Your thyroid is a small gland that plays a significant role in your health. Thyroid problems affect your metabolism, causing energy fluctuations, weight changes, and hair and skin irregularities. At Passion Health Primary Care, Shyamala Arani Purushotham MD, FACP, CPHQ, Pooka Naik, MD, and the team diagnose and treat thyroid problems. Call the Frisco, Irving, Seven Points / Kemp, and Plano, Texas, office today to set up an appointment or use the online tool to schedule your visit.

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What is the thyroid?

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in your neck. It’s responsible for producing hormones essential for several of your body’s processes, including:

  • Metabolism
  • Breathing
  • Heart rate
  • Body temperature
  • Weight
  • Cholesterol levels

The thyroid also affects a woman’s menstrual cycle.

What problems can affect the thyroid?

The most common thyroid problems are hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid gland) and hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid gland).

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism is most often caused by the autoimmune condition Hashimoto’s disease.

The symptoms of hypothyroidism include:

  • Extreme fatigue
  • Weight gain
  • Hair and skin that feels dry and coarse
  • Heavy periods
  • Feeling cold often

If you think you have hypothyroidism, contact Passion Health Primary Care for an evaluation.

Hyperthyroidism

When you have hyperthyroidism, your thyroid produces too much of certain thyroid hormones. Hyperthyroidism is often a result of a condition called Grave’s disease.

The symptoms include:

  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Irritability
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Muscle weakness
  • Infrequent and light periods
  • Trouble seeing or irritated eyes
  • Often feeling hot

Hyperthyroidism can cause brittle bones, heart problems, and eye problems when left untreated.

How do you treat thyroid problems?

The Passion Health Primary Care team regularly helps patients maintain the correct levels of thyroid hormones. Although the symptoms of thyroid problems can be uncomfortable, they can usually be successfully managed.

Patients with hypothyroidism are typically prescribed medication that supplements their thyroid hormone production, bringing them to normal levels.

For hyperthyroidism, your provider works to regulate the thyroid gland. You can be prescribed medication that blocks your thyroid from creating more thyroid hormones. Some patients with hyperthyroidism undergo procedures that permanently stunt the thyroid gland.

These include the application of radioactive iodine or surgical removal of part of the gland. If you undergo one of these procedures, you’ll need to take supplemental thyroid for the rest of your life.

What is thyroid cancer?

Cancer can also develop in the thyroid gland. At first, you might not notice any symptoms, but the cancer grows and causes pain and swelling in your neck with time.

Your cancer could be aggressive or slow-growing. Most cases can be treated successfully.

If you suspect you have thyroid problems, contact Passion Health Primary Care. Call today or set up an appointment using the online tool.