JANUARY IS THYROID AWARENESS MONTH


The thyroid may be only a small butterfly-shaped gland located in the neck, but the hormones it produces are essential; they deliver oxygen and energy to every cell in the body.


The most common thyroid problem is insufficient thyroid hormone, known as hypothyroidism, low thyroid or an underactive thyroid. Hypothyroidism causes metabolism to slow down, and can result in fatigue, depression, weight gain, hair loss, infertility, low sex drive, memory and concentration problems, and a host of other symptoms.


Sometimes, the thyroid can go into overdrive, and produce too much thyroid hormone, a conditin known as hyperthyroidism, or an overactive thyroid. When too much thyroid hormone floods the body, it's common for heart rate and blood pressure to go up, and an overactive thyroid can cause anxiety, tremors, panic attacks, diarrhea, muscle weakness, eye problems, insomnia, and rapid, debilitating weight loss.


The thyroid can also get enlarged(known as a goiter), develop lumps(known as nodules), and in rare cases, those lumps can be cancerous. Thyroid cancer is, unfortunately, one of the fastest growing cancers in the United States.


source: http://www.thyroidawarenessmonth.com/