Structure and function of the thyroid gland

The thyroid gland - is endocrine gland that produces hormones that regulate metabolism Improves metabolism and losing weight without dieting , The processes of growth and development and the correct formation of tissues in the human body.

The thyroid gland is located at the front of the neck and consisting of two unequal size fractions, which are connected by an isthmus. Thyroid tissue covered with connective tissue capsule, which is connected together with the trachea. Moving away from the capsule walls, inside which are the blood vessels and nerves. Over the thyroid neck muscles are located.

Thyroid tissue is a bubble (follicle), the walls of which are composed of cells that produce the secret of the thyroid gland, the main active substance is thyroid hormone or thyroid hormone. To do this, the cells have to first absorb and accumulate iodine, and then out of it to form iodine-containing thyroid hormones - thyroxine Thyroxine - the main thyroid hormone   and triiodothyronine.

Thyroid hormones increase the metabolic processes in the tissues, including the processes of disintegration of glycogen (glucose reserves in the liver and muscles), while reducing its formation in the liver. Under the action of thyroid hormone decreases the amount of cholesterol in the blood, including the "useful" which is used in the process of metabolism. When accelerating metabolism increases the excitability of the nervous system, which affects the internal organs - appear palpitations, irregular heartbeat, increased blood pressure, increased motor activity of the gastrointestinal tract, increased secretion of gastric juice and so on. Thyroid hormones are necessary for normal functioning of the brain and their deficit gradually leads to mental retardation Mental retardation - if the mind is underdeveloped .

What is Graves' disease and its causes

Graves' disease (hyperthyroidism) - an autoimmune (caused by an allergy to their own thyroid tissue) disease, which is characterized by increased thyroid function. Violation of immunity causes the formation of a special protein, which stimulates the thyroid cells that produce thyroid hormones. Thyroid gland grows to a significant size.

Autoimmune thyroid involvement is more common in young and middle age when genetic predisposition (especially the structure of cancer and metabolic processes in the body). The immediate cause, calling the process may be long flowing chronic infections, viral infections, trauma, overheating in the sun and so on.

How is diffuse goiter

Start slow disease: gradually emerging and growing sleep disorders, irritability Irritability - you try to control my temper , Unstable mood, anxiety, sweating, feeling hot, rapid heartbeat (sometimes in the form of seizures), increased blood pressure, shaking hands, feet and body, weight loss. Then, patients notice the appearance of a darker shade of skin, dense edema in the lower extremities, swelling of the thyroid gland.

It is characterized by changes in the eye. They grow, become convex, feverish glitter, eye slit wide open and looking down at the top of the eyeball appears white stripe, swollen eyelids - such phenomena are called exophthalmos. Blood circulation in the eye - it frequently causes infection joining various metabolic disorders and eye tissues, which can lead to loss of vision and even to its loss.

To enhance the motility of the digestive system, causing nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, disorders of the liver and biliary tract. Alters the gonads (menstrual irregularities, infertility), carbohydrate metabolism (up to the development of diabetes).

Diffuse goiter can start easily, but gradually move into more severe forms of the many changes in the internal organs (especially on the part of the cardiovascular system) and other endocrine glands, as well as a significant loss in weight.

The diagnosis of the disease in its early stages to put quite difficult. Therefore, when a patient's heart rate, anxiety, and shake hands necessary to conduct blood tests for hormones, including thyroid hormones. With an increase in thyroid ultrasound conducted its research and radioisotope.

Treatment of diffuse goiter is to suppress thyroid function and activity of immune responses under the mandatory laboratory control. In some cases carried inhibition of thyroid function by using radioactive iodine.

Conservative treatment is carried out for a long time and takes about a year, in case of inefficiency diffuse goiter removed surgically.

If the treatment of diffuse goiter was started on time and was carried out correctly, it leads to a complete recovery and restoration of the patient's disability.

