Diseases of the thyroid and other endocrine glands

By Cristiano Antonino On Dec 30, 2022

Thyroid diseases: the endocrine glands and the cells of the diffuse neuroendocrine system secrete a series of substances, called hormones, capable of influencing the functioning of many organs and apparatuses and, as a consequence, numerous functions of our body

Thyroid diseases, symptoms

Therefore, any alteration, whether in excess or in defect, of these secretions can give rise to pathologies that can manifest themselves with the most disparate symptoms and signs and it is not uncommon for them to be discovered only many years after their appearance.

The presenting symptoms can be completely different depending on the hormone involved and depending on whether the secretion is excessive or decreased, they can produce opposite clinical manifestations.

The most frequent may include one or more of the following symptoms weight loss or excessive weight gain, hypertension or hypotension, tachycardia, sweating, tremors, digestive disorders, constipation or diarrhoea, changes in the menstrual cycle, infertility, growth disorders, acne, hirsutism or hypertrichosis (increased hairiness in women), hair loss, alterations in the sexual sphere, kidney stones, fractures, increased frequency of the need to urinate, even at night, continuous thirst or hunger pangs, changes in skin pigmentation, alterations in mood, ability to concentrate, drowsiness, asthenia, weakness and many others.

Understandably, these disorders can lead to major alterations in the quality of life and in the most severe cases can even endanger the patient’s own life.

It is therefore crucial, in the event of the reappearance or persistence of even one of these symptoms, to arrive at a correct diagnosis after an endocrinological assessment.

This need becomes even more urgent in particular conditions such as pregnancy, advanced age, paediatrics or adolescence where irreversible damage could occur earlier.

How is thyroid disease treated?

Once the diagnosis has been made, on the basis of the clinical picture and specific laboratory or instrumental examinations, a decision can be made on the therapy, which must always be individualised from case to case and is based, depending on whether the secretion is deficient or excessive, on REPLACEMENT or SUPPRESSION therapies.

In some cases, surgical treatment is necessary, which must generally be followed by replacement therapy.

In most cases, treatment succeeds in resolving the symptoms, but almost always requires periodic checks and dosage adjustments of the therapy itself.

Simplifying the patient’s life

All thyroid pathologies and those of the other endocrine glands require, as mentioned above, periodic checks of hormone values at varying intervals once they have been ascertained, which must be associated on some occasions with ultrasound control and an examination to adjust the therapy.

An imperfect control of the dosage of substitution or suppression therapy can in fact have very important repercussions on the patient’s quality of life, his mood, his work activity, his interpersonal relations and his physical activity.