How to check the thyroid? Which doctor checks the thyroid?

The largest endocrine gland in the human body is the thyroid gland. It is in front of the neck and looks like a butterfly in appearance. The thyroid gland consists of two lobes and an isthmus connecting them.

Thyroid function

To understand that there are problems that an endocrinologist should deal with, not everyone can do it on their own. And to monitor the condition of this body is necessary. After all, the thyroid gland is involved in the production of thyroid hormones, such as triiodothyronine and thyroxine. They are also called T3 and T4, respectively.

The hormones produced are regulated by the supply of energy to the cells of the whole body, which is spent on maintaining vital activity. It goes to ensure breathing, work of the heart muscle, blood circulation, thermoregulation.

But this is not all thyroid function. It also produces the hormone calcitonin. It regulates the exchange in the body of elements such as phosphorus and calcium. He is responsible for the growth of bone tissue and affects the calcium metabolism that passes inside the cells.

Symptoms of problems

If you do not like to go to doctors and are unlikely to go to the endocrinologist just for preventive examination, then you need to know on what grounds it is worth suspecting problems. To begin to find out how to check the thyroid gland, what tests need to be done in this case, it is necessary in the following cases.

If you notice that you become more irritated, cry, sweat excessively, you have a shiver in your hands, a paroxysmal heart palpitations, sleep disturbances, then it is advisable to visit an endocrinologist. These are signs of thyrotoxicosis - intoxication of the body with an excessive amount of thyroid hormones.

And hypothyroidism can not be manifested in any way. But often with insufficient thyroid function there is a decrease in working capacity, fatigue, there is a feeling of cold, the skin turns pale and becomes dry. Also, people notice a decrease in appetite, but the weight starts to increase.

Necessary research

If you notice a malfunction in the work of your body, then you should think about how to visit a doctor. For a start, you can go to the therapist, he will be able to tell you which doctor is testing the thyroid gland, and if necessary, give him a referral. These problems are the endocrinologist.

The specialist can already conduct a full-fledged examination of the thyroid gland. It begins with a routine examination of the neck and palpation of the indicated gland. By the way, everyone can carry out this research at home. It is important only to understand how to check the thyroid itself. It can be felt on the surface of the neck, it is located in the region of the thyroid cartilage of the larynx. You can feel it if you place your fingers in the indicated place on both sides of the larynx and lightly massage. Soft and elastic tissue - this is the thyroid gland. Normally, it should be the size of the nail phalanx of the thumb.

After the study, even if no pathologies were found, the doctor may recommend more carefully checking the thyroid gland. What tests are needed for this, he will tell. So, you need to donate blood to hormones T3 and T4. Also an important diagnostic test is to determine the amount of thyroid-stimulating hormone pituitary - TSH. It does not apply to thyroid, but it can indicate certain problems with the thyroid gland.

Blood tests

Analyzes allow to understand, whether there are problems in work of endocrine system of an organism. For this, it is enough to know from an endocrinologist how to check the function of the thyroid gland. He, in turn, should give you a direction for delivery of TTG, T3 and T4. But, in principle, it is quite informative to determine the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone. It is produced in response to the number of T3 and T4. Therefore, if TTG is normal, it signals that the level of other hormones is not distorted.

But in most cases, doctors recommend taking all the hormones in the complex. In fact in case of deviations or rejections TTG to you it is not necessary to find out anew how to check up work of a thyroid gland, and to go to hand over a blood repeatedly.

Interpretation of results

If all the hormones fit within the limits of the norm, then you have no cause for concern. But even an insignificant way out of at least one of the results should alert you. In this case it is necessary not only to find out how to check the thyroid gland, but also to visit the endocrinologist again. Only a specialist can make a diagnosis by evaluating the results of laboratory tests.

For example, if the T3 or T4 level is too low, then TSH increases. The pituitary body in this way tries to stimulate the thyroid gland, forcing it to increase the production of these hormones. But the overestimated level of thyroid hormones, on the contrary, leads to a drop in the value of TSH. In terms of T3 and T4, the doctor can already tell you what kind of disorder you have: thyrotoxicosis or hypothyroidism. In addition, taking into account the values obtained, the severity of abnormalities in the thyroid gland is assessed. These indicators also provide an opportunity to assess the impact of the prescribed treatment on a person. So, for example, if it was possible to compensate for thyrotoxicosis, then during the first month, TSH may be decreased, but the values of T3 and T4 decrease and fall within the normal range.

Definition of diseases

As already mentioned above, there are certain patterns of the ratio of hormones in the body. If you have already figured out where you can test the thyroid, passed all the necessary tests and got results, then you can try to interpret them.

The reduced function of the thyroid gland will be spoken by a combination of a lowered or normal level of hormones T3 and T4 with increased TSH. This pattern can be traced to primary hypothyroidism.

Also, the worsening of the thyroid gland is indicated by a decreased level of T3 or T4 in combination with a decrease in TSH. This situation occurs with secondary hypothyroidism.

But if the amount of T3 and T4 exceeds the norm, with the value of TSH reduced, it means that it is a question of hyperthyroidism and an increase in thyroid function.

