Your doctor will treat your hyperthyroidism to bring your thyroid hormone levels back to normal. Treating the disease will prevent long-term health problems, and it will relieve uncomfortable symptoms. No single treatment works for everyone. When recommending a treatment, your doctor will consider. Beta-blockers are drugs that block the action of substances, such as adrenaline, on nerve cells.
They cause blood vessels to relax and widen. Antithyroid medicines. Antithyroid therapy is the simplest way to treat hyperthyroidism. Methimazole is used most often. Propylthiouracil is often used for women during the first 3 months of pregnancy because methimazole can, on rare occasions, harm the fetus. Radioiodine therapy is a common and effective treatment. You can take radioactive iodine by mouth as a capsule or liquid. Almost everyone who gets radioiodine therapy later develops hypothyroidism.
But hypothyroidism is easier to treat than hyperthyroidism by using a daily thyroid hormone medicine, and it causes fewer long-term health problems. Surgery to remove part or most of the thyroid gland is used less often to treat hyperthyroidism. Sometimes doctors use surgery to treat people with large goiters or pregnant women who cannot take antithyroid medicines. When part of your thyroid is removed, you may develop hypothyroidism after surgery and need to take thyroid hormone medicine.
If your whole thyroid is removed, you will need to take thyroid hormone medicine for life. After surgery, your doctor will continue to check your thyroid hormone levels. Researchers are looking into new ways to treat hyperthyroidism. An example is radiofrequency ablation RFA , a new approach to treating thyroid nodules that cause hyperthyroidism. Your thyroid uses iodine to make thyroid hormones. Eating foods that have large amounts of iodine—such as kelp, dulse, or other kinds of seaweed—may cause or worsen hyperthyroidism.
Taking iodine supplements can have the same effect. Talk with members of your health care team about. The NIDDK conducts and supports clinical trials in many diseases and conditions, including endocrine diseases. The trials look to find new ways to prevent, detect, or treat disease and improve quality of life. Clinical trials—and other types of clinical studies —are part of medical research and involve people like you. When you volunteer to take part in a clinical study, you help doctors and researchers learn more about disease and improve health care for people in the future.
Researchers are studying many aspects of hyperthyroidism, such as its natural history, clinical presentation, and genetics. Find out if clinical studies are right for you.
Griffin P. Rodgers explaining the importance of participating in clinical trials. You can view a filtered list of clinical studies on hyperthyroidism that are open and recruiting at www. You can expand or narrow the list to include clinical studies from industry, universities, and individuals; however, the NIH does not review these studies and cannot ensure they are safe.
Both conditions can cause fatigue and hair loss, but people with hyperthyroidism may experience weight loss, missed periods, and anxiety, while those with hypothyroidism experience weight gain, depression, and heavy menstrual cycles.
Hypothyroidism is also far more common than hyperthyroidism, affecting about 1 in 20 people in the United States. Symptoms of hyperthyroidism can resemble those of other health problems, making the condition difficult to diagnose. In people older than 60, it may sometimes be initially misdiagnosed as depression or dementia, because older people may not show classic symptoms of hyperthyroidism.
Older adults, as well as people who take beta-blockers , are less likely to be diagnosed than younger adults. Beta-blockers in particular may mask symptoms. Hyperthyroidism causes many functions in your body to speed up. This can cause a delay in diagnosis. Overall, the symptoms of hyperthyroidism are similar in children and adults. The following are the most common causes of hyperthyroidism. Thyroiditis Also known as an inflamed thyroid gland, this condition can be painless or painful.
Thyroid dysfunction may be temporary or permanent. Painful thyroiditis is often preceded by a viral illness. Women are at a higher risk of painless thyroiditis in the year following pregnancy, a condition called postpartum thyroiditis. Thyroid nodules Nodules are typically noncancerous growths within the thyroid. In time, this can lead to hyperthyroidism.
Thyroid nodules may be solitary or come in multiples. Hyperthyroidism stems from a number of genetic, environmental, or individual health factors. The most common risk factors for developing hyperthyroidism include:. Common Medications That Can Lead to Thyroid Dysfunction Aside from overtreatment of hypothyroidism with thyroxine, other medications may also increase your risk of hyperthyroidism.
