MAIN Health Diseases & Conditions Thyroid

Treating Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism is a hormonal imbalance caused by an "overactive" thyroid gland that most often leads to weight loss, insomnia, restlessness, or rapid pulse, with outward symptoms usually including trembling hands or bulging eyes.

The latter symptoms are often seen in those who suffer from the most severe form of the condition, known as Graves' disease, named for Irish physician Robert Graves who first described common symptoms in 1835.

Today, Graves' disease which can be treated in several ways.

The most common and most successful therapy in the U.S. is treatment with radioactive iodine, which is ingested in either liquid or pill form to basically shut down the thyroid. The patient is then put on a course of thyroid medication (levothyroxine) that they must take for the rest of their lives.

Antithyroid drugs such as Tapazole and PTU are also sometimes prescribed. This course of the therapy can extend over several years. If successful, it maintains the integrity of the thyroid gland while bringing about a complete remission of the disease. However, outcomes may be less successful with antithyroid drugs with reported cures ranging anywhere from 30 to 50 percent.

Surgery (subtotal thyroidectomy) is also an option, in which the diseased parts of the thyroid gland are cut away. However, this treatment also requires patients to remain on thyroid medication for the rest of the lives. Surgery may also involve risks, such as damage to nearby parathyroid glands or vocal cords. Since surgery is also typically more painful and almost always results in scarring, radioactive iodine is usually the preferred choice.

However, all options should be thoroughly discussed with your doctor before undergoing any treatment for hyperthyroidism.

Related Web Resources

Graves' Disease

Hyperthyroidism: Signs, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Causes and Treatments

Hyperthyroidism - Wikipedia

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