Thyroid disease
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The thyroid gland is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located in the front of the neck, below the larynx. The thyroid produces hormones that regulate the body's metabolism and organ function. Its hormone influences essentially every organ, tissue and cell in the body.
The thyroid gland operates as part of a feedback mechanism involving the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland. First, the hypothalamus sends a signal to the pituitary gland through a hormone called thyrotropin releasing hormone, or TRH. When the pituitary gland receives this signal, it releases thyroid stimulating hormone, or TSH, to the thyroid gland. After receiving TSH, the thyroid responds by releasing two of it's own hormones T4 and T3 into the bloodstream which effects the metabolism of the heart, liver, muscle and other organs. The pituitary monitors the level of thyroid hormone in the blood and adjusts the amount of THS released to change the amount of thyroid hormone in the blood.
Thyroid disorder is marked by either an underactive or overactive gland. An estimated 13 million Americans have thyroid disorders, and more than half of them remain undiagnosed...