Preparation for the delivery of tests

If the endocrinologist gave you a referral, he also had to tell not only where to check the thyroid gland, but also how to prepare for the survey. Venous blood is necessary for its carrying out. It is taken in the morning on an empty stomach. At the same time after the last meal should take at least 8 hours. But it's better if the break is 12 hours.

If on the examination and palpation the doctor noticed certain problems, then simultaneously with the delivery of tests, you can still make an appointment for an ultrasound examination of the thyroid gland. A comprehensive approach will immediately reveal all the problems.

It is also important to know that against the background of taking thyroxine medications, it makes no sense to check T3 and T4. But the level of TTG will be indicative. On it you can determine how treatment works on the patient.

Ultrasound examination

If you received disappointing results of the tests, you will also need to go for ultrasound. With the help of it, the structure of the gland is studied, pathological formations are revealed, and its sizes are estimated. It is important to carry out this examination in dynamics to see how the specified organ reacts to the prescribed treatment.

Evaluating the picture on the screen of the monitor, the doctor checking the thyroid gland can detect even minor changes in the tissues of the organ being examined. If they have been identified changes in the structure or visualized nodules, then observation in dynamics is simply necessary. This will help prevent more serious problems. After all, the nodes located in the thyroid gland, with the combination of a number of unfavorable factors, can be malignant - to degenerate into a malignant tumor. On ultrasound it is necessary to go immediately, as soon as you feel pain or notice the enlargement of the gland.

Hypothyroidism

Enough often, endocrinologists in their practice are faced with a deficiency of thyroid function. The disease can be asymptomatic at first, but over time, everyone notices a feeling of weakness, constant lethargy and drowsiness, puffiness. But, unfortunately, not always such symptoms cause people to think about how to check the thyroid gland. They write off bad health on the weather, space storms and other factors.

But if you ask for help in time, then all these problems in the body can quickly be eliminated. Choosing the right dosage of the hormone thyroxin allows you to achieve rapid compensation of the disease. At first, the level of TTG should be monitored monthly. If the deficiency of thyroid hormones can be compensated, then in time it is enough to take TTG once a year.

Hypothyroidism in children

If in adults the weakening of thyroid function causes only poor health, then in children these hormones are responsible for physical and mental development. Therefore, if you notice a change in the behavior of the child, it is advisable to find out how to check thyroid hormones in children, and if necessary, carry out such a study. But in the beginning, of course, it is necessary to visit the endocrinologist. He can recommend a cardiogram. Given that the failure of the thyroid gland leads to irretrievable changes in both mental and physical development of the crumbs, it is necessary to monitor its condition. It is also important to notice the congenital forms of hypothyroidism in time.

Thyrotoxicosis

Excess thyroid hormones are no less dangerous than their deficiency. Noticing the increased irritability, increased heart rate, increased sweating, it is better to go to an endocrinologist for a consultation and check the level of thyroid hormones. If it appears to be elevated, it is important to find a competent specialist who knows the treatment regimens with which you can compensate for thyrotoxicosis.

The situation is complicated by the fact that modern pharmacology has not yet developed antidotes that can eliminate the thyrotoxic crisis - a condition in which the amount of hormones in the blood increases substantially. Treatment in this case is aimed at detoxification of the body. Of course, in the initial stages, there is still an opportunity to compensate for this disease, but the situation becomes more complicated if it is already started.

Methods for treating excess thyroid hormones

If the work of the endocrine system has failed, then without timely and competent therapy can not do. That's why it's so important to know how to check the thyroid and what kind of doctor to turn to if you have problems.

Three methods can be used to treat thyrotoxicosis:

• Taking thyreostatics, for example, the drug "Mercazolil" or its analogues;
• Surgical removal of the thyroid gland;
• Radioiodine destruction of tissues.

The drug "Mercazolil" will help only if the disease was detected in the early stages. After all, it is capable of blocking the production of new hormones, but it can not deactivate the previously released hormones. In this case, it negatively affects the liver and can lead to cirrhosis. Therefore, the drug "Mercazolil" is used only to compensate for the disease. After that, in most cases, the question of the need for removal of the thyroid gland nevertheless arises. On the territory of the post-Soviet countries, only surgical intervention is practiced.

Thyroid nodes

One of the serious problems faced by permanent patients of an endocrinologist is the determination of the tactics of action for the appearance of any formations in the tissues of the thyroid. They can be detected with a conventional ultrasound examination.

In most cases, in a doctor's office, patients will learn that they have benign nodes. But it is impossible to find out whether they are reincarnated as malignant. That's why doctors in a number of cases recommend that they be removed. Of course, it makes no sense to lie under the knife of a surgeon with a small education, in such cases it is better to just visit the ultrasound room regularly and remember how to check the thyroid gland. But if the site is more than 3 cm in diameter, then the question of the need for surgical intervention is raised. In addition to the size, the doctor should evaluate its density and duration of existence. But in any case, no one can force a patient to remove a benign education, this issue is decided by the doctor together with the patient.