Located in the anterior portion of the trachea just below the larynx in the neck region, the thyroid gland is one of the most important endocrine glands in our body. The butterfly-shaped bi-lobular gland is connected in the anterior by an isthmus or a narrow tissue strip. The thyroid gland plays a very important role in maintaining the metabolism of the body and thus, helps in regulating the body’s normal functions. There are four lobes of parathyroid glands located two on both sides of the thyroid gland. It helps in maintaining the normal blood calcium level in the body.

It secretes three types of hormones:

• Triiodothyronine (T3)
• Tetraiodothyronine (T4)
• Calcitonin

1. Causes
There are several types of thyroid diseases which are either caused by structural or functional anomaly. Treating thyroid diseases depends a lot on finding the cause of the disease. The normal functioning of a thyroid gland depends on the amount of iodine intake in one’s diet. Thus, any deviance from the normal iodine requirement of the body can cause hypersecretion of thyroid hormones and thus, thyroid diseases. Apart from that, thyroid diseases can also be caused due to enlargement or uncontrollable growth in the thyroid tissue or nodules which might eventually lead to thyroid cancer.

2. Symptoms
Some common symptoms indicating thyroid diseases are:

• Sudden weight loss or gain
• Abnormal hunger
• Irregular menstruation
• Diarrhea
• Hoarse or distorted voice without cough and cold
• Bulging eyes
• Anxiety or depression
• Increased heart rate
• Shaky hands or legs
• Trouble sleeping
• Profuse sweating

3. Types

The various types of thyroid disease include the following:

• Hypothyroidism
  Lower secretion of thyroid hormones may indicate hypothyroidism. Though hypothyroidism may go undetected in mild cases, in severe forms it causes a life-threatening disease called myxoedema. Treating thyroid disease becomes important if the patient shows abnormal blood cholesterol levels, sudden weight gain, severe depression or anxiety, fatigue, and constipation.
• Hyperthyroidism
  Increased blood thyroid hormone levels cause exaggerated body metabolism resulting in sudden weight loss. The symptoms of hyperthyroidism surface slowly which can delay treating thyroid diseases. The preliminary treatment in such cases begins with proper, regulated iodine intake and regular medication.
• Goiter
  Swelling in the anterior portion of the neck might indicate goiter. Goiter can be easily detected due to the visible swelling in the neck. It can cause voice hoarseness, discomfort in food swallowing, etc.
• Thyroiditis
  Thyroiditis can result due to both lower or excess secretion of thyroid levels. The symptoms mainly include frequent fever and illness. Treating thyroid diseases in such cases might sometimes be difficult as such symptoms can result due to some other underlying diseases.
• Thyroid cancer
  Uncontrolled growth in the thyroid tissue might indicate thyroid cancer. The noticeable symptoms of thyroid cancer is peculiar hoarse voice, enlargement of the lymph nodes, pain in the neck region. Treating thyroid diseases in such cases involves intensive chemotherapy, radiation or surgery.

There are several diseases which are caused due to the abnormal functioning of the thyroid gland, which is mainly focused on the abnormal secretion of the thyroid hormones. However, in most cases, treating thyroid diseases is not cumbersome and can be easily cured under medical supervision.