft swelling or bulge near the belly button, a condition called umbilical hernia.

When hypothyroidism in infants isn’t treated, even mild cases can lead to severe physical and mental development problems.

Hypothyroidism in children and teens

In general, children and teens with hypothyroidism have symptoms similar to those in adults. But they also may have:

• Poor growth that leads to short stature.
• Delayed development of permanent teeth.
• Delayed puberty.
• Poor mental development.

When to see a doctor

See your health care provider if you’re feeling tired for no reason or if you have other symptoms of hypothyroidism.

If you’re taking thyroid hormone medicine for hypothyroidism, follow your health care provider’s advice on how often you need medical appointments. At first, you may need regular appointments to make sure you’re receiving the right dose of medicine. Over time, you may need checkups so that your health care provider can monitor your condition and medicine.

Causes:

“Your thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located at the front of your neck under your skin. It’s a part of your endocrine system and controls many of your body’s important functions by producing and releasing (secreting) certain hormones. Your thyroid’s main job is to control the speed of your metabolism (metabolic rate), which is the process of how your body transforms the food you consume into energy. All of the cells in your body need energy to function.

Your thyroid is an important endocrine gland that makes and releases certain hormones. Your thyroid’s main job is to control your metabolism — how your body uses energy. Sometimes, your thyroid doesn’t work properly. These conditions are common and treatable.

As an endocrine gland, your thyroid makes and secretes hormones.

Your thyroid produces and releases the following hormones:

• Thyroxine (T4): This is the primary hormone your thyroid makes and releases. Although your thyroid makes the most of this hormone, it doesn’t have much of an effect on your metabolism. Once your thyroid releases T4 into your bloodstream, it can convert to T3 through a process called deiodination.
• Triiodothyronine (T3): Your thyroid produces lesser amounts of T3 than T4, but it has a much greater effect on your metabolism than T4.
• Reverse triiodothyronine (RT3): Your thyroid makes very small amounts of RT3, which reverses the effects of T3.
• Calcitonin: This hormone helps regulate the amount of calcium in your blood.

Thyroid disease is an umbrella term for conditions that affect how your thyroid functions. Hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism are the two main types of thyroid disease. But they each have multiple possible causes. Thyroid diseases are treatable — usually with medication but sometimes surgery.”.

Cleveland Clinic (Thyroid: What It Is, Function & Problems)

There is an alarming number of people in America that have issues with their thyroid, in fact it’s a huge number, around 59 million people suffer from a thyroid problem. A thyroid handles your metabolism and is a gland located in the neck area. It can have huge negative affects on your health if it is not treated properly. Many people aren’t even aware that they have any symptoms that are connected with a thyroid; but before going into the problems lets first talk about what the thyroid is.

The Anatomy & Physiology of the Thyroid Gland:

The thyroid is a small gland, measuring about 2 inches (5 centimeters) across, that lies just under the skin below the Adam’s apple in the neck. The two halves (lobes) of the gland are connected in the middle (called the isthmus), giving the thyroid gland the butterfly shapes organ, sort of looking like a bow tie. Normally, the thyroid gland cannot be seen and can barely be felt. If it becomes enlarged, doctors can feel it easily, and a prominent bulge (goiter) may appear below or to the sides of the Adam’s apple.

How the Thyroid Gland Works:

• The thyroid is part of the endocrine system, which is made up of glands that produce, store, and release hormones into the bloodstream so the hormones can reach the body’s cells. The thyroid gland uses iodine from the foods you eat to make two main hormones:
• Triiodothyronine (T3)
• Thyroxine (T4)

T4, the major hormone produced by the thyroid gland, has only a slight effect, if any, on speeding up the body’s metabolic rate. When this occurs instead, T4 is converted into T3, the more active hormone. The conversion of T4 to T3 occurs in the liver and other tissues. Now yes T3 is made by the thyroid but if too much in the body it is converted to T4, more inactivating or decreasing your T3 levels to prevent metabolism too high in the body causing metabolic problems.  Many factors control the conversion of T4 to T3, including the body’s needs from moment to moment and the presence or absence of illnesses.

In a nut shell the thyroid gland is the gland that releases hormones that plays an impact on metaboloism = the way your body uses energy. The thyroid’s hormones regulate vital body functions.

