Thyroid Diseases

Your thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located in the front of your neck. The thyroid makes hormones that impact everything from your energy levels to your heart rate. Thyroid disease can develop when the gland produces too much or too little thyroid hormone. You may start to feel sluggish, notice skin or hair changes, or experience depression.

If you have thyroid disease, a MultiCare endocrinologist can help restore your thyroid function and offer continued follow-up care to help you manage your condition. Managing thyroid disease is a lifelong commitment, but most patients can maintain good quality of life with the right treatment plan.

Types of thyroid disease

• Hyperthyroidism, also called overactive thyroid, means your thyroid produces more hormone than your body needs. It can eventually lead to goiter, when the thyroid gland gets very large and looks like a large lump in the neck. Symptoms include a fast or irregular heartbeat, having problems sleeping and losing weight despite feeling hungry.
• Hypothyroidism, also called underactive thyroid, occurs when your thyroid does not produce enough thyroid hormone. You might feel tired or depressed, gain weight, or notice dry skin.
• Thyroid cancer occurs when cancer cells grow inside the thyroid gland. Most thyroid cancers grow slowly and can be treated.
• Thyroiditis is a term applied to any condition that damages thyroid cells and causes the thyroid to become inflamed. It can be caused by viruses, bacteria, certain medications and medical treatments. Thyroiditis can also be autoimmune, meaning the immune system attacks the thyroid by mistake.

How thyroid disease is diagnosed

Thyroid disease can be hard to pinpoint because symptoms are similar to other conditions. Generally, if your doctor suspects thyroid disease, he or she will order a blood test that measures thyroid hormone levels. If your levels aren’t in normal ranges, you may need other tests.

In most cases, your primary care provider will do the blood tests. If he or she thinks you may have a thyroid disease, you’ll be referred to an endocrinologist, a doctor who specializes in conditions caused by hormone problems.

Treatment options for thyroid disease

An endocrinologist can review your test results and any symptoms. Depending on his or her diagnosis, you may need:

• Hormone therapy: If you have an underactive thyroid, your endocrinologist may suggest taking synthetic thyroid hormone to help your body get to normal levels.
• Medication: Some medicines, such as anti-thyroid medications and radioactive iodine, can help prevent the thyroid from making too much hormone.
• Surgery: In some cases, surgery may be necessary. Your endocrinologist may recommend surgery to remove the thyroid, especially if you cannot tolerate medication or have thyroid cancer. Depending on the type of surgery, you may need to take synthetic thyroid hormones for the rest of your life.

The thyroid and parathyroid glands, located at the base of the neck, produce hormones vital for regulating metabolism and calcium levels. Disorders arise when these glands release too many or too few hormones. 

Your endocrinology team works with ENT surgeons, providing a comprehensive approach to the management of complex thyroid and parathyroid disorders. Access to advanced diagnostic technologies — including molecular (genetic) testing — helps ensure an accurate treatment plan. When surgical treatment for a thyroid or parathyroid condition is required, we offer a full range of surgical procedures, from minimally invasive techniques to operations for metastatic and invasive cancers. 

Thyroid and parathyroid conditions we treat 

• Thyroid nodules or masses 
• Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) 
• Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) 
• Hyperparathyroidism 
• Hypoparathyroidism