The human endocrine glands are: hypothalamus, pituitary gland, pineal gland, thyroid gland, pancreatic islets, adrenal glands, etc. Under the joint action of the endocrine system and the nervous and immune systems, they complete the functions of metabolism, growth and development, reproduction, thinking and movement, resist the attack of various adverse factors and pathological factors, and maintain the mental and physical health of the human body.
According to the latest statistics, the current incidence of thyroid disease is about 3%, the main reasons are.
1, the improvement of the standard of living, the aggravation of environmental pollution, etc. to increase allergic factors.
2, increased work pressure leading to emotional abnormalities. Therefore, the current thyroid disease is more common in young and middle-aged people, and more of them are women.
I. Basic characteristics of the thyroid gland
The thyroid gland (thyroid) is an endocrine organ of the human body, located below and on both sides of the thyroid cartilage in front of the neck, immediately in front of the three and four cartilage rings of the trachea, with a smooth, soft surface that is not easily accessible. For other organs, the thyroid gland is not very large, with a normal size of about 15-25 g. It is neither visible nor easily accessible when normal.
The physiological role of the thyroid gland
The thyroid gland is the largest endocrine gland in the body, and the thyroid hormones it produces play an important role in maintaining the body’s heat balance, growth and development, and reproductive function. It has a role that cannot be replaced by other organs, so when its function changes or when there are organic changes, it will have a great impact on the human body.
1.Promote human growth and development: For example, when young, thyroid hormone secretion is not enough, easy to suffer from cretinism.
2. Effects on the nervous system: In hyperthyroidism, the excitability of the central nervous system is increased, manifested by inattention, poor mood, irritability, poor sleep, and muscle tremors and other manifestations of yin deficiency and hyperactivity. In hypothyroidism, the excitability of the central nervous system decreases, resulting in memory loss, indifference and drowsiness, and other manifestations of heart and kidney yang deficiency.
3. Maintain the normal basal metabolism and protein, fat and sugar metabolism of the body.
Third, the types of thyroid disease
Although the thyroid organ is small, the disease types are more complex. Functionally, it can be divided into hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism, which can be further divided into primary and secondary; morphologically, it can be divided into goiter, thyroid nodules and tumors and thyroid atrophy. Regardless of the type, the cause must be clearly identified in combination with auxiliary examinations such as thyroid function, ultrasound, thyroid scan and iodine absorption rate.
4. Reasons for easy misdiagnosis of thyroid diseases
Typical thyroid disorders such as acute thyroiditis, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, goiter, and thyroid nodules are not difficult to diagnose when combined with symptoms and signs.
1. The outer side of the thyroid gland is covered by the striated muscles of the neck, so it is difficult to detect in time when mild changes occur.
2. Abnormal thyroid function can often be manifested as a manifestation of other systems such as the nervous system, digestive system, cardiovascular system, hematological system, or accompanied by other systemic diseases, thus affecting the clinician’s diagnosis.
3. Thyroid disorders are less familiar to clinicians than other major internal diseases.
4. The number of thyroid disorders without typical symptoms or signs is gradually increasing.
5. Thyroid serology and ultrasound of the thyroid gland are not routinely performed on admission.
In conclusion, if the signs and symptoms of thyroid disease are not obvious, or if they are accompanied by other systemic diseases, and if the physical examination is not able to detect thyroid abnormalities in time, both may delay the accurate diagnosis. Because of the importance of thyroid function and its impact on the body, a deeper clinical understanding of thyroid disorders is needed.