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THE THYROID is a small gland located at the base of your neck, above the collarbone. It produces hormones that play an important role in how your body functions. How fast you burn calories, how fast your heart beats and how quickly certain organs work are all affected by hormones that originate in the thyroid. "When your thyroid works correctly, your body gets just the right amount of the hormones it needs," said Mary Self, MD, endocrinologist with KentuckyOne Health Endocrinology and Diabetes Associates. "Problems start to occur when your body begins to make too much or too little of one or more important hormones." Too Much of a Good Thing Hyperthyroidism occurs when the thyroid produces too many hormones. Symptoms include: � Unexplained weight loss � Increased appetite � Rapid or irregular heartbeat � Anxiety and irritability � Diffi culty sleeping � Shaking hands and fi ngers Medication, surgery and other therapies can be used to reduce your symptoms and limit the amount of certain hormones being produced. Running on Empty When the thyroid doesn't make enough of certain hormones, it is called hypothyroidism. Problems with this thyroid disorder include: � Fatigue � Weight gain and puffy face � Intolerance of cold � Dry skin and thinning hair � Depression and slowed heart rate � Fertility problems � Joint and muscle pain Hypothyroidism is easily controlled with medication, including synthetic hormones. Doctors use a simple blood test and medical history to screen for hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism and guide treatment. To speak with a thyroid specialist in Louisville, call KentuckyOne Health Endocrinology & Diabetes Associates at 844.297.8986. To reach KentuckyOne Health Endocrinology Associates in Lexington, call 844.297.8987. COMMON CAUSES OF THYROID DISEASE Two disorders are the most common causes of thyroid disease: • Hashimoto's thyroiditis. "Thyroiditis" means a swollen thyroid. There are many reasons your thyroid may become infl amed. In Hashimoto's thyroiditis, your immune system's antibodies attack the thyroid, leading to chronic infl ammation. Over time, this reduces your thyroid's ability to produce hormones. • Graves' disease. In a healthy person, a pea-sized gland in the brain produces thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) that tells your thyroid how much of certain hormones to make. Graves' disease is caused when the body's antibodies begin mimicking TSH, causing the body to produce more thyroid hormone than it needs. MANY SYMPTOMS OF THYROID DISEASE START OFF SUBTLY BUT CAN BE SIGNS OF LARGER PROBLEMS TO COME IF DYSFUNCTION GO UNTREATED. Mary Self, MD LITTLE GLAND, BIG PROBLEMS ONE HEALTH | Spring 2017 19