The thyroid is a gland located at the base through the neck. It is used to make the hormones triiodothyronine and thyroxine, but it can secrete too much of them, which is called hyperthyroidism. The disease causes various symptoms, which are sometimes difficult to detect. Health insurance has identified them, but it specifies that “If hyperthyroidism is incipient or not very severe, these symptoms are not present at all and are less marked.”. Some of them appear on the face.
Facial symptoms of hyperthyroidism
Hormones produced by the thyroid play a role in the functioning of the epidermis, the surface layer of the skin. In hyperthyroidism, there are changes in the appearance of the skin, such as shiny, warm, moist skin, itching, facial flushing, rashes, or hyperpigmentation.
Additionally, health insurance emphasizes that hyperthyroidism can cause “Abnormal protrusion of the eyes outside the orbit (called exophthalmos), associated with retraction of the eyelids resulting in fixed gaze; It is more or less clearly present in Graves’ disease.. It is an autoimmune disease that causes overproduction of thyroid hormones, the most common form of hyperthyroidism.
In addition to the face, certain parts of the body may be subject to changes in the appearance of the skin, including thickening of the front of the leg, called pre-tibial edema.
Other symptoms of hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism can cause other symptoms because the hormones produced by the thyroid play a role in the functioning of most organs in the human body. Some of the most common include sudden weight loss, increased heart rate, shortness of breath during exercise, anxiety, irritability, fatigue, trouble sleeping, excessive sweating, and tenderness. increase in heat. Patients with hyperthyroidism may also experience digestive problems such as diarrhea and increased frequency of stools, decreased muscle mass, hand tremors, or even irregular periods.
Consequences of hyperthyroidism
Left untreated, hyperthyroidism can have serious health consequences. It can cause increased heart rate, high blood pressure, eye problems such as optic nerve damage, congestive heart failure and thyrotoxic crisis, characterized by fever, palpitations, dehydration and weakness and confusion. It is a potentially fatal complication that requires immediate hospitalization. Hyperthyroidism can lead to osteoporosis or fertility problems.
Treatment for hyperthyroidism may include medications to control thyroid hormone production, medications to relieve symptoms, or surgery to remove all or part of the thyroid gland. The choice of treatment depends on the severity of the hyperthyroidism and its cause.
