What is Hyperthyroidism?
Hyperthyroidism makes the body speed up. It occurs
when there is too much thyroid hormone in the blood ("hyper" means "too much").
Nearly 10 times more frequent in women, it affects about 2% of all women in the
United States.
The most common cause of hyperthyroidism, Graves' disease, is caused by
problems with the immune system and tends to run in families. It affects at
least 2.5 million Americans, including Olympic athlete Gail Devers who won a
gold medal in track after being diagnosed with and treated for Graves' disease.
Symptoms include:
fast heart rate
nervousness
increased perspiration
muscle weakness
trembling hands
hair loss
skin changes
increased frequency of bowel movements
decreased menstrual flow and less frequent menstrual flow
goiter
eyes that seem to be popping out of their sockets.
The symptoms of hyperthyroidism rarely occur all at once.
However, if you have more than one of these symptoms, and they continue for some
time, you should see your doctor.
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