As many as 20 million Americans have some form of thyroid disease, which can cause various disruptive and potentially dangerous symptoms. The team of physicians at DFW MDcare in Plano, Texas, offers comprehensive testing to diagnose thyroid problems and personalized treatment plans to restore your health. Call the office today or make an appointment online if you’re concerned about your thyroid and want expert, patient-focused care.
Your thyroid is a small gland in your neck. It’s shaped like a butterfly and produces thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), two of the hormones that regulate many critical body functions, including your metabolism.
Thyroid diseases cause either hyper or hypoactivity. Some of the prevalent types of thyroid disease include:
When diagnosed early, thyroid diseases are easily treated, and the team at DFW MDcare can restore your health and minimize disruption to your life.
Symptoms of thyroid disease vary depending on whether or not your condition causes hyper or hypoactivity. Some of the common signs of a hyperactive thyroid include:
A hypoactive thyroid, on the other hand, causes symptoms, such as:
Many of these symptoms can be caused by other health issues. If you notice any changes to your health, you should schedule an appointment with your physician to assess your health.
The physicians at DFW MDcare provide thorough exams to identify the cause of your symptoms. However, the most efficient way to identify a thyroid problem is blood tests to measure your T3, T4, and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels.
Your doctor might also recommend an ultrasound or a biopsy if they find signs of abnormal tissue growth in your thyroid.
Treatment for thyroid diseases depends on the specific type of disease interfering with your health. For example, if you have an underactive thyroid, your doctor can prescribe synthetic thyroid hormones to make up for what your body isn’t producing.
If you have an overactive thyroid, your doctor can prescribe antithyroid medicine to reduce hormone production or beta-blockers to regulate your symptoms.
However, you might need a procedure to destroy the malfunctioning part of your thyroid. This could include radioactive iodine or surgery to remove your thyroid in part or whole. You might also need surgery if your symptoms are due to thyroid cancer or nodules.
Call DFW MDcare or make an appointment online if you have any signs of thyroid disease. Early treatment can minimize disruption to your health and overall quality of life.
