Benefits Of Joining A Thyroid Management Programme: Thyroid disorders have become a lot more common in the past few years. It is difficult to pinpoint the exact cause as it is different for each patient. But a vast majority of patients are women and they stand at a higher risk of developing a thyroid dysfunction owing to biological factors.
Thyroid disorders can either be a result of autoimmune disorders or unhealthy lifestyle and eating habits. In either case, fixing your lifestyle and diet will be a crucial part of the treatment plan. This process gets a lot easier when you become a part of a thyroid management programme where you get valuable advice from a qualified medical professional.
By the end of this article, you will get to know more details about thyroid disorders, and how joining a thyroid management programme can benefit a patient suffering from thyroid problems.
Talking more about the thyroid management programme, here are some of the top doctors that can be considered for the same:
Dr. Anil Bhansali: Dr. Anil Bhansali is a renowned doctor who leads the thyroid management programme at Gini Health, Mohali. He is an experienced endocrinologist and can be consulted for every kind of thyroid disorders.
Dr.Vineet Kumar Surana: Dr. Vineet Kumar Surana is a reputed endocrinologist with 13 years of experience. He is currenctlly practicing at Manipal Hospital, Delhi.
Dr.C.V. Harinarayan: Dr.C.V. Harinarayan provides healthcare services at Sakra World Hospital Bangaluru. He holds decades of experience as an Endocrinologist and has helped hundreds of thyroid patients to manage their condition.
Dr. Rajendiran N: Dr. Rajendiran N is a well-known endocrinologist, currently practicing at Apollo Hospitals, Chennai. He specializes in treatment and management of different types of thyroid disorders.
What is Thyroid Gland?
The thyroid is a tiny, butterfly-shaped gland that surrounds your windpipe in the front of your neck (trachea). The center of the thyroid gland is made up of an isthmus, which is a thin layer of connective tissue. Iodine, which is primarily taken from food, is used by the thyroid gland to make hormones that regulate how your body uses energy. The health of your thyroid gland has an impact on almost all of your body’s organs.
The thyroid generates and releases various hormones at different rates, which are regulated by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus, a region of the brain at the base of the skull. Thyroxine, also known as T4, which is released by the thyroid gland and transforms into T3, which is its primary purpose. Both hormones help in controlling your metabolism as they circulate in the bloodstream. TSH, also known as thyroid-stimulating hormone, is a hormone secreted by the pituitary gland that controls how much T4 the thyroid produces. The pituitary gland secretes either more or less TSH to tell the thyroid to create the right amount of T4 depending on T4 levels in the body.
The thyroid gland performs a crucial function in the body. It creates thyroid hormones that aid in controlling the body’s metabolism and temperature. The process of metabolism converts food into energy, which is necessary for all of our bodily systems to function properly. Almost each and every function of our body is impacted by this little but powerful gland, including the development of the brain, the control of the muscles, the heart, and the digestive system.
Types of Thyroid Disease:
Now let’s have a look at the two most common thyroid disorders: hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.
Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)
When the thyroid gland is underactive or hypothyroid, your body cannot produce enough thyroid hormones to meet its need.Thyroid hormones influence nearly every organ in your body, including how quickly your heart beats, since they control how your body uses energy. If you don’t have enough thyroid hormones, several bodily functions slow down.
Causes of Hypothyroidism:
- An autoimmune disease called Hashimoto’s disease causes your thyroid to be attacked by your immune system
- Thyroid infection known as thyroiditis
- Birth-onset hypothyroidism, or congenital hypothyroidism
- Thyroid surgery to remove all or part of the gland
- Therapy with radiation for the thyroid
Symptoms of Hypothyroidism:
- Fatigue
- Gaining weight
- Swollen face
- Muscle and joint pain
- Constipation
Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid)
You develop hyperthyroidism when your thyroid gland generates an excessive amount of thyroid hormones. A number of medical diseases, most frequently Graves’ disease, can cause hyperthyroidism.
Thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), two key hormones that regulate how your cells use energy, are produced by it. By releasing these hormones, the thyroid gland controls your metabolism.
When your thyroid produces excessive amounts of T3, T4, or both, it upsets your body’s processes by speeding them. The symptoms of hyperthyroidism can be relieved and problems can be avoided with prompt diagnosis and treatment.
Causes of Hyperthyroidism:
- Iodine can briefly increase thyroid production.
- Thyroiditis (inflammation of the thyroid) Conditions known as thyroiditis cause the thyroid gland to enlarge and produce either an excessive amount or an insufficient amount of the hormone.
- Benign nodules on the thyroid. On the thyroid gland, nodules, which are lumps, frequently form for unclear reasons. Although the majority of thyroid nodules are benign, some do produce excessive thyroid hormones.
- Testicular or ovarian cancer.
- Blood has a lot of T4.
Symptoms of Hyperthyroidism
- Unintentional weight loss
- Increased appetite
- Feeling tense or angry
- Irregular or fast heartbeat
- Being worn out but unable to sleep
- Hand tremors or muscle weakness
How the Symptoms of Thyroid Problems differ in men and women
Thyroid problems tend to affect both men and women but in different ways, and the symptoms experienced by men and women are also vastly different from one another. While women under the age of 40 or over 50 make up the majority of thyroid cases that have been documented, there are only a few cases of men suffering from thyroid disorders. Men are affected by the thyroid in a different way, and the effects are typically related to erectile dysfunction, low libido, and infertility. For women the symptoms are muscular slowness, discomfort in the lungs, having trouble swallowing, irritability, cold intolerance and heat intolerance, palpitation, and changes in appetite.
Risk Factors for Thyroid
Thyroid diseases are more likely to occur as a result of specific lifestyle factors and health conditions. This includes:
- Family history
- Autoimmune disorders like type 1 diabetes
- Type 2 diabetes also puts you at a risk of thyroid disorders but not as much as Type-1 diabetes.
- Smoking
- Unhealthy lifestyle and eating habits
- Mental stress
- High doses of some medications
Thyroid Testing & Treatment
Usually the diagnosis of thyroid disorders is done through a simple blood test to know about your TSH levels. An ultrasound or other imaging tests may be prescribed, depending on the problem.
Treatments for hyperthyroidism or overactive thyroid aim to prevent the thyroid gland from producing an excess of thyroid hormone. And for this antithyroid drugs will be prescribed by your doctor. Surgery to completely remove the gland may be necessary in some circumstances.
Thyroid Management Programme
The purpose of a thyroid management programme would be to help patients with regulating their hormone levels naturally with the help of lifestyle modification and a nutrition rich diet plan based on their condition. This would help them to reduce the dependence on medications and also avoid the complications that come with thyroid removal surgery. There are quite a few health care providers who provide customised treatment plans for their patients suffering from thyroid disorders.
The thyroid management programme will be personalised to meet the requirements and needs of each patient with different symptoms and health problems. You can also find thyroid management programmes where you will be getting valuable advice from dieticians and lifestyle coaches in addition to the consultation with an Endocrinologist.
In many situations, thyroid disorders cannot be prevented, but by receiving an early diagnosis and adhering to your treatment plan, you can reduce your risk of developing serious complications. Your healthcare professional should routinely evaluate your thyroid levels if you suffer from any of the illnesses that place you at a high risk for thyroid disease. Please remember that managing your thyroid disorder is a long term process. But a patient with thyroid disorder can also live a healthy and normal life if they follow a doctor’s advice and stick to healthy habits without fail.
