Hyperthyroidism: symptoms of the disease

The most common diseases of the thyroid gland are endemic goiter, hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. Symptoms of these diseases are quite specific, they can be easily detected even with normal examination.

Hyperthyroidism is often called thyrotoxicosis or Graves' disease. This is a chronic disease of the thyroid gland, the basis of which is its hyperfunction, hyperplasia and hypertrophy.

Hyperthyroidism refers to polyethyological pathology, that is, its causes can be caused by different causes, but the main one is acute or chronic psychotrauma, as well as the recently transferred infectious diseases, the situation of which may be hyperthyroidism. Symptoms of the disease are divided into general, local, from the side of individual systems of the body.

Local symptoms of the disease include changes in the thyroid gland. Depending on the development of pathology, there are several degrees of enlargement of the gland. Normally, the thyroid gland is not visible when viewed and not palpated. With an increase in the thyroid gland, at first it is only palpable, later becomes visible on the neck during swallowing, then it is seen in the usual state (without swallowing), and with a significant increase in iron changes the shape of the neck.

Especially typical for hyperthyroidism are eye symptoms. These include exophthalmos, that is protrusion of eyeballs from orbits, to which periorbital edema of soft tissues, photophobia, lachrymation can be attached. In addition, symptoms are determined: Stelvaga (rare blinking), Delrymple (wide opening of the eyes), Mobius (disruption of eye convergence), Gref (lagging of the upper eyelid from the iris of the eye when looking down).

Especially important are changes in the heart that cause hyperthyroidism. Symptoms are associated with an increase in the load on the heart muscle. Patients complain of a constant heartbeat, sometimes irregularities in the work of the heart, dyspnoea with physical exertion. When the examination reveals tachycardia, extrasystole, sometimes atrial fibrillation, increased blood pressure. Changes in the heart with severe forms of thyrotoxicosis can lead to the development of heart failure.

No less typical are changes in the nervous system. Patients report rapid fatigue, irritability, tearfulness, a feeling of constant internal tension, difficulty in communicating, inability to concentrate, excessive sweating, a tendency to depression. An objective examination determines nervousness, emotional lability, increased excitability, fussiness. Typical for these patients is the symptom of Marie - a small tremor of the fingers of elongated arms, closed eyelids, and in severe cases and the whole body, which is called the symptom of the "telegraph pole".

Causes of hyperthyroidism symptoms of disorders in the digestive tract. Patients often have abdominal pain, a tendency to diarrhea, an increased appetite. In severe disease, the development of chronic thyrotoxic hepatitis is possible.

Signs of hyperthyroidism develop in 0.1% of pregnant women. In the presence of hyperthyroidism, in the first half of pregnancy there is an exacerbation of the disease, and in the second there is a clinical improvement in the condition. Hyperthyroidism and pregnancy can be accompanied by a risk of spontaneous abortion, miscarriage, stillbirth. In the third trimester of pregnancy, premature birth is possible. Exacerbation of hyperthyroidism is possible not only during pregnancy, but also during lactation, in connection with which it is recommended to reduce it. In 80-90% of cases with timely and proper treatment in pregnant women with hyperthyroidism absolutely healthy children are born.