Can i have hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism

An overactive thyroid is known as hyperthyroidism, and this condition tends to affect women more than men. Around two in every women will experience some degree of hyperthyroidism. The most common cause is Graves' disease, which is due to an immune system abnormality.

Other causes of an overactive thyroid include local inflammation thyroiditis , nodules or lumps. There is no cure for hyperthyroidism, but it can be successfully managed with treatments such as anti-thyroid medication.

The thyroid gland produces the hormones thyroxine tetra-iodothyronine and tri-iodothyronine, which set the body's metabolic rate. The more of these hormones in the blood, the faster the metabolism. The hormones are referred to as T4 and T3 respectively, reflecting the number of iodine atoms in each hormone.

The body needs about mcg of iodine a day to allow the thyroid to make sufficient hormones. The pituitary gland in the brain regulates the production of the hormones by releasing a chemical called thyroid stimulating hormone TSH. The most common cause of hyperthyroidism is Graves' disease. An abnormality of the immune system is the cause. The immune system is a collection of special cells and chemicals that fight infection from foreign agents, such as bacteria and viruses.

A key element of the immune system is the antibody, which is a type of tailor-made 'poison' produced by lymphocytes white blood cells to kill a particular foreign agent.

In a person with Graves' disease, the immune system manufactures antibodies which behave like TSH and stimulate the thyroid uncontrollably. Less than one per cent of the population has Graves' disease. Eight times more women than men have this condition.

Graves' disease is more common in middle age, although children and adolescents can also be affected. No one really knows what causes Graves' disease because the causes of autoimmunity are not fully understood. Stress, both physical and emotional, is known to affect the responsiveness of the immune system and there appears to be some association between stress and the onset of autoimmune conditions - including Graves' disease.

Autoimmune conditions have a distinct genetic element, with some family lines having multiple cases of Graves' disease and other autoimmune conditions.

Learning points: Occurrence of Graves' disease after primary hypothyroidism is uncommon but possible. In this case, there was a time-lapse of almost 28 years and therefore this entity may not be as rare as previously thought. Diagnosis requires careful clinical and biochemical assessment. Initially, thyroiditis leads to overactive thyroid function because when the thyroid first becomes inflamed, it releases all its stored hormones.

So once the hormone stores are depleted, hypothyroidism develops. Its outcome depends on the type of thyroiditis, as follows. Stan goes on to explain that there are two types of thyroiditis, subacute thyroiditis and silent thyroiditis. Subacute thyroiditis is caused by a virus and includes pain that starts at the front of the neck and spreads toward the ears.

Subacute thyroiditis often resolves on its own without any lasting problems. Silent thyroiditis is a painless autoimmune condition in which the immune system attacks thyroid tissue. With this type of thyroiditis, thyroid function can go back to normal after an initial episode, but it can happen again and over time, it can turn into a long-term case of hypothyroidism. Josh Axe is on a mission to provide you and your family with the highest quality nutrition tips and healthy recipes in the world Hyperthyroidism vs.

Hypothyroidism Labs Hyperthyroidism vs. Hypothyroidism Treatment Hyperthyroidism vs. Hypothyroidism: Which is Worse? More Health Dr. Axe on Facebook 22 Dr. Axe on Twitter 0 Dr. Axe on Instagram Dr. Axe on Google Plus Dr. Axe on Youtube Dr. So once the hormone stores are depleted, hypothyroidism develops. Its outcome depends on the type of thyroiditis, as follows. Two main types of thyroiditis exist.

The first, subacute thyroiditis, involves pain that begins at the front of the neck and shoots toward the ears. Subacute thyroiditis is caused by a virus and often resolves on its own, without lasting problems. The second type, silent thyroiditis, is painless and appears to be an autoimmune disorder, in which the immune system attacks thyroid tissue.

Silent thyroiditis is most likely to occur in women during the months following pregnancy. For many people with silent thyroiditis, thyroid function returns to normal after the first episode. This type of thyroiditis can recur, though.