By Alva Solomon

HAVE you noticed a swelling of the front of your neck? Have you simultaneously experienced a rapid weight loss, or rapid pulse? And during this time, does your blood pressure rise rapidly?

Then you may be suffering from hyperthyroidism, a medical condition of the thyroid gland located in front of the neck. It occurs when there are too much hormones being produced by the gland creating an imbalance and visible changes to one’s physical features.

While research is still being done on the numbers, at the moment, an alarming number of Guyanese have been diagnosed with the condition, Cuban specialist, Dr Yaquelin Gozalez Ricardo told the Guyana Chronicle recently. She said that there are no published studies on the prevalence or incidence of thyroid diseases here in Guyana. The numbers of cases are in the hundreds.

“According to our experience in both public and private service, more than half of the patients who come to our clinic have thyroid diseases; hyperthyroidism being the most frequent,” the endocrinologist said.

Dr Ricardo was recruited by the authorities, and in 2016, she relocated to these shores. Being the only endocrinologist in Guyana, she faced an uphill task in gathering data on the incidence of thyroid diseases here.

The initial plan, Dr Ricardo noted, was to create the database of consultation, which covers the years between 2016 and 2019. Following this task, an investigation was approved and undertaken and she noted that “with the specific numbers we can do the necessary proposals to the hospital, public health ministry, and whatever institution is pertinent”.
Dr Ricardo explained that endocrine and metabolic diseases are among the most common that can affect humans. In recent decades, she noted there has been an increase in the prevalence and incidence of many of them, especially those related to nutrition and metabolis. To this end, she listed obesity, diabetes mellitus and thyroid diseases as the prevalent ones.

SO WHAT CAUSES  HYPERTHYROIDISM?
According to Healthline.com, a number of conditions can cause hyperthyroidism. One such condition is Graves’ disease, which is an autoimmune disorder, and the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. In this case, it causes antibodies to stimulate the thyroid to emit too much hormones. Graves’ disease occurs more often in women than in men. It tends to run in families, which suggests a genetic link.

Other causes of hyperthyroidism include thyroiditis, or inflammation of the thyroid, which causes the thyroid hormones, T4 and T3, to leak out of the gland. Tumors of the ovaries (women) or testes (men) and excess iodine in the body are also causes of hyperthyroidism.

FREQUENT COMPLAINTS
According to Dr Ricardo, there are several common, frequent complaints from patients who are suffering from the ailment. They include frequent bowel movements, the presence of a goiter or a visibly enlarged thyroid or thyroid nodules, trembling in the hands, sweating, palpitations, restlessness, heat intolerance and weight loss.
To reduce the risk of the disease, Dr Ricardo suggested that controlling the intake of iodine-rich foods may be a way to reduce the risk of hyperthyroidism. However, she said that iodine is essential to carry out the body’s metabolic processes, so any dietary restriction must have the approval and follow-up of a specialist.

She cautioned that if the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism of a patient has been attributed to another cause, such as in the case of overdose of thyroid hormones or iodinated substances , the solution would be ,”to use only the prescribed doses of iodine or when doctors prescribe them correctly.”

According to medical research, hyperthyroidism is more prevalent in women than in men. The reason behind this lies in the difference in the body’s immune system. Canadian specialist, Dr Judi Marcin noted in the Healthline magazine that women have been found to have more intense immune responses to vaccinations, trauma, and infections, when compared to men.

As such, she said that it is likely that this highly active immune system puts women at risk for thyroid disease.