Hyperthyroidism treatment can be broken into three categories: medicines reducing the effects of hyperthyroidism or impairing thyroid function, radioactive iodine treatment to destroy the gland, or surgical removal of all or part of the thyroid gland. Part of best hypothyroidism treatment consideration is dependent on the causes of the condition. Common causes include Grave’s disease, a hot thyroid nodule, viruses, or taking too many thyroid hormone supplements. Transient hyperthyroidism causes usually warrant the least aggressive forms of treatment.
With temporary hyperthyroidism, physicians usually opt for hyperthyroidism treatment that alleviates symptoms, without changing hormone production. If a person has accidentally or purposefully taken too much thyroid hormone for several days they may experience fatigue, insomnia, tremors, palpitations, irritability, and shortness of breath, among other symptoms. A primary goal is to reduce short-term discomfort by reducing the thyroid hormone and adding medications like beta-blockers.
Viruses can also cause brief hyperthyroidism. Since this is a temporary condition, it is not medically sound to destroy or surgically remove part of the thyroid gland. As with overdose of thyroid hormone, virus-induced high thyroid levels may best respond to medications that alleviate the side effects of high thyroid. Essentially, in most temporary hyperthyroid states the best hyperthyroidism treatment is medication.
High thyroid levels can be a permanent state, especially if a person has Grave’s disease or if part of the thyroid gland contains a nodule that is causing thyroid overproduction. These, too, may be treated with medications, but they are not treated with beta-blockers. Instead, drugs like propylthiouracil halt thyroid production, but continued use of such a drug is required and they may have side effects.
Alternative and more permanent hyperthyroidism treatment is often preferred. With Grave’s disease, the recommendation is typically to destroy the thyroid gland completely with radioactive iodine treatments. This is thought to pose little risk to the rest of the body because only thyroid cells absorb the radiation. It’s also an outpatient treatment.
If the cause is an overactive nodule, radioactive iodine isn’t always the first choice since it destroys the entire thyroid gland. Instead, surgery to remove the nodule could be a better option. Once the thyroid gland is destroyed, a person needs lifetime thyroid supplementation. Removing a part of the gland may, but does not always, prevent this need. Total removal, surgically or via radiation, of the thyroid gland is typically considered for hypothyroidism treatment only if physicians feel that the damage to the gland is so significant that more conservative measures would not preserve function or make a difference.
With these options, patients and physicians can determine the best possible hyperthyroidism treatment. If patients seek a specific treatment, they can discuss it with doctors or get a second opinion that concurs with their own. Just as doctors do, patients must consider cause when determining likelihood of a medical intervention being effective.
