Thyromine

The thyroid gland, a butterfly shaped gland found in the front of the neck, regulates metabolism in nearly every cell in the body, so when thyroid conditions occur they can affect every bodily system. The symptoms of thyroid conditions can range from barely detectable to life threatening. Thyroid conditions in men are rarer than they are in women, though men are also subject to them.

Some thyroid conditions are:

Hyperthyroidism, or Grave’s Disease
This is an overactive the thyroid. The symptoms are hyperactivity, feeling warm or hot all the time, trembling, sweating, itching skin and a heartbeat that’s pounding and irregular. Some people lose weight even though they overeat, though older persons may gain weight. People with hyperthyroidism tend to be insomniac and restless, though at the same time they feel tired and weak. Some have protruding eyes and double vision. They’re also subject to diarrhea and hair loss. The causes can be thyroid tumors, or infection of the thyroid. Ovarian diseases can also cause a hyperactive thyroid.

Grave’s disease is an especially severe case of hyperthyroidism.

Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is an underactive thyroid gland. The symptoms of this condition are many and some people may have some but not others. They include intolerance for cold, decreased sweating and appetite, constipation, chest pain, coarse hair and skin, slow and irregular heartbeat, weight gain or weight loss, depression, fluid retention and numbness, or tingling in the hands and feet. Hypothyroidism can be caused by an autoimmune disease like lupus, radioactive iodine treatment, surgery for hyperthyroidism, or an iodine deficiency.

Goiter
Goiter is a when the thyroid gland swells, sometimes to the point where it’s noticeable. Goiter is a sign of both hyper and hypothyroidism.

Hashimoto’s Disease
Hashimoto’s disease, or Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, is named for the Japanese doctor Hashimoto Hakaru. It’s an autoimmune disease, in which the body attacks its own cells. In this case, the body attacks the thyroid and eventually destroys it if the condition isn’t treated. The disease has the symptoms of both hyper and hypothyroidism.

Thyroid Nodules
Sometimes a person comes across a hard nodule in the area of their thyroid. They are painless and most likely harmless, but it’s still a good idea to have these nodules looked at by a doctor.

Postpartum Thyroiditis
Sometimes a woman will have a swollen thyroid gland after she’s given birth and might have symptoms of hyperthyroidism. Often, this situation resolves itself and the thyroid returns to normal.

Thyroid Cancer
This happens when the cells of the thyroid become malignant. This cancer presents as a nodule in the neck or a swollen lymph gland. Thyroid cancer, especially the papillary kind that’s most often found in young women, can be considered one of the more survivable cancers. Even a Stage III thyroid cancer has a 5 year survival rate of from 71 to 93 percent.

Treatment of Thyroid Conditions
Increased iodine in the diet can successfully treat hypothyroidism, as can desiccated thyroid extract or synthetic thyroid hormone. Thyroid cancer can be treated with surgery, or with courses of radioactive iodine-131. Thyromine, a natural herbal supplement, is also recommended for the treatment of thyroid problems.