It’s common for people to confuse the conditions hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. While both conditions are related to how much hormone the thyroid gland produces, each describes a different problem with the thyroid. We review the differences below.
What Is Hyperthyroidism?
Hyperthyroidism describes when your thyroid is overactive – it produces too much thyroid hormone. Symptoms of hyperthyroidism include:
- Fatigue
- Weight changes
- Feeling hot
- Diarrhea
- Hair loss
- Increased sweating
- Light, short periods
- Racing heart
- Nail thickening and flaking
- Anxiety
- Bulging or puffy eyes
- Muscle weakness
- Insomnia
There are many potential causes of hyperthyroidism, including:
- Autoimmune disease. Approximately 70% of cases of hyperthyroidism are caused by Graves’ disease.
- Nodules. These are abnormal growths of thyroid tissue that can cause increased hormone secretion.
- Thyroiditis. When you first start to experience this condition, it can cause a spike in hormone production.
- Overmedication. Taking too much thyroid medication to treat hypothyroidism can cause hyperthyroidism.
- Iodine spike. You can develop temporary hyperthyroidism if you have low iodine levels and suddenly increase your intake.
What Is Hypothyroidism?
Hypothyroidism describes when your thyroid gland is underactive—it doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormone. Symptoms of hypothyroidism include:
- Fatigue
- Weight gain
- Feeling cold
- Constipation
- Hair loss
- Decreased sweating
- Heavy, irregular periods
- Slow heart rate
- Brittle nails
- Depression
- Puffy face
- Body pain
- Insomnia
Some of the many causes of hypothyroidism include:
- Autoimmune disease. This includes Hashimoto’s disease and atrophic thyroiditis.
- Surgical removal. The thyroid may be removed due to cancer, nodules or Graves’ disease.
- Radiation treatment. This may be used to treat cancer or other conditions.
- Congenital problems. In rare cases, a baby can be born with a partial or missing thyroid.
- Thyroiditis. This describes inflammation of the thyroid.
- Certain medications. This includes Pacerone (amiodarone), Lithobid (lithium), Intron A (interferon α), Proleukin (aldesleukin or interleukin-2) and checkpoint inhibitors like Yervoy (ipilimumab).
- Iodine deficiency. Iodine is crucial for a functioning thyroid.
- Pituitary gland damage. This gland tells your thyroid to produce hormones.
Treatment for Hyperthyroidism & Hypothyroidism
Both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism are treated with medication or surgery. Hyperthyroidism is treated with antithyroid drugs, beta-blockers and radioactive iodine, while hypothyroidism is treated with Thyroxine (T4) replacement and sometimes added T3 replacement. For more information or to schedule an appointment with a thyroid expert, call ENT & Allergy Specialists – Ear Nose and Throat Physicians and Surgeons today.