The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in the middle of your neck, below the voice box and above your collar bone. It produces hormones that regulate how your body uses and stores energy.

ThThyroid hormones influence virtually every organ system so its role is very important to your health. They tell organs how fast or slow they should work. Thyroid hormones also regulate the consumption of oxygen and the production of heat.

Most thyroid disorders occur because of a problem in the thyroid gland itself, although certain medications and diseases can also affect thyroid function. Anyone at any age can develop a thyroid disorder but women are more likely to develop symptoms.

Treatment Depends on Type

Thyroid disorders can be serious if untreated, so any suspicion of thyroid problems needs to be confirmed promptly by your doctor. Treatment of a thyroid disorder will depend on what type of thyroid disorder you have and what symptoms you are experiencing.

The three most common thyroid problems are:

• Under active thyroid (hypothyroidism): Symptoms range from the dramatic—fatigue, weight gain, feeling cold, dry skin and hair, heavy menstrual periods, constipation, slowed thinking—to the unnoticeable.
• Overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism): Symptoms include jitteriness, shaking, irritability, rapid heart beat or palpitations, feeling hot, weight loss, fatigue, more frequent bowel movements, shorter or lighter menstrual periods, sensitivity to heat, and increased perspiration.
• Thyroid nodules (lumps in the neck): While nodules are usually harmless, about 4 percent are cancerous, so further testing is needed. This is usually accomplished by fine needle aspiration biopsy, a simple test your doctor can do in his or her office.

If you have symptoms of hyperthyroidism, your doctor may prescribe medicine (beta blocker) to lower your heart rate and reduce any tremors you experience. Since the symptoms of hyperthyroidism may be temporary, your doctor may lessen the dose of this medicine as your symptoms improve. Anti-thyroid medication, radioactive iodine, and surgery are the treatments of choice.

Restore Levels

For hypothyroidism, your doctor may prescribe hormone replacements to restore your body's hormone levels and shift your metabolism back to normal. It can take several tries to get the right dose. In some cases, the symptoms will improve over time and your doctor will taper your dose of synthetic thyroid hormone.

If you have thyroid pain related to inflammation, your doctor may recommend a mild anti-inflammatory medication like aspirin or ibuprofen. If your thyroid pain is related to cancer or a goiter, your doctor will evaluate the best course of treatment. In some cases, severe thyroid pain may require steroid therapy.

Pregnant woman should be especially wary since thyroid disorders can develop during pregnancy. Both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism are treatable in pregnancy. If you are on hormones already, then you should receive frequent monitoring during pregnancy.

Thyroid lumps always need further testing. Be sure to see your heath care provider right away if you have a lump or other symptoms of a thyroid disorder.

UI HealthCare Today—The Thyroid Plays a Role in Regulating Metabolism