Dr Lalitha Badul

The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of your neck just below the Adam’s apple. It’s part of an intricate network of glands called the endocrine system. The thyroid gland manufactures hormones that regulate your body’s metabolism.

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Several different disorders can arise when your thyroid produces too much hormone (hyperthyroidism) or not enough (hypothyroidism). Four common disorders of the thyroid are Hashimoto’s disease, Graves’ disease, goiter, and thyroid nodules.

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In hyperthyroidism, the thyroid gland is overactive. It produces too much of its hormone.

Hypothyroidism is the opposite of hyperthyroidism. The thyroid gland is underactive, and it can’t produce enough of its hormones.
Hashimoto’s disease is also known as chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis. It can occur at any age, but it’s most common in middle-aged women. The disease occurs when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks and slowly destroys the thyroid gland and its ability to produce hormones.

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Graves’ disease was named for the doctor who first described it more than 150 years ago. Graves’ is an autoimmune disorder that occurs when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the thyroid gland. This can cause the gland to overproduce the hormone responsible for regulating metabolism.

Goiter is a noncancerous enlargement of the thyroid gland. The most common cause of goiter worldwide is iodine deficiency in the diet.

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