These include:. In some cases, taking a biotin supplement may also lead to false-positive hyperthyroid lab results. Too much biotin, exceeding the recommended 30 micrograms mcg per day, may lead to an incorrect hyperthyroid diagnosis because your labs may show artificially high T3 and T4 hormones and low TSH. Physical exam First, your doctor may feel the base of your neck to see if your thyroid gland is swollen or enlarged.
She may also check to see if you have tremors, bulging of the eyes, overactive reflexes, and a rapid heart rate. Blood tests Thyroid disorders are commonly diagnosed with a blood test. Your doctor will measure blood levels of the thyroid hormone thyroxine T4 , as well as a pituitary gland hormone called thyroid-stimulating hormone TSH. With hyperthyroidism, you will likely have high T4 but low TSH levels. Radioactive iodine uptake and thyroid scan This is used to determine how much iodine your thyroid takes up and at what rate hormones are produced.
The radioactive iodine uptake test is done by taking a small amount of radioactive iodine and using a noninvasive device called a gamma probe to check the thyroid up to 24 hours later. The amount and distribution of iodine that your thyroid takes up can help to indicate the cause of hyperthyroidism. Ultrasounds To get an even better view of your thyroid gland, your doctor may order an ultrasound.
Prognosis of Hyperthyroidism In general, hyperthyroidism progresses slowly, but the rate can be different in younger people. This age group may see their symptoms develop quickly.
Once you have hyperthyroidism, you will need to check your thyroid levels regularly. This ensures your thyroid gland is releasing the right amount of hormone. In some cases, treating hyperthyroidism could lead to hypothyroidism.
With proper treatment, you can restore your thyroid to normal function. According to a study published in March in Thyroid , the duration of untreated and undertreated hyperthyroidism increased the risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with an overactive thyroid.
Duration of Hyperthyroidism The duration of hyperthyroidism depends on the underlying cause. For many people, hyperthyroidism is a chronic, or lifelong, condition.
For example, if you take anti-thyroid drugs, your doctor may decrease the dosage over one to two years, but you may need the medications for several years. In the case of thyroiditis, hyperthyroidism may be more short term, lasting about three months.
After this time, you may develop hypothyroidism that can last at least a year, sometimes becoming permanent. Medication Options Anti-thyroid drugs are often the first treatment measure for hyperthyroidism caused by excess thyroid, especially in children.
The purpose of anti-thyroid drugs is to stop the thyroid gland from making too much hormone. You may take these medicines for at least a year, and it may take a few months for your symptoms to start improving. Examples of anti-thyroid drugs include Tapazole methimazole and PTU propylthiouracil.
Another method to treat hyperthyroidism caused by excess thyroid production is to take radioactive iodine. The downside of this treatment method is that you may develop hypothyroidism as a side effect. If this is the case, you will need to take thyroid hormone replacements such as levothyroxine.
In some cases, your doctor may prescribe beta-blockers to alleviate hyperthyroid symptoms such as hypertension , increased heart rate, palpitations, and tremors.
A thyroidectomy is a type of surgery that is used to remove the thyroid gland in an effort to treat hyperthyroidism caused by excessive production of thyroid. With a partial thyroidectomy, one half or a small portion is removed.
If your surgeon removes the parathyroid glands, you may also need to take calcium supplements. These include artificial tears to relieve dry eyes , corticosteroids to reduce eye inflammation, and radiation for swelling or vision loss.
Surgery is another possibility, including bone and muscle surgeries. As a rule of thumb, you should eat whole foods as much as possible. Your doctor may also recommend a low-iodine diet, especially if you are scheduled to start radioactive iodine treatments.
Iodine is prevalent in foods from the ocean, as well as dairy, processed meats, and packaged foods. Since hyperthyroidism can cause unintentional weight loss in some people, your doctor may recommend adding more protein to your diet or taking nutritional supplements.
Balakrishnan, the most common cause for hypothyroidism is an autoimmune disorder or after thyroid surgery. Thyroid disorders also include thyroid nodules and goiter, which means the enlargement of the thyroid gland. To learn more or to make an appointment with Endocrinologist Dr. All rights reserved. Website by Masterpiece Advertising. June 5, Home Disclaimer Privacy Policy.
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