Two Thyroid Hormones made and released by this organ that impact your metabolism=Triiodothyronine-also known as T3 and T4-also known as thyroxine.

It is important that T3 and T4 levels are neither too high nor too low but within normal range of therapeutic levels. Two glands in the brain—the hypothalamus and the pituitary communicate to maintain T3 and T4 balance.

The Hypothalamus:

A structure deep in your brain, acts as your body’s smart control coordinating center. Its main function is to keep your body in a stable state called homeostasis. It does its job by directly influencing your autonomic nervous system or by managing hormones. and one of the organs it affects is the THYROID.

The pituitary gland:

This organ sometimes called the “master” gland of the endocrine system because it controls the functions of many of the other endocrine glands. The pituitary gland is no larger than a pea, and is located at the base of the brain. The gland is attached to the hypothalamus by nerve fibers and blood vessels (a part of the brain that affects the pituitary gland). The pituitary gland itself consists of 2 major structures:

• Anterior lobe – this is where TSH is produced and released.
  
• Posterior lobe

This is how the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland work:

The Hypothalamus produces and releases Thyroid Releasing Hormone when T3 & T4 are low in the blood.             The Pituitary produces and releases Thyroid Stimulating Hormone TSH to  tell your thyroid how much thyroid hormone it needs to make.

The hypothalamus senses low circulating levels of thyroid hormones (T3 & T4) and responds by releasing thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH). The TRH stimulates the pituitary telling it to produce thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and causing the following effect in the body:

• When T3 and T4 levels are low in the blood, the pituitary gland releases more of TSH to tell the thyroid gland to produce more thyroid hormones.
• If T3 and T4 levels are high, the pituitary gland releases less TSH to the thyroid gland to slow production of these hormones.  The inhibiting release of TRH and TSH through a negative feedback loop.

T3 and T4 travel in your bloodstream to reach almost every cell in the body. The hormones regulate the speed with which the cells/metabolism work. For example, T3 and T4 regulate your heart rate and how fast your intestines process food. So if T3 and T4 levels are low, your heart rate may be slower than normal, and you may have constipation/weight gain. If T3 and T4 levels are high, you may have a rapid heart rate and diarrhea/weight loss.

Did you know the third hormone produced by the thyroid gland is called calcitonin. Calcitonin is made by C-cells. It is involved in calcium and metabolism of the bone only.

“The two most important things you can do to prevent cervical cancer are to get the HPV vaccine if you are eligible, and to be tested regularly according to American Cancer Society (ACS) guidelines. These can be found in The American Cancer Society Guidelines for the Prevention and Early Detection of Cervical Cancer.

The most common form of cervical cancer starts with pre-cancerous changes and there are ways to stop this from developing. The first way is to find and treat pre-cancers before they become invasive cancers, and the second is to prevent the pre-cancers.”

American Cancer Society (Can Cervical Cancer Be Prevented | Ways to Prevent Cervical Cancer | American Cancer Society)

There is steps you can take early in life and steps you can take through out your life to prevent cervical cancer:

1. Three HPV vaccines—9-valent HPV vaccine (Gardasil 9, 9vHPV), quadrivalent HPV vaccine (Gardasil, 4vHPV), and bivalent HPV vaccine (Cervarix, 2vHPV)—have been licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). All three HPV vaccines protect against HPV types 16 and 18 that cause most HPV cancers.

Gardasil 9 is an HPV vaccine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and can be used for both girls and boys. This vaccine can prevent most cases of cervical cancer if the vaccine is given before girls or women are exposed to the virus. This vaccine can also prevent vaginal and vulvar cancer.

2. For cancer prevention as well as overall health and wellness through out your life, many experts recommend a plant-based diet that consists primarily of fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains. These foods contain a variety of beneficial chemical compounds that can be easily incorporated into daily meals. Some examples include:

• Flavonoids – These chemical compounds, which are believed to provide protection against cancer, are found in apples, asparagus, black beans, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cranberries, garlic, lettuce, lima beans, onions, soy and spinach.
• Folate – This water-soluble B vitamin has been found to reduce the risk of cervical cancer in women who have HPV. Foods that are rich in folate include avocados, chickpeas, lentils, orange juice, romaine lettuce and strawberries.
• Carotenoids – These valuable sources of vitamin A are found in most fruits, vegetables and beans, and particularly in orange foods such as carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin and squash.

