The thyroid gland is an important organ in the body with the sole responsibility of producing thyroid hormones that maintain body metabolism. It’s found in the front of the neck just below the Adam’s apple. Thyroid disease is a common disease that is caused by over or under-functioning of the thyroid gland. When the thyroid gland produces inadequate thyroid hormone, it results in hypothyroidism and when it over-produces thyroid hormone the resultant disorder is hyperthyroidism.

Hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid, can be treated with medicines that ensure your body is supplied with sufficient thyroid hormones. Patients may require taking thyroid hormone pills for the rest of your life to treat the characterizing symptoms of fatigue, constipation, slow heart rate, muscle and joint pain, weight gain, frequent heavy menstrual periods, hoarse voice, coarse skin and hair, and forgetfulness. Hypothyroidism is caused by the following conditions:

• Hashimoto’s thyroiditis: This is a hereditary painless disease that occurs in the immune system.
• Thyroiditis: This is an inflammation of the thyroid gland which is responsible for lowering the amount of hormones produced.
• Iodine deficiency: Iodine is used by the thyroid gland to produce hormones and its deficiency is a consequence of under-production of thyroid hormones
• Postpartum thyroiditis: This condition occurs in 5% to 9% of women after delivery. However, it’s a temporary condition.
• Non-function of the Thyroid gland: This affects one in every 4,000 infants and if not corrected the child will be mentally and physically retarded.

On the other hand, hyperthyroidism, or overactivity of the thyroid gland, is typically treated with medicines that reduce the production of thyroid hormone or inhibit its release from the gland and reduce telltale symptoms of weight loss, eye irritation, enlarged thyroid gland, muscle weakness, nervousness/ irritability, sleep disturbances, and infrequent menstrual periods. In severe cases, radioactive ablation can be used to reduce overactivity of the thyroid by injecting doses of iodine branded with radioactivity, which selectively damages the thyroid tissue.

Hyperthyroidism is caused by the following conditions:

• Grave’s disease: This disease makes the whole thyroid gland to be overactive hence producing too much hormone.
• Overactive nodules: A nodule might be overactive within the thyroid to cause a toxic autonomously functioning thyroid nodule. When many nodules are overactive it is referred to as a multinodular goiter.
• Thyroiditis: This is a painless or painful disorder that causes stored hormones to be released. The painless type is frequent in women after giving birth.
• Excessive iodine: Hyperthyroidism can be caused by excessive iodine that can be found in drugs like Lugol’s solution, Amiodarone, and certain cough syrups which trigger thyroid gland to produce more or little hormone in various individuals.