More than 300 million people worldwide suffer from thyroid disease! However, the role of the thyroid gland, the “engine of our body”, has been largely overlooked for too long. To raise public awareness of thyroid disorders worldwide and to help the tens of millions of people with undiagnosed thyroid disorders, the Thyroid Federation International (TFI) is proud to launch the second International Thyroid Awareness Week from May 24 to 28, 2010, following the first International Thyroid Awareness Week in 2009. After the first International Thyroid Awareness Week in 2009, TFI (Thyroid Federation International) is proud to launch the second International Thyroid Awareness Week from May 24 to 28, 2010. The theme of the week is the impact of thyroid disorders on the mental development of pregnant women and children. In order to make the 2010 International Thyroid Awareness Week have a wider impact on the society, all the medical staff of the Department of Endocrinology and Outpatient Department of Taian Central Hospital responded to the initiative of the International Thyroid Coalition and held an International Thyroid Awareness Week campaign in the hospital’s outpatient lobby today to raise public awareness of thyroid disorders. Learn about the “engine of our body”, and let life be full of power The thyroid gland is described as the “engine of the body”, controlling the metabolic activities of the body and affecting every part of the body. The thyroid gland is a butterfly-like organ located in the front of the trachea in the neck. It produces two thyroid hormones, thyroxine and triiodothyronine, which regulate the body’s metabolism. The thyroid gland interacts with the pituitary gland and hypothalamus to keep thyroid hormone levels in the blood within normal limits. The pituitary gland produces thyroid stimulating hormone and the hypothalamus produces thyrotropin-releasing hormone. When the thyroid gland produces abnormal levels of thyroid hormones, it can cause a number of health problems. Thyroid disorders are far more common than most people think. Among them, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, and thyroid nodular lesions are the most common thyroid disorders. Endocrinologists advocate that the whole society should pay attention to thyroid diseases, especially women over 35 years old should pay attention to their thyroid gland, and if they have many similar symptoms, they should go to the endocrinology department of the hospital for thyroid function tests in time, so that thyroid diseases can be detected and treated scientifically at an early stage. Pay attention to hyperthyroidism and enjoy a peaceful life Hyperthyroidism is a general term for a group of endocrine diseases caused by excessive synthesis and secretion of thyroid hormones by the thyroid gland in the body, which leads to increased excitability and hyper-metabolism in the body’s nervous, cardiovascular and digestive systems. It is a common disease among endocrine diseases and accounts for about 2% of the population. The incidence in women is 5 to 10 times higher than that in men. Hyperthyroidism can be triggered by genetics, gender, mental stimulation, excessive stress and exertion, long-term consumption of foods containing a lot of iodine (such as seafood) and drugs (such as amiodarone). The clinical manifestations of hyperthyroidism: all systems of hyperthyroidism have different degrees of changes. 1. systemic manifestations: fear of heat, excessive sweating, fatigue, weight loss; 2. Skin and muscles: moist and itchy skin, muscle weakness and pain, even sudden inability to move limbs (periodic paralysis); 6. Reproductive endocrine: irregular menstruation, impotence, decreased fertility. 8. Blood system: can cause leukopenia, thrombocytopenia or anemia. The main physical signs of hyperthyroidism, include rapid pulse beat, systolic hypertension, warm, moist and sweaty skin, hand trembling, muscle weakness, protruding eyes, and enlarged thyroid gland. Fifty to 95 percent of hyperthyroid patients have more than three of these symptoms. It is easier to think that a patient may have hyperthyroidism based on these symptoms. However, many patients with hyperthyroidism have atypical symptoms. For example, as they age, symptoms such as agitation and fear of heat and sweating decrease, while symptoms such as loss of appetite and weight loss become apparent. Some elderly hyperthyroid patients have diarrhea and weight loss as the main symptoms, while some patients have atrial fibrillation or angina pectoris or chronic heart failure as the main manifestations. In a few patients, hypothermia is the main manifestation. Some patients have chronic congestive heart failure, enlarged heart, enlarged liver and edema of the lower limbs. Some patients with hyperthyroidism do not have symptoms of hyperthyroidism, and only one indicator of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) is found to be lower than normal in blood tests, which is called subclinical hyperthyroidism. Although these patients do not have symptoms of hyperthyroidism, they may have osteoporosis and fracture easily, and may also have atrial fibrillation, which also requires timely diagnosis and treatment. Hyperthyroidism treatment: Hyperthyroidism reduces the quality of life of patients, and their ability to work and study is also significantly reduced. Many patients cannot work normally and students are forced to leave school. If patients, especially young women, have protruding eyes and an obviously enlarged thyroid gland, it can affect their appearance and cause serious mental trauma. Long-term untreated hyperthyroidism can cause serious complications such as heart disease and jaundice, which may endanger life and even sudden death. Therefore, it is important for patients to control hyperthyroidism as soon as possible. The three main methods of treating hyperthyroidism are anti-thyroid medication, surgery and iodine-131. All three methods have been clinically used for more than 50 years and have a credible scientific basis. They each have their own scope of application and advantages and disadvantages. Based on the results of evidence-based medical research, physicians should present their advantages and disadvantages to patients, seek consensus, and choose the most appropriate treatment for the patient. Early detection of hypothyroidism and restoration of color life Hypothyroidism, or hypothyroidism for short, refers to the inability of the thyroid gland to produce enough thyroid hormones to meet the body’s needs. If the body does not have enough thyroid hormone, the energy metabolism of other parts of the body and organs will also be weakened, resulting in common “sub-health” symptoms such as low energy, lethargy, weight gain, fear of cold, constipation and memory loss. According to statistics, there are more than 40 million patients with primary “hypothyroidism” in China. However, due to the low public awareness of thyroid disease, only 5% of people receive the appropriate formal treatment. In fact, long-term untreated thyroid disease is extremely harmful to the body. In the early stages, hypothyroidism is often confused with other diseases because of its mild symptoms, and patients are not even properly examined and treated because they are unaware of the disease’s existence. As time goes on, the risk of hypothyroidism increases further, with more obvious symptoms such as lowered heart rate, dyslipidemia, constipation, depression, and even more serious dysfunctions and diseases, such as arteriosclerosis, coronary heart disease, multi-organ edema, heart and kidney organ failure, and cognitive impairment in old age. Women of childbearing age are unable to conceive and give birth normally. When a pregnant woman has hypothyroidism, the fetus will not have enough thyroid hormones, which can lead to fetal brain development disorders and mental retardation. “Hypothyroidism also increases the risk of premature birth, stillbirth, impaired growth, and placental abruption. Replacement therapy with thyroid hormone is a simple and effective way to detect hypothyroidism early enough to give you satisfactory treatment and restore your colorful life.