Thyroid Disease: Three Of The Most Common Ones And Other Types

The thyroid gland is a body organ that is responsible in the production of thyroid hormone useful in maintaining your body’s metabolism and energy levels.  Insufficient supply of vital nutrients to your thyroid will result to some thyroid disorders.  The thyroid disease actually comes in different types.

Most common types of thyroid diseases

The most common types of thyroid implications come in three forms.  They are usually regarded to strike a lot of the patients in the said category.  Here is what you should know about them:

• Underactive thyroid (Hypothyroidism).  This is a thyroid disorder that is commonly caused by Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.  Your immune system does not stimulate your thyroid gland properly.

• Overactive thyroid (Hypethyroidism).  This thyroid disorder is caused by Graves’ disease.  It usually happens when your thyroid gland is over stimulated by your immune system.

• Thyroid Nodules.  This is a type of thyroid disorder that is not harmful but in a few cases, these nodules may cause cancer if undetected early.  Diagnosis is then immediately required.

Other types of thyroid diseases

While there are common types of thyroid disorders, there are also other kinds which are less rampant as the rest.  Here are the facts behind these other types of thyroid disorders:

• Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer.  This is a kind of thyroid disease that affects your thyroid gland quickly.  This is a very rare thyroid disease that may occur in you if you are more than 50 years old.

• Hypopituitarism.  This is a pituitary gland condition wherein not enough hormones are produced.  The insufficiency results to malfunctioning of the thyroid gland.

• Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma.  This is a type of thyroid cancer that occurs in the thyroid cells.

• Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia (MEN) II.  This kind of thyroid disease is usually acquired through heredity. 

• Silent Thyroiditis.  This is an inflammation of the thyroid.  It usually affects men and women whose age are between 13 to 80 years old.

• Papillary Carcinoma of the Thyroid.  This is the most common kind of thyroid cancer.  Its usual cause is over exposure to radiation.  It is also most common in women than in men.

• Colloid Nodular Goiter.  This is a thyroid disease that is characterized by the enlargement of the thyroid gland.  It is also commonly known as endemic goiters, that is usually the result of insufficient iodine in your diet. 

• Primary Hypothyroidism.  This thyroid disease is a result of insufficient production of thyroid hormones.  It is manifested by a variety of symptoms.

• Secondary Hypothyroidism.  This kind of thyroid disease occurs when your thyroid function is reduced.  If you are a woman and you are more than 50 years old, you are considered to be more susceptible to this kind of thyroid disease.

• Thyroid Cancer.  This kind of thyroid disease can affect all people in all age groups.  It grows in your thyroid gland due to over exposure to radiation therapy.

A lot of things have been said about thyroid problems.  Some even think that they only take one form.  Surprisingly, however, there are a number of kinds and it is really hard to detect which stage you are in unless you get doctor’s advice.