The Thyroid is a word we come across on a regular basis, yet some of us are still unaware of what Thyroid is and what functions it carries out. Let’s break down this anatomy and examine it more closely.

The Whats and the Wheres!

The Thyroid is a ductless gland located in the neck that is responsible for producing the hormone thyroxine that is responsible for the growth and development of the body. An imbalance in the production and regulation of this hormone can either cause Hypothyroidism or Hyperthyroidism.

Hypothyroidism: 

In school, we were taught the differences between Hyperthyroidism and Hyperthyroidism as a mnemonic. Hypo rhymes with hippo which means obesity caused by an under active thyroid gland that does not produce sufficient amount of the hