Thyroid disease
Imbalance in the production of thyroid hormone can be due to a problem in the thyroid gland, pituitary gland or hypothalamus which can result in high levels of the hormone (hyperthyrodism) or low levels of the hormone (hypothyrodism). The most common form of hyperthyrodism is graves disease which is an autoimmune disease that is also called thyrotoxicosis, while the most known form of hypothyrodism is thyroditis, and hashimatosis which is also an autoimmune disease. The manifestations usually oppose each other and are illustrated in the picture above. Diagnosis is based on the clinical finding, blood test, ultrasound, radioiodine scanning and uptake, and biopsy. Treatment of hyperthyrodism is by giving thioamides and hypothyrodism is by giving levothyroxine. Other treatment options are surgery and radioiodine but these are used in the serious condition.