Twenty million people in the United States have thyroid disease. At Diligent Medical Care, PC, in Union City, New Jersey, Mohammad Chaudhry, MD, and Sharon Mirante, APN, diagnose and treat all types of thyroid disease to reduce the symptoms of an overactive or underactive thyroid. To learn more and find out if you have thyroid disease, use the online booking tool or call the practice to schedule an appointment.
Thyroid disease, or abnormal thyroid, is any condition affecting the hormones produced by the thyroid gland in your neck. When your thyroid makes too much or too little hormones it’s called thyroid disease.
There are several types of thyroid disease, including:
When your thyroid makes too much thyroid hormone your body uses energy too quickly. This is called hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism makes you tired, causes rapid heart rate, nervousness, and weight loss.
When your thyroid doesn’t make enough hormones, it’s called hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism makes you feel tired, have sensitivity to the cold, and may cause weight gain.
When your thyroid is inflamed it’s called thyroiditis. Thyroiditis causes either high or low levels of thyroid hormones in the blood.
Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune disorder and the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the United States. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis tends to run in families and involves chronic inflammation of the thyroid.
Thyroid disease can affect male and females at any age but women are five to eight times more likely to develop a thyroid condition than men. Other risk factors that contribute to thyroid disease include:
Some medical conditions also make you more susceptible to developing thyroid disease, including Type 1 diabetes, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, primary adrenal insufficiency, Turner syndrome, or Sjögren’s syndrome.
Thyroid disease symptoms depend on whether you have an overactive or underactive thyroid. Overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) symptoms include:
Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) symptoms may include:
Thyroid disease is sometimes hard to diagnose because the symptoms can be confused with other conditions. Diligent Medical Care, PC, uses blood tests, physical exams, and imaging tests to confirm a thyroid disease diagnosis. If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms related to under or overactive thyroid, call Diligent Medical Care, PC, or schedule an appointment online for diagnosis and treatment.
