Thyroid diseases are common and affect a small gland in the front of your neck called the thyroid.
This butterfly-shaped gland makes hormones that control how your body uses energy, grows, and develops. When the thyroid isn’t working right, it can cause health problems.
One major cause of thyroid disease is an autoimmune disorder. In these disorders, the immune system, which is supposed to protect you, accidentally attacks your thyroid. Two common types are Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and Graves’ disease.
Hashimoto’s causes the thyroid to slow down (hypothyroidism), while Graves’ speeds it up (hyperthyroidism). These diseases often run in families, and things like stress, infections, or chemicals might trigger them.
Another big cause is not getting enough iodine. Iodine is a mineral your thyroid needs to make hormones. If you don’t get enough, the gland can swell up (this is called a goiter), and you can develop hypothyroidism.
This is more common in places where the soil and food don’t have much iodine. To help, many countries add iodine to table salt.
Thyroid nodules are lumps that form inside the thyroid. Most are not dangerous, but some can make too much hormone, leading to hyperthyroidism. In rare cases, nodules can be cancer. These are more common in women and older people, especially if they’ve been exposed to radiation or had goiters in the past.
Sometimes, the thyroid becomes inflamed—a condition called thyroiditis. This can happen because of viruses, medications, or autoimmune problems. It can cause temporary hyperthyroidism and later lead to hypothyroidism. It’s often missed because the symptoms are easy to confuse with other problems.
Your genes also matter. If someone in your family has a thyroid issue, you are more likely to have one too. Scientists have found certain genes linked to thyroid problems, and this helps doctors diagnose and treat the disease early.
Lifestyle choices can affect your thyroid too. Smoking increases the risk of Graves’ disease, possibly because of the harmful chemicals in tobacco. Stress and a poor diet can also hurt your thyroid. Stress can upset your hormones, and not eating enough of the right nutrients can keep your thyroid from working properly.
Recently, scientists have been studying how pollution and chemicals in the environment may affect the thyroid.
Things like pesticides, industrial waste, and heavy metals might damage the gland or trigger autoimmune diseases. While research is still ongoing, experts recommend avoiding exposure to these harmful substances as much as possible.
Even though thyroid diseases can affect your daily life, they can be treated. Regular doctor visits and blood tests can help catch problems early. Treatments include medicine, healthy habits, and sometimes surgery.
To sum up, thyroid diseases can be caused by autoimmune problems, lack of iodine, nodules, inflammation, genes, lifestyle choices, and pollution. Learning about these causes can help people take better care of their thyroid and their overall health.
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