Thyroid Awareness Month
January is Thyroid Awareness Month, a great time to devote some time to think about the health of this vastly important, and often overlooked, gland in the human body. (You may be wondering, “When is Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month?” That’s actually in September.)
Although it doesn’t often receive as much attention as the heart, lungs, or brain, the thyroid plays an important role in regulating energy, metabolism, and overall wellbeing.
Tens of thousands of people in the U.S. live with thyroid disorders, many without even knowing it. Early awareness of problems, such as through preventative scans, can reveal problems and make an enormous difference in quality of life and disease outcomes.
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What Does the Thyroid Do?
The thyroid is a gland located at the base of the neck, near where the neck and clavicle meet. The primary purpose of the thyroid is to produce hormones the body needs, especially those that control the body’s metabolic rate (the metabolic rate relates to the body’s total energy you use over time).
These hormones control a wide variety of body functions, including:
- Digestion
- Weight
- Energy levels
- Mood
- Body temperature
When these hormone levels are off, either too high or too low, it can cause problems in the body’s major systems. This imbalance can lead to a host of problems and symptoms.
Common Thyroid Disorders
Thyroid disorders can be mild or severe but are surprisingly common. Many people don’t even know they have a disorder.
The most common disorders include:
Hypothyroidism
This condition happens when the thyroid doesn’t produce enough hormones and is sometimes referred to as an underactive thyroid. This disorder is especially prone to striking women. Symptoms include tiredness, weight gain, mood changes, constipation, and a slowed heart rate. The most common cause of this disorder is called Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune disease.
Hyperthyroidism
This condition happens when the thyroid produces too many hormones and is sometimes referred to as an overactive thyroid. Symptoms can include weight loss, anxiety, rapid heartbeat, shaking, and sweating. One of the most common causes is Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder.
Thyroid Nodules or Goiter
A goiter is a term for an enlarged thyroid, and thyroid nodules are lumps within the gland. The latter are often harmless, but some may suggest cancer risks. A goiter most often comes from not getting enough iodine in the diet but can also be the result of autoimmune conditions and other issues.
Thyroid Cancer
There are many different types of thyroid cancer, and many are highly treatable. These kinds of cancers can often be detected through scanning and catching them early can mean a great difference in health outcomes. Symptoms include a lump in the neck, swollen lymph nodes, or difficulty swallowing.
Who Is at Risk?
Thyroid disorders can affect almost anyone. There are, however, some risk factors you should be aware of.
These include:
- Age: Those over 60 are at increased risk.
- Gender: Women are more likely to have thyroid problems in general and pregnancy can sometimes trigger thyroid conditions.
- Autoimmune conditions: Autoimmune conditions often attack the thyroid.
- Radiation exposure: Radiation often negatively affects the thyroid, often from cancer treatment.
- Family history: Those with a family history of thyroid conditions or issues should be tested regularly and earlier than others.
If you have any of the above risk factors, you should consider getting scanned for thyroid issues.
How To Protect Your Thyroid Health
The single best way to protect your thyroid health is to be proactive. The best thing you can do is to get scanned early and often. This can catch any problems you may be having with the thyroid before they get out of control or develop into something worse, like cancer.
You should also eat a balanced diet full of whole foods and refrain from drinking sugary soft drinks whenever possible. You should also make sure your table salt at home has iodine added, to protect from goiter, but you do not need to take iodine supplements unless prescribed.
As always, you should quit smoking. It’s one of the worst things you can do for your body, and cigarettes can disrupt thyroid function.
Why Thyroid Awareness Month Matters
The thyroid is an important, yet often overlooked, organ that can have vast consequences on quality-of-life. Many people have thyroid problems and don’t even know it, leading to greater issues down the road, including cancer.
So, what should you do about it? Get scanned at Preventive Diagnostic Center in Las Vegas. We offer comprehensive scans of the body to detect issues with the thyroid, as well as many other organs. We offer both peace of mind and early detection that can lead to more positive medical outcomes.
Don’t wait, call today.