Thyroid gland?? Dangerous!

Thyroid is a small gland, with a diameter of 5 cm and is located in the neck, just below the Adam's apple. Both parts are connected by the isthmus of thyroid, so that the shape resembles the letter H or a bow tie. Under normal circumstances, the thyroid gland is not visible and barely palpable, but when enlarged, the doctor can feel it with ease and a lump can appear below or beside the Adam's apple.

Thyroid gland produces thyroid hormones, which control the body's metabolic rate. Thyroid hormones affect the body's metabolism speeds through two ways:
1. Almost every tissue stimulates the body to produce proteins 

2. Increasing the amount of oxygen used by cells.

If the cells are working harder, then the organs will work faster.
To produce the thyroid hormones, thyroid gland needs iodine, which is an element contained in foods and water. Thyroid gland iodine capture and process them into thyroid hormones. Once thyroid hormone is used, some of iodine in the thyroid gland hormones back and recycled for re-produce thyroid hormones.

Runit body has mechanisms to adjust the levels of thyroid hormones. The hypothalamus (located just above the pituitary gland in the brain) produces thyrotropin-releasing hormone, which causes the pituitary gland release of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). According to its name, this TSH stimulates the thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormone. If the amount of thyroid hormone in the blood reaches a certain level, the pituitary gland produces more TSH in small amounts, if thyroid hormone levels in the blood decreases, the pituitary gland release more TSH. This is called feedback mechanism.

Thyroid hormone present in two forms:

1. Thyroxine (T4), is the form produced by the thyroid gland, have only a mild effect on the body's metabolic rate. 

2. Thyroxine converted in the liver and other organs into active form, namely tri-iodo-tironin (T3). This change generates about 80% of active hormones, whereas the remaining 20% is produced by the thyroid gland itself.
The changes of T4 into T3 in the heart and other organs, is influenced by various factors, including the body's needs from time to time. Most of the T4 and T3 are bound tightly to certain proteins in blood and are only active when not bound to this protein. In this way, the body maintaining the appropriate amount of thyroid hormone that speeds metabolism needs to remain stable.

In order for the thyroid gland functioning normally, then the various factors must be working properly: - Hypothalamus - Pituitary gland - Thyroid hormones (bonds with proteins in the blood and change T4 into T3 in the liver and other organs).

Symptoms
Hyperthyroidism - Fast-heartbeat - High blood pressure - Leather lembat & sweating a lot - Shaking - Fidget - Increased appetite accompanied by weight gain - Difficulty sleeping - Frequently defecate & diarrhea - Weak - Dry Skin on bones protruding and thickened - Eyes swollen, red & carpal tunnel syndrome prominent - Eyes sensitive to light - As if staring eyes - Confusion
Hypothyroidism - Slow-pulse - Hoarse voice - Talking to slow - Eyebrow loss - Eyelid down - No cold weather resistant - Constipation - Weight gain - Dry hair, thin, rough - The skin is dry, scaly, thick, rough dry skin on bones thickened, prominent - Carpal tunnel syndrome - Confusion - Depression - Dimension

DIAGNOSIS:
To determine the function of the thyroid gland, can do some laboratory examinations. One of the most frequently performed examination is measurement of TSH levels in the blood. This hormone stimulates the thyroid gland, so if underactive thyroid gland, the hormone levels are high, whereas if an overactive thyroid gland, the hormone levels are low.

Usually the checks should be done is the measurement of TSH and free T4 levels in blood. But it can also be measured levels of thyroxine binding globulin protein, because levels of abnormal proteins could lead to misunderstandings in evaluating the total thyroid hormone levels. Patients with kidney disease, some hereditary disease or anabolic steroid use had higher levels of low thyroxine binding globulin. Conversely, pregnant women, users of oral contraceptives or other estrogen, early-stage patients with hepatitis and some other diseases, thyroxine binding globulin levels are high.

Some checks can be performed on the thyroid gland. If there is suspected of growth within the thyroid gland, ultrasound examination, to determine whether this growth is a liquid or solid. Skening thyroid gland with radioactive iodine or Technetium, can show physical abnormalities in the thyroid gland. Skening thyroid can also help determine whether a region of thyroid function is normal, overactive or underactive.

If still not sure whether kelainannya located on the thyroid gland, or pituitary gland, then the examination of functional stimulation. On one of these examinations performed injecting intravenous thyrotropin-releasing hormone and blood tests to measure the response of the pituitary gland.