Word: thyroidal
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...advice comes as something of a reversal for the A.C.P. Back in 1990, it argued that routine screening was unnecessary because doctors could pick up most thyroid disorders on their own. Since then, however, studies have shown that among women who are middle-aged and older, 1 in 71 suffers from a thyroid disorder that is severe enough to cause problems but has never been diagnosed. (Men also develop thyroid disease as they age, but at a much lower rate.) Why do doctors miss so many cases? Turns out that many symptoms associated with thyroid disorders mimic the signs...
Which disorders and what symptoms? Generally the thyroid causes problems in two different ways. The more common disorder, hypothyroidism, occurs when the gland fails to produce enough thyroid hormone. The body's metabolism slows down, and the patient complains of not having any energy and feeling mentally sluggish...
...contrast, if the thyroid works too hard, a condition called hyperthyroidism, it can rev your body up to the point that your hands tremble. You have trouble falling asleep, and your heart quivers in a dangerous pattern called atrial fibrillation. In an extreme case, your eyes will bulge...
Fortunately, there is a fairly simple blood test, called a TSH test, that helps doctors determine whether you have a thyroid disorder. The cost ranges from $30 to $50, but the test can be conducted as part of a regular battery of blood work for cholesterol and other substances...
...have hyperthyroidism, drugs can slow down the thyroid or, if need be, radioactive iodine can destroy it completely--at which point you will have to take thyroxine...