While a healthy diet is an important component of an overall cancer prevention plan, it should not be the only component.

Treatment of cervical cancer:

Cervical cancer treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. If your doctor says that you have cervical cancer, ask to be referred to a gynecologic oncologist—a doctor who has been trained to treat cancers of a woman’s reproductive system.

Different treatments may be provided by different doctors on your medical team.

• Gynecologic oncologists are doctors who have been trained to treat cancers of a woman’s reproductive system.
• Surgeons are doctors who perform operations.
• Medical oncologists are doctors who treat cancer with medicine.
• Radiation oncologists are doctors who treat cancer with radiation.

You always go with MD specialist in treating any cancer starting with a oncologist who will work you up with further specialists if needed.

“Cervical cancer is classified into several stages:

The first stage of cervical cancer is carcinoma in situ (also known as precancer or severe dysplasia), in which a group of abnormal cells has started to grow but has not yet spread to nearby tissues. Because stage 0 “precancers” are likely to eventually spread deeper into the tissue and become cancerous, they should be treated.

Early Cervical Cancer (Stages I–IIA)

Although more extensive than stage 0, these cancers are still limited to the cervix.

Advanced Cervical Cancer (Stages IIB–IVA)

Cervical cancer that has spread beyond the cervix and invaded the surrounding pelvic tissues in the vagina, rectum, or bladder is known as locally advanced cervical cancer.

Stage IVB and Recurrent Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer that has spread beyond the pelvis (into the lungs or liver, for example), or has returned following initial therapy, is placed in this category.”

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (Cervical Cancer Diagnosis & Stages 0, 1, 2 ,3, 4 | Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center)

1-Screening is looking for cancer before a person has any symptoms. This can help find cancer at an early stage. When abnormal tissue or cancer is found early, it may be easier to treat. By the time symptoms appear, cancer may have begun to spread.

Know this about screening:

Scientists are trying to better understand which people are more likely to get certain types of cancer.

Cervical dysplasia occurs more often in women who are in their 20s and 30s. Death from cervical cancer is rare in women younger than 30 years and in women of any age who have regular screenings with the Pap test. The Pap test is used to detect cancer and changes that may lead to cancer. The chance of death from cervical cancer increases with age. In recent years, deaths from cervical cancer have been slightly higher in Black women younger than 50 years than in White women younger than 50 years. Deaths from cervical cancer are almost twice as likely in Black women older than 60 years than in White women older than 60 years.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the major risk factor for cervical cancer.

2.If cervical cancer is suspected, your doctor is likely to start with a thorough examination of your cervix. A special magnifying instrument (colposcope) is used to check for abnormal cells.

During the colposcopic examination, your doctor is likely to take a sample of cervical cells (biopsy) for laboratory testing. To obtain tissue, your doctor may use:

• Punch biopsy, which involves using a sharp tool to pinch off small samples of cervical tissue.
• Endocervical curettage, which uses a small, spoon-shaped instrument (curet) or a thin brush to scrape a tissue sample from the cervix

If the punch biopsy or endocervical curettage is worrisome, your doctor may perform one of the following tests:

• Electrical wire loop, which uses a thin, low-voltage electrified wire to obtain a small tissue sample. Generally this is done under local anesthesia in the office.
• Cone biopsy (conization), which is a procedure that allows your doctor to obtain deeper layers of cervical cells for laboratory testing. A cone biopsy may be done in a hospital under general anesthesia.

Staging the cervical cancer:

Cervical Cancer. Carcinoma of Cervix. Malignant neoplasm arising from cells in the cervix uteri. Vaginal bleeding. Vector diagram

If your doctor determines that you have cervical cancer, you’ll have further tests to determine the extent (stage) of your cancer. Your cancer’s stage is a key factor in deciding on your treatment.

Staging exams include:

• Imaging tests. Tests such as X-ray, CT, MRI and positron emission tomography (PET) help your doctor determine whether your cancer has spread beyond your cervix.
• Visual examination of your bladder and rectum. Your doctor may use special scopes to see inside your bladder and rectum.