Definition:
Overactive thyroid disease, otherwise known as hyperthyroidism, is a condition which occurs when the thyroid gland produces too much of the hormone thyroxine, resulting to the significant acceleration of the body's metabolism.
Diagnosis:
Overactive thyroid is diagnosed through the use of medical history, a physical exam and blood tests. Blood tests that measure the levels of thyroxine and TSH in the blood can confirm the diagnosis.
Treatment:
The treatment for overactive thyroid disease are anti-thyroid medications and radioactive iodine to slow the production of thyroid hormones. It may also be treated by thyroidectomy or the surgical removal of part of the thyroid gland.
Symptoms and Signs:
Among the symptoms of overactive thyroid are sudden and inexplicable weight loss, rapid heartbeat (tachycardia), irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) or palpitations, nervousness, anxiety or anxiety attacks, tremor, changes in menstrual and bowel patterns, and goiter.
Causes:
Overactive thyroid is caused by the overproduction of the thyroid gland of thyroxine, which in turn may be caused by Graves' disease, hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules (toxic adenoma, toxic multinodular goiter, Plummer's disease) or thyroiditis.
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