Home / Endocrinology / The thyroid gland in men: symptoms and treatment of the disease

About the symptoms and treatment of thyroid disease in men

The thyroid gland in men responsible for the normal functioning of the body. Released hormones have a huge impact on the function of brain, heart, blood vessels and organs of hematopoiesis, blood circulation, muscle and bone, in addition, support normal metabolic processes in a man's body. Also L-thyroxine and triiodothyronine produced by the thyroid gland, are responsible for the reproductive functions of the body. To know what symptoms to pay attention, you should understand what are the disorders and what are the most common, what symptoms they are expressed, what are the problems, consequences and predictions of these pathologies.

картинка расположения щитовидной железы

The causes of diseases

The main cause of any thyroid disease in men and changes in the level of hormones is the iodine deficiency in food. The RDI of iodine for men should be around 150 mg.

To worsen this situation can and adverse environmental conditions, increased radiation background, food with a content of carcinogens and chronic stress. In addition to exogenous factors, the condition of the thyroid gland is able to influence diseases of other organs and systems, and improper treatment and self-medication. Some violations can block the absorption of iodine. A congenital absence of the thyroid gland or genetic problems also affect hormonal balance. Thyroid disease share:

  • Elevated levels of L-thyroxine and triiodothyronine;
    • the thyroid gland produces hormones L-thyroxine and triiodothyronine in excessive quantities;
    • hyperthyroidism is not associated with increased function;
  • Hormone levels below normal;
    • primary hypothyroidism
    • secondary hypothyroidism;

Thyrotoxicosis

The term "thyrotoxicosis" in medicine involve a complex of characteristic symptoms:

  • Weight reduction while maintaining appetite.
  • Excessive sweating and sensation of heat, temperature spikes of the body.
  • The increased volume of the thyroid gland.
  • Tachycardia.
  • Increased nervous excitability.
  • Unstable stool.
  • The decline in sexual libido, reduction of potency, also sometimes there are signs of gynecomastia.
  • A constant expression of fright or anger on the face of men.
  • Tremor of hands and eyelids, and sometimes of the whole body.
  • Tibiala myxedema (the volume of the ankles increased due to edema).
  • Thickening of the phalanges of the fingers (thyroid acropathy).

All of these symptoms and signs are manifested in different ways, and their severity depends on the extent of the disease andage. Boys have more pronounced neurological symptoms, and adult men become the main manifestations of ophthalmic disorders and gastrointestinal disorders. In milder degrees of symptoms of hyperthyroidism, the doctor performs differential diagnosis of vegetative-vascular (neurocirculatory) dystonia. Hyperthyroidism of medium severity is not so difficult in diagnosis. With the development of severe degree in the process included all organ systems, and diagnosis is straightforward. Hyperfunction is characteristic of such diseases and pathologies:

  1. Diffuse toxic goiter.
  2. Plummer's Disease.
  3. Thyroiditis (inflammation) and its consequences.
  4. Excessive intake of hormonal drugs and iodine.
  5. Toxic adenoma.

Severe complication of hyperthyroidism is thyrotoxic crisis. The disease can develop at the peak of all symptoms of hyperthyroidism or if you have removed the excessive volume of the breast. If it is wrong to treat or not to treat a severe form of hyperthyroidism, the blood suddenly released a large amount of thyroid hormones and then the symptoms intensify. This is exacerbated by a deficiency of corticosteroids. Male becomes restless, increased body temperature, heart rate quickens, develops heart failure, in some cases complicated by atrophy of the liver. If adequate treatment and care is missing, the consequences can be disappointing, as increasing the symptoms and deviations from the norm (hyperfunctioning glands) lead to the development of coma and death.

Therapeutic measures

At the present time there are 3 ways of combating hyperthyroidism: conservative treatment, surgical intervention (Subtotal removal of the thyroid gland) and effects on the gland with radioactive iodine. All these effects are intended to reduce the amount of circulating thyroxine or triiodothyronine to normal. Each method has its own indications and contraindications, and how to treat a man, decided by the doctor individually for each patient based on symptoms and volume of the breast, selects therapies.

