Below you will find an overview and short explanation of the most important thyroid gland diseases. The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped organ at the front of the neck and produces the vital thyroid hormones T3 and T4, which mainly regulate the body’s energy metabolism.
Classification of thyroid diseases
In the following you will find the most common diseases of the thyroid gland divided into:
- Functional disorders of the thyroid gland
- Structural thyroid diseases
In the case of hyperthyroidism, the thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone. One of the most common causes is autonomy, which means that certain parts of the thyroid gland are simply overactive. The far more common cause of overactive thyroid is the autoimmune disease Graves’ disease.
Typical symptoms of hyperfunction are tremor, sweating, high blood pressure, weight loss and irritability. Therapy involves either surgery on the thyroid gland or drugs that increase the metabolism of the thyroid gland. You can find detailed information under: HyperthyroidismBasedow’s disease is an autoimmune disease in which antibodies are produced that activate the thyroid gland.
This leads to an overactive thyroid gland. In addition to the classic symptoms of hyperthyroidism, Graves’ disease causes protrusion of the eyes and swelling of the shins. The diagnosis is made by detecting the specific antibodies in the blood.
Therapy is based on drugs that inhibit the production of thyroid hormones. If this does not lead to an improvement, there are also surgical therapy options. You can find detailed information under: Graves’ diseaseIn the case of hypothyroidism, the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormones.
The most common cause is destruction of thyroid tissue due to inflammation of the thyroid gland. Typical symptoms include fatigue, weight gain and dry skin. The therapy consists of taking thyroid hormones in the form of L-thyroxine tablets.
Detailed information can be found under: HypothyroidismThere are various forms of thyroiditis. An acute inflammation can be caused by bacteria or viruses. This form can be treated with anti-inflammatory medication.
The second form is Thyroiditis de Quervain, which usually occurs after a viral infection of the respiratory tract and is also inflammatory. This form usually heals spontaneously and therefore only requires symptomatic therapy. The most common form of thyroiditis is Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune disease of the thyroid gland.
Symptomatically, all forms manifest themselves in hypothyroidism. You can find detailed information under: Thyroid Inflammation Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is an autoimmune inflammation of the thyroid gland, which ultimately leads to hypothyroidism. The typical symptoms at the beginning of the disease can be similar to those of hyperthyroidism (sweating, nervousness, weight loss), but as the disease progresses, symptoms of hypofunction (fatigue, weight gain, dry skin) appear.
L-thyroxine is also used as a tablet for treatment of hypothyroidism. Detailed information can be found under: Hashimoto ThyroiditisAn enlargement of the thyroid gland is also called goiter or goiter. One of the main causes of this is iodine deficiency, especially in iodine deficient areas such as the Alps.
This enlargement of the thyroid gland often goes undetected. Only at a later stage can it lead to swallowing problems, a tightness or lumpiness in the throat or hoarseness. Iodine in the form of tablets and usually also a combination with L-thyroxine is used for therapy.
You can find detailed information on this topic at Thyroid enlargementA hot node in the thyroid gland is a node that produces thyroid hormones on its own. This can lead to hyperthyroidism, which can also cause symptoms. A hot lump is not suspected to be cancerous.
In most cases, hot nodules are removed surgically. If this is not possible, they can be treated with radioiodine radiation therapy. You can find detailed information under: Hot node in the thyroid glandA cold node in the thyroid gland produces little or no thyroid hormones.In contrast to the hot knot there is a suspicion of malignancy and therefore further clarification should be made.
This is usually done by a fine needle biopsy. Cold nodules are usually random findings and usually remain completely asymptomatic. Cold nodules are usually removed surgically, but under certain circumstances they can also be treated with medication.
You can find detailed information under: Cold Nodes in the Thyroid GlandThe most common form of thyroid cancer is papillary thyroid carcinoma. In its early stages, thyroid cancer causes few symptoms. Later on, space-occupying symptoms can cause swallowing difficulties or hoarseness.
During the examination, the thyroid gland is hardened and can hardly be moved. Therapeutically, a complete removal of the thyroid gland is usually carried out with subsequent replacement of the thyroid hormones with L-thyroxine. Detailed information can be found under: Thyroid cancer