Hyperthyroidism

What Is Hyperthyroidism? Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and More

Kristeen Cherney, PhD
By 医学评论
Reviewed:
Medically Reviewed
Hyperthyroidism, also known as overactive thyroid, is a type of thyroid disease that occurs when thethyroid glandoverproduces hormones.

甲状腺位于脖子的底部激素that affect your metabolism (how the body uses energy) and other processes. When these hormones are overproduced, many of the body's functions speed up. People with an overactive thyroid may experience rapid heart rate, sudden weight loss, hair loss, and numerous other symptoms.


Though it may be a challenge to pinpoint the甲状腺功能亢进症的原因, once it’s determined, the disorder can be effectively treated.

Common Questions & Answers

Can you die from hyperthyroidism?
While hyperthyroidism itself isn’t fatal, it can lead to life-threatening complications when left untreated. These primarily involve your heart and may include arrhythmia, high blood pressure (hypertension), cardiac arrest, and congestive heart failure.
Is an overactive thyroid serious?
过度活跃的甲状腺是严重的健康状况，因为它会给主要身体系统（尤其是心脏）带来压力。甲状腺功能亢进症是可以治疗的，但是如果未被诊断或治疗不足时，它可能会导致心脏问题以及骨质疏松症。
甲状腺机能亢进的TSH水平是什么?
Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) is the most sensitive hyperthyroidism test. The normal TSH range can vary between labs, but generally is between 0.4 and 4 milliunits per liter (mu/l). While hyperthyroidism means your thyroid is in overdrive, a low TSH level indicates the disorder. TSH readings under 0.4 mu/l and high T4 hormone readings may, too.
当您患有甲状腺功能亢进时，您会感觉如何？
Hyperthyroidism makes you feel like you're in overdrive and restless, while also feeling fatigued and anxious at the same time. You may sweat more due to heat sensitivity, and you might experience a pounding heart coupled with tremors. You may have trouble falling asleep, too.
其他家庭成员是否有甲状腺功能亢进的风险？
这取决于您的甲状腺功能亢进是否与自身免疫性疾病有关。患有坟墓疾病的人往往会看到其家庭自身免疫性疾病的发生率更高，但不一定是甲状腺功能亢进。

What’s the Difference Between Hyperthyroidism and Hypothyroidism?

While hyperthyroidism indicates an overactive thyroid,甲状腺功能减退症means your thyroid is underactive, or not producing enoughthyroid hormone。这symptoms of hypothyroidismare often the opposite of hyperthyroidism — instead of a revved-up metabolism, you will instead experience symptoms related to a sluggish metabolism.

Both conditions can cause fatigue and hair loss, but people with hyperthyroidism may experience weight loss, missed periods, and anxiety, while those with甲状腺功能减退症experience weight gain, depression, and heavy menstrual cycles.

甲状腺功能减退症也比甲状腺功能亢进症更为普遍，在美国，大约有20人中有1人。与甲状腺功能亢进症一样，在女性中也更加普遍。

诊断和treating hypothyroidismis a bit more straightforward: If your doctor sees you don’t have enoughthyroid hormonesin your lab work, she will put you onthyroid hormonereplacements, such as合成型（左甲酰胺）。

On the other hand, hyperthyroidism can be a bit more challenging to control and treat — you may end up developing hypothyroidism after treatment. Once your doctor has diagnosed hyperthyroidism though, you can be on your way to recovery.

Learn More About the Difference Between Hyperthyroidism and Hypothyroidism

Signs and Symptoms of Hyperthyroidism

Symptoms of hyperthyroidism可以类似于其他健康问题，使情况难以诊断。在60岁以上的人中，有时可能会误诊为抑郁症或痴呆症，因为老年人可能不会表现出甲状腺功能亢进症的经典症状。

Older adults, as well as people who takeβ受体阻滞剂, are less likely to be diagnosed than younger adults. Beta-blockers in particular may mask symptoms.

Hyperthyroidism causes many functions in your body to speed up. People who have this condition may at first think they’re justbob bet体育 或紧张。这可能会导致诊断延迟。

People with hyperthyroidism may experience the following symptoms:

  • Sudden weight loss that’s not intentional
  • An increase in appetite
  • Nervousness
  • Increased压力andanxiety
  • Heart palpitations
  • Increased heart rate
  • Sweating and tremors
  • bob bet体育 difficulties
  • 疲劳（通常来自insomnia)
  • Heat sensitivities
  • 皮肤变薄
  • Hair loss or brittle hair
  • Frequent bowel movements
  • Changes in menstrual cycles, including missed periods
  • 肌肉无力，最著名的是大腿和上臂

  • Blurry vision
  • Bulging or protruding eyes
Overall, the symptoms of hyperthyroidism are similar in children and adults.

Learn More About the Signs and Symptoms of Hyperthyroidism

甲状腺功能亢进的原因和危险因素

这following are the most common causes of hyperthyroidism.

Graves’ diseaseThis autoimmune disorder is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. WithGraves’ disease, your body stimulates the thyroid tissue to become overactive. This condition can also lead to Graves’ ophthalmopathy, which affects tissues and muscles behind the eyes. Graves’ disease can be hereditary, and it’s more common in women.

甲状腺炎Also known as an inflamed thyroid gland, this condition can be painless or painful. Thyroid dysfunction may be temporary or permanent. Painful thyroiditis is often preceded by a viral illness. Women are at a higher risk of painless thyroiditis in the year following pregnancy, a condition called postpartum thyroiditis.

甲状腺结节 结节are typically noncancerous growths within the thyroid. These lumps on the thyroid can become “toxic,” meaning they produce too much thyroid hormone. In time, this can lead to hyperthyroidism.

甲状腺结节可能是孤独的或倍增。

A high-iodine diet这re’s no shortage of iodine in the American diet. While this mineral is necessary in small amounts, excess iodine (which can happen when a medication such as胺碘酮被采取）可能导致甲状腺功能亢进。甲状腺功能亢进的原因很少。

Top Risk Factors for Developing Hyperthyroidism

甲状腺功能亢进源于许多遗传，环境或个人健康因素。发展甲状腺功能亢进的最常见危险因素包括：

  • Being female, as thyroid conditions are more prominent in women
  • Having an autoimmune disease (includingtype 1 diabetes)
  • Having a family history of Graves’ disease or other自身免疫性疾病
  • Hypothyroidism that’s overtreated (too much thyroxine medication)

Learn More About the Causes and Risk Factors for Hyperthyroidism

Common Medications That Can Lead to Thyroid Dysfunction

Aside from overtreatment of hypothyroidism with thyroxine, other medications may also increase your risk of hyperthyroidism.

这se include:
在某些情况下，服用biotin supplementmay also lead to false-positive hyperthyroid lab results. Too much biotin, exceeding the recommended 30 micrograms (mcg) per day, may lead to an incorrect hyperthyroid diagnosis because your labs may show artificially high T3 and T4 hormones and low TSH.

如何诊断甲状腺功能亢进？

为了诊断甲状腺功能亢进，您的医生可能会执行以下测试和程序。

Physical examFirst, your doctor may feel the base of your neck to see if your thyroid gland is swollen or enlarged. She may also check to see if you have tremors, bulging of the eyes, overactive reflexes, and a rapid heart rate.

Blood tests Thyroid disordersare commonly diagnosed with a验血。您的医生将测量甲状腺激素甲状腺素（T4）的血液水平，以及垂体激素称为thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH )。With hyperthyroidism, you will likely have high T4 butlow TSH levels。Your doctor may also order a验血to measure another thyroid hormone, triiodothyronine (T3), as well as thyroid antibodies, which the body makes when the immune system mistakenly attacks the thyroid (as is the case with Graves’ disease).

放射性碘摄取和甲状腺扫描This is used to determine how much iodine your thyroid takes up and at what rate hormones are produced. The radioactive iodine uptake test is done by taking a small amount of radioactive iodine and using a noninvasive device called agammaprobe to check the thyroid up to 24 hours later.

甲状腺占用的碘的数量和分布可以帮助指示甲状腺功能亢进的原因。
UltrasoundsTo get an even better view of your thyroid gland, your doctor may order an超声。

Prognosis of Hyperthyroidism

In general, hyperthyroidism progresses slowly, but the rate can be different in younger people. This age group may see their symptoms develop quickly.

甲状腺功能亢进后，您将需要检查您的thyroid levels经常。这样可以确保您的甲状腺释放适量的激素。在某些情况下，treating hyperthyroidismcould lead to hypothyroidism. With proper treatment, you can restore your thyroid to normal function.

重要的是要看医生是否出现任何新症状，并按照规定的治疗计划遵循。根据2019年3月发表的一项研究Thyroid，未经治疗（且治疗不足）的甲状腺功能亢进的持续时间增加了甲状腺过度活跃的患者心血管疾病的风险。

Duration of Hyperthyroidism

这duration of hyperthyroidism depends on the underlying cause. For many people, hyperthyroidism is a chronic, or lifelong, condition. Once it's treated, you must recheck your thyroid levels to ensure you’re getting the correct amount of medication. For example, if you take anti-thyroid drugs, your doctor may decrease the dosage over one to two years, but you may need the medications for several years.

In the case of thyroiditis, hyperthyroidism may be more short term, lasting about three months. After this time, you may develop hypothyroidism that can last at least a year, sometimes becoming permanent.

Treatment and Medication for Hyperthyroidism

An overactive thyroid gland is more difficult to control than an underactive one. With the latter, treatment usually involves taking hormones to make up for the missing amounts. But it can be more challenging to stop the thyroid gland from making too much hormone, as seen in hyperthyroidism.

你的整体治疗方案可能取决于你的年龄and the severity of your condition. The following treatments are effective for hyperthyroidism.

Medication Options

Anti-thyroid drugs are often the first treatment measure for hyperthyroidism caused by excess thyroid, especially in children. The purpose of anti-thyroid drugs is to stop the thyroid gland from making too much hormone. You may take these medicines for at least a year, and it may take a few months for your symptoms to start improving. Examples of anti-thyroid drugs includeTapazole (methimazole） 和ptu（丙曲霉).

由甲状腺过量产生引起的甲状腺功能亢进症的另一种方法是服用放射性碘。它是用嘴吸收的，它会收缩甲状腺以消除过度活跃的细胞。与抗甲状腺药物一样，放射性碘的作用至少可能需要几个月的时间才能开始。这种治疗方法的缺点是，您可能会发展甲状腺功能减退症作为副作用。如果是这种情况，您需要服用甲状腺激素替代品，例如左甲状腺素。

在某些情况下，您的医生可能会规定β受体阻滞剂以减轻甲状腺功能亢进症状，例如hypertension，心率增加，呼吸症和震颤。这些药物实际上并不能治疗甲状腺功能亢进症本身，因此您的医生可能建议一旦甲状腺水平提高，您的医生可能会缓解β受体阻滞剂。

Surgery Options

Athyroidectomyis a type of surgery that is used to remove the thyroid gland in an effort to treat hyperthyroidism caused by excessive production of thyroid. With a partial thyroidectomy, one half or a small portion is removed. A full thyroidectomy can result in permanent hypothyroidism, for which you’ll need to take hormone replacements for life. If your surgeon removes the parathyroid glands, you may also need to take calcium supplements.

非处方选项

有些患有坟墓疾病的人最终会发展出坟墓的眼科病，这会影响眼睛。控制坟墓疾病也可以帮助控制眼睛症状，但也可以使用其他治疗方法。这些包括人造眼泪减轻眼睛干燥,皮质类固醇减少眼睛炎症，以及肿胀或视力丧失的辐射。手术是另一种可能性，包括骨骼和肌肉手术。Graves眼科治疗的目的是减轻眼睛症状，同时还可以防止并发症，例如视力丧失。

Integrative and Complementary Approaches

虽然DIY天然家庭疗法经常被吹捧为甲状腺疾病治疗，补充剂，草药等，也不努力治疗过度活跃的甲状腺。在某些情况下，与碘一样，这些方法可能弊大于利。

Learn More About Treatment for Hyperthyroidism: Medication, Alternative and Complementary Therapies, Surgery Options, and More

Diet and Lifestyle Tips for Managing Hyperthyroidism

While you can’t fix hyperthyroidism via natural remedies,健康的饮食and lifestyle measures can help ease hyperthyroid symptoms.

Your diet affects all aspects of your health, and what you do (and don’t) eat can also affect your thyroid gland. As a rule of thumb, you should eat whole foods as much as possible. Your doctor may also recommend a low-iodine diet, especially if you are scheduled to start radioactive iodine treatments. Too much iodine can interfere with hyperthyroidism recovery by increasing the amount of iodine your thyroid gland or any “hot” nodules (nodules that are producing excessive thyroid hormone) take up, and thereby increase thyroid hormones. Iodine is prevalent in foods from the ocean, as well as dairy, processed meats, and packaged foods.

Since hyperthyroidism can cause unintentional weight loss in some people, your doctor may recommend adding more protein to your diet or taking nutritional supplements. This ought to be done with caution though, as you are likely to gain weight back naturally once your condition is properly treated.

Regular low- to moderate-intensity exercise can help ease symptoms of hyperthyroidism. It can reduce feelings of anxiety and nervousness, while also helping yousleep better晚上。加强运动可以帮助减少骨质流失的机会，这有时会因坟墓疾病而看到。

这key is to start off slow. Exercise that’s too intense can cause trouble, especially if you have heart palpitations from hyperthyroidism.

甲状腺功能亢进和心理健康

Finally, relaxation andbob bet体育 可以在治疗任何疾病，尤其是甲状腺功能亢进症方面大有帮助。

您的压力越多，您的症状可能就越严重，尤其是anxietyand fatigue.

了解有关甲状腺功能亢进症的饮食和生活方式技巧的更多信息

预防甲状腺功能亢进

甲状腺功能亢进不是可预防的疾病。如果格雷夫斯疾病在您的家庭中流行，您会有更大的风险，即产生过度活跃的甲状腺并需要长期治疗。

如果您在怀孕期间或之后发展甲状腺功能亢进，您的病情可能持续几个月，随后您可能会发展甲状腺功能减退症。

It’s important to focus on your individual risk factors for hyperthyroidism and to see your doctor for a blood test if needed.

Complications of Hyperthyroidism

甲状腺疾病是可以治疗的。关键是要尽早诊断它们以防止长期并发症。甲状腺功能亢进并不是威胁生命的。但是，如果不进行治疗，甲状腺过度活跃会导致严重的并发症。

Complications of untreated hyperthyroidism include:

Heart-health issues在一些与甲状腺功能相关的最严重的并发症中，您的心脏健康有关。甲状腺激素过多会使您的心脏更加努力，这种磨损会导致许多心脏问题。其中包括：

OsteoporosisHyperthyroidism can cause more rapidbone breakdown。In the long term, this can lead to depleted bone mass and possible fractures.

Eye-health issuesCertain forms of hyperthyroidism, such as Graves’ disease, can lead to long-term eye health problems. Graves’ ophthalmopathy is perhaps the most notable. This condition can consist of red, swollen eyes that also appear to be larger than normal. Blurred vision and sensitivity to light is also possible. When left untreated, Graves’ ophthalmopathy may lead to permanent vision loss.

Research and Statistics: Who Has Hyperthyroidism?

在美国，大约有100人中有1人患有甲状腺过度活跃。

Hyperthyroidism in women is more common than in men, but anyone can develop the condition.

在过去六个月中怀孕的妇女患甲状腺功能亢进症的风险更高。这主要是由产后甲状腺炎引起的。

Hyperthyroidism is more prevalent in people over the age of 60, especially women.

Graves’ disease — an autoimmune disorder that’s the most common cause of hyperthyroidism — affects an estimated 1 out of 10,000 children in the United States.

Graves’ disease also runs in families.

Asian and Pacific Islanders, Black People, and Hyperthyroidism

Past research has indicated that Graves’ disease tends to be more prevalent in certain communities — particularly in non-Hispanic Black people, as well as Asians and Pacific Islanders.

It’s not clear whether this prevalence is related to genetics or environmental exposures.

Related Causes and Conditions of Hyperthyroidism

Although there’s no single cause for an overactive thyroid, hyperthyroidism may occur in people with the following conditions:

Hyperthyroidism Resources We Love

最喜欢的基本甲状腺功能亢进症的组织

Hormone Health Network (Endocrine Society)

如果您新诊断出患有甲状腺功能亢进症，我们建议立即阅读内分泌社会的概述。您甚至可以将其视为一站式商店，以获取有关症状，治疗和原因的关键管理信息。作为奖励，内分泌协会有一系列建议的问题来询问您的医生，以便您可以参加下一次准备自己的预约。

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

想知道治疗副作用还是甲状腺功能亢进是遗传性的？美国国家糖尿病与消化和肾脏疾病的甲状腺功能亢进症的概述是一个很好的起点。该资源还涵盖了重要的有关甲状腺功能亢进症的信息和怀孕。

美国甲状腺协会

美国甲状腺协会是一个经度gest-serving thyroid organizations around, so it’s no wonder we’ve picked this resource for their expertise. Bookmark this hyperthyroidism review article for information on diagnosis, treatment, symptoms, and causes of the condition. You’ll find yourself better equipped to talk to your doctor at your next appointment.

Favorite Integrative Sources for Hyperthyroidism

美国甲状腺协会(ATA)

As with many other chronic health conditions, hyperthyroidism can’t be cured with alternative remedies alone. Still, some complementary treatments may help alleviate your symptoms. If you’re curious about complementary hyperthyroid treatments, read up on what the American Thyroid Association has to say, and talk to your endocrinologist for more information.

最喜欢的甲状腺功能亢进在线支持网络

Drugs.com

尽管我们发现了许多与甲状腺健康有关的博客，但Drugs.com是为甲状腺功能亢进症患者提供在线网络的少数几个地方之一。在这里，您可以发布问题并为需要建议的其他甲状腺功能亢进症患者提供有用的见解。当您在那里时，您可以阅读一些来自Drugs.com的甲状腺功能亢进症的最新新闻。

坟墓疾病和甲状腺基金会

This resource aims to educate people about Graves’ disease. Topics you can read up on include general treatments, anti-thyroid drug experiences, symptom relief, complications, and more.

Favorite Sites for Hyperthyroidism Diet Advice

Harvard Medical School

For quick and easy-to-follow diet pointers, check out this handy guide from Harvard Medical School. Here you can learn about the roles that fiber, iodine, fats, and carbs all play in your thyroid health. We also consider this a good starting point for discussing your dietary needs with your endocrinologist.

EndocrineWeb

If you’ve got the basics down, now it’s time to learn more about what specific foods may help your hyperthyroidism. Endocrine Web’s slideshow covers the five must-have foods to add to your grocery cart for potential hyperthyroid relief.

Favorite Hyperthyroidism Apps

Breathe2Relax

Not only is hyperthyroidism associated with anxiety, but managing it can be increasingly stressful over time. For on-the-go de-stressing approaches, the free app Breathe2Relax, which you can download on theApp Store然后Google Play, has you covered. Its program teaches a stress-busting tool called diaphragmatic breathing and offers expert tips on how to elongate your breath. Stress management is key to managing any chronic illness, including thyroid disease.

Favorite Clinical Trial Outreach

EndocrineWeb

Are you looking for a way to participate in clinical research groups for your condition? With your endocrinologist’s consent, you may be able to participate in selected studies in your area while gaining potential treatment. Bookmark the above link from the Endocrine Web to stay updated on all active clinical trials pertaining to hyperthyroidism.

Learn More About Resources for Hyperthyroidism

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