Thyroid & Parathyroid Diseases

The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located in the front of your neck that produces hormones vital for regulating how your body uses energy (your metabolism). Four parathyroid glands sit just behind the thyroid and are responsible for maintaining calcium, vitamin D and phosphorus levels in your body. Thyroid and parathyroid conditions can develop when the gland produces too many or too few hormones. You may start to feel sluggish, notice skin or hair changes, or experience depression.

If you have thyroid disease, a MultiCare endocrinologist can help restore your thyroid function and offer continued follow-up care to help you manage your condition. Managing thyroid disease is a lifelong commitment, but most patients can maintain good quality of life with the right treatment plan.

• Hyperthyroidism: Also called overactive thyroid, this condition occurs when your thyroid produces more hormone than your body needs. Symptoms include a fast or irregular heartbeat, having problems sleeping and losing weight despite feeling hungry. Hyperthyroidism can eventually lead to goiter, which is the enlargement of the thyroid gland that looks like a large lump in the neck.
• Hypothyroidism: Also called underactive thyroid, this condition occurs when your thyroid does not produce enough thyroid hormone. You might feel tired or depressed, gain weight, or notice dry skin.
• Thyroid cancer: This occurs when cancer cells grow inside the thyroid gland. Most thyroid cancers grow slowly and can be treated.
• Thyroiditis: This term applies to any condition that damages thyroid cells and causes the thyroid to become inflamed. It can be caused by viruses, bacteria, certain medications or medical treatments. Thyroiditis can also be autoimmune, meaning the immune system attacks the thyroid by mistake.
• Thyroid nodules: Growths on the thyroid gland that are typically benign.
• Hyperparathyroidism: When the parathyroid gland produces too much hormone, it causes high levels of calcium in the blood. A benign growth on a parathyroid gland is the most common cause, with surgery being the most likely treatment.
• Hypoparathyroidism: An underactive parathyroid gland causes low levels of calcium and high levels of phosphorus in the blood, which increases the risk of bone fractures. It’s a rare condition that’s usually caused by accidental injury to the glands during thyroid surgery.

Thyroid disease can be hard to pinpoint because symptoms are similar to other conditions. Generally, if your doctor suspects thyroid disease, they will order a blood test that measures thyroid hormone levels. If your levels aren’t in normal ranges, you may need other tests.

In most cases, your primary care provider will do the blood tests. If they believe you may have  thyroid disease, you’ll be referred to an endocrinologist, a doctor who specializes in conditions caused by hormone problems.

An endocrinologist can review your test results and any symptoms. Depending on your diagnosis, you may need:

• Hormone therapy: If you have an underactive thyroid, your endocrinologist may suggest taking synthetic thyroid hormone to help your body get to normal levels.
• Medication: Some medicines, such as anti-thyroid medications and radioactive iodine, can help prevent the thyroid from making too much hormone.
• Surgery: In some cases, surgery to remove the thyroid may be necessary, especially if you cannot tolerate medication, have benign nodules, large goiters or have thyroid cancer. Depending on the type of surgery, you may need to take synthetic thyroid hormones for the rest of your life. Your endocrinology team works with MultiCare ear, nose and throat surgeons to coordinate your care.