What is overactive thyroid?
The thyroid is found at the front of the neck. It produces hormones that affect different activities. A hyperthyroidism is where the thyroid gland produces too much of the thyroid hormones. Extra levels of these hormones can cause unpleasant and potentially serious problems that may require treatment. The Most common Symptoms of hyperthyroidism are:
- Nervousness, anxiety and irritability
- Persistent tiredness and weakness
- Swelling in your neck from an enlarged thyroid gland (goiter)
- An irregular heart rate (palpitations)
- weight loss
What are the dangers hyperthyroidism?
Untreated hyperthyroidism can lead to serious dangers and complications. In the following, the most common complications of hyperthyroidism are:
- Heart problems: When you have hyperthyroidism, your body is, in a way, running on overdrive all the time, and that can greatly affect your heart. Some possible heart-related complications of uncontrolled hyperthyroidism are:
- Arrhythmia (abnormal heart beat, such as atrial fibrillation)
- Cardiac dilation (increase in the size of the heart cavities, which actually thins the heart muscle) and congestive heart failure
- Sudden cardiac arrest
- Hypertension
- Osteoporosis: If you don’t treat hyperthyroidism, you also run the risk of developing osteoporosis. You can gradually lose bone mineral density because uncontrolled hyperthyroidism can cause your body to pull calcium and phosphate out of the bones and to excrete too much calcium and phosphorous (through the urine and stool).
- Eye problems: One out of every 3 patients with hyperthyroidism caused by Graves (The immune system mistakenly attacks the thyroid and damages it) has problems such as dry eye, sensitivity to light, redness and swelling of the eye, blurred or double vision, and so on.
- Thyroid storm: In rare cases, an undiagnosed or poorly controlled overactive thyroid can lead to a serious, life-threatening reaction called a thyroid storm. A thyroid storm is a medical emergency. If you think you or someone in your care is experiencing it, call 999 for an ambulance immediately. Symptoms of a thyroid storm include:
- A rapid heartbeat
- A high temperature (fever) over 38c (100.4f)
- Diarrhea and vomiting
- Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice)
- Severe agitation and confusion
- Loss of consciousness
- Pregnancy problems: If you have an overactive thyroid during pregnancy and your condition isn’t well controlled, it can increase the risk of:
- Pre-eclampsia
- Miscarriage
- Giving birth prematurely (before the 37th week of pregnancy)
- Your baby having a low birth weight
Treatments for hyperthyroidism
An overactive thyroid is usually treatable. The main therapies are medical treatment, radioiodine treatment and surgery.
Reference:
https://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/hyperthyroidism/hyperthyroidism-complications
https://www.everydayhealth.com/hs/hypothyroidism-and-your-health/complications/
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/overactive-thyroid-hyperthyroidism/complications/
https://www.healthline.com/health/hypothyroidism/complications#1
https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/picture-of-graves-disease