Galina Romanenko

What are autoimmune diseases

Autoimmune diseases - is the result of damage to the immune system. Normally, the immune system is to protect our body against "enemies" in the form of bacteria, viruses, poisons. In response to the introduction of the "enemy" (antigen) in the blood appear antibodies specific to gluing to the antigen, removes it from the body. But sometimes it begins to produce antibodies to their own cells in our body that causes a number of diseases, which are called autoimmune. Such diseases include hyperthyroidism, rheumatic fever, glomerulonephritis.

Graves' disease and its causes

Graves 'disease or toxic goiter, or Graves' disease - a disease that is characterized by increased thyroid function. The gland enlarges and begins to produce large amounts of hormones. All this is happening because of violations of immunity in the form of autoimmune reactions, which resulted in the lymphocytes (white blood cells responsible for the production of antibodies) begin to produce a particular protein gamma globulin (long-acting thyroid stimulator), which stimulates the thyroid gland.

Factors contributing to the occurrence of Basedow's disease, is a genetic predisposition, long flowing chronic infections (eg, chronic tonsillitis), viral diseases, and so on. Graves' disease are sick more often women young and middle-aged.

Symptoms of Graves' disease

The disease usually begins unnoticed. Disturbed sleep disorders Dreams: how to understand our dreams , mood swings Mood swings in women - bad character or a disease? , Restlessness, sweating (usually such patients is hot even in cold weather), seizures, palpitations, trembling of the limbs, and then the whole body. Patients typically lose weight (but sometimes, on the contrary, is added).

Gradually, the skin gets a tan hue appear dense swelling in the legs. The thyroid gland is constantly growing, it is dense and painless.

Increased thyroid function affects the activity of all internal organs, from which there is a number of features:

• on the part of the cardiovascular system: heart rate, cardiac arrhythmias, seizures, pain in the heart, high blood pressure;
• by the organs of vision: the eyes are enlarged, convex, shiny, they are wide open (exophthalmos), swollen eyelids, looking down appears white stripe over the pupil; circulatory disorders of the eyeball, which in turn can cause infection joining conjunctivitis and inflammation of the optic nerve; all contribute to loss of vision and sometimes blindness rise;
• From the digestive system: enhanced motility of the gastrointestinal tract, nausea, sometimes vomiting, diarrhea, abnormal liver function;
• Central nervous system: headache, insomnia, dizziness, anxiety;
• on the part of other endocrine organs: the disrupted gonads (in women as menstrual irregularities and infertility in men - impotence), decreased production of adrenal hormones;
• From a metabolism: impaired carbohydrate metabolism and increased risk of diabetes.

How is Graves' disease

Graves' disease can be mild, moderate and severe. Mild often goes unnoticed and its manifestations are due to other diseases (eg, vascular dystonia and neurosis). The heart rate in these patients is not more than 100 beats per minute. The deficit is also a small weight.

With an average degree of goitre heart rate increases and is 100-120 beats per minute, and the weight continues to decline, increased blood pressure.

Severe goitre accompanied by numerous changes in the internal organs, a large deficit of weight and heart rate over 120 beats per minute.

The diagnosis of Graves' disease

If you suspect that Graves' disease conducted laboratory (determined by the amount of thyroid hormones Thyroid hormones: mechanism of action and physiological effects   in the blood) and ultrasound, and if necessary radioisotope.

Treatment of Graves' disease

In the treatment of Graves' disease are used drugs that suppress thyroid function (eg tiamazol), glucocorticoid drugs (they suppress the immune system), drugs that affect certain parts of immunity. During long-term treatment (about a year) must be carried out monitoring of the content of thyroid hormones in the blood.

If conservative treatment is ineffective, the crop is removed surgically, or spend the suppression of thyroid function The thyroid gland - is responsible for your hormones   by using radioactive iodine.

Graves' disease - a serious disease that can have a negative effect on all organs and systems of the body, so it must be treated long-term, systematic and comprehensive.