Thyroid and Parathyroids
The thyroid gland is a butterfly shaped organ in the front of your neck that releases triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). These hormones play an important role in your metabolism to include regulation of your weight, energy levels, internal temperature, skin, hair, and nail growth.It is an important part of the endocrine system. Some disorders of the thyroid can make your endocrinologist refer you to us for surgical interventions, but not all thyroid conditions require surgery.
If too little thyroid hormone is produced, people are considered hypothyroid; if thyroid hormone is produced in excess, they are diagnosed as hyperthyroid. Grave’s disease and Hashimoto's thyroiditis are two common forms of thyroid disease. The regulation of these hormones occurs in the Pituitary gland as it produces TSH or the thyroid stimulating hormone. The thyroid can also develop masses, most of which are nodules- 95% of nodules are benign, or non-cancerous, in which case no specific treatment is needed, and the thyroid can simply be monitored with an ultrasound to make sure the nodules don't become a problem over time. If your physician is concerned that your nodule, if it may be cancerous or is large enough to cause problems with breathing or swallowing, surgery may be recommended.
Although it gets less attention than the thyroid, the parathyroids produce a hormone that is important to blood calcium levels; calcium is important in the bones, intestines and kidneys. Parathyroid hormone (PTH) comes from four parathyroid glands in the neck, just behind the thyroid. Parathyroid disorders develop when they release inappropriate levels of PTH hormone which controls calcium levels in the body. Hyperparathyroidism is a condition caused by higher than normal calcium levels (parathyroid glands producing too much PTH) and can lead to negative effects like osteoporosis, kidney stones, chronic fatigue. The opposite problem, hypoparathyroidism, occurs when parathyroid glands do not produce enough PTH, leading to low blood calcium levels and adversely affecting muscles, nerves and bones.