Medication

For treatment at the present time used drugs thiourea, such as "Merkazolil", "Methimazole", "Tiamazol and other medicinal substances that block the synthesis of thyroid hormones. Given the influence function of the thyroid gland on the cardiovascular system, used beta-blockers. Use of corticosteroid drugs. These substances compensate for the lack of adrenal hormones. Also, is prevention of dehydration, reduction of symptoms of nervous excitement. At the present timegradually gaining momentum in the treatment of men with thyrotoxicosis or thyrotoxic crisis with plasmapheresis both.

Surgery

A sign that the man required the assistance of the surgeon, are 3, 4 and 5 of the degree of hypertrophy of the thyroid gland, compression or displacement of trachea and esophagus, severe forms of thyrotoxicosis and the absence of effect of drug therapy.

The surgeon carries out the removal of the greater part of the gland, but leaves the land in posterolateral shares on not more than 3-5 grams, because a large mass can later give the clinical manifestations of hyperthyroidism, so-called "false recurrences". If the removal is carried out and the amount of the remaining parcels is low, you may develop hypothyroidism. Removal of the thyroid gland is able to complicated by the accession of infection and trigger inflammation, so prevention is important with antibiotics.

Radioactive iodine

It is proved that the radio-iodine gets to your thyroid, it causes destruction of cells without damaging other tissues. Due to the uneven distribution of iodine in breast tissue the therapeutic effect of the first is on the Central cell, allowing the tissues in the periphery to produce hormones. Contraindications for manipulation think:

  • Men aged less than 40 years.
  • 3, 4 and 5 of the degree of hypertrophy of the thyroid gland.
  • Disease of the liver, kidneys, ulcers of the gastrointestinal tract.
  • The location of the goiter in the chest.

The prognosis depends on timely diagnosis and initiation of adequate treatment. In the early stages of a possible recovery. A late diagnosis, and improper treatment only stimulates further growth of the disease and subsequent disability. To the problems with hyperthyroidism have not touched a man should pay attention to prevention. Prevention of hyperthyroidism is the active way of life, tempering, good nutrition and reasonable approach to the use of drugs containing iodine.

Hypothyroidism

But the shortage of thyroid hormones L-thyroxine and triiodothyronine is the basis for the development of hypothyroidism. For the first time this disorder was described in 1873 V. Gaul. Known primary and secondary hypothyroidism. Primary hypofunction is formed for the following reasons:

  1. As a complication after treatment of hyperthyroidism (removal).
  2. Tumors, infections, inflammation and others.

Secondary hypothyroidism may develop as a consequence of inflammation, a destructive process or trauma of the pituitary or hypothalamus. Due to lower concentration of thyroid hormones in the blood slow down all kinds of metabolism in the male body.

Earlier hypothyroidism was observed mainly in women. But in the last decadethere had been a marked increase in autoimmune diseases, the boundaries between age and gender within began to fade, and autoimmune thyroid disease in men began to meet as often as the women, regardless of age. Symptoms varied, but most often there are complaints:

  • Lethargy and fatigue.
  • The sleep disturbance.
  • Hair loss.
  • Swelling of the face and extremities.
  • Pain in area of heart, shortness of breath, bradycardia.
  • Decreased libido and impotence.
  • Frequent constipation.
  • A constant feeling of cold.
  • The deterioration of memory.

Therapeutic measures


The main treatment of hypothyroidism is replacement therapy. The treatment begins with a careful selection of the doses of thyroxine or triiodothyronine, as the consequences can be unpredictable. A lot depends on a man's age and how long the treatment is thyroid. Myocardium is very sensitive to thyroid hormones, so the adaptation to replacement therapy will be long and treat the pathology will be paying attention to the symptoms of the reaction of the heart muscle. But the first signs of effectiveness of treatment manifest itself in the end of the first week of therapy. Attentive to their health, timely prevention and the implementation of the instructions of the doctor may be the key to successfully get rid of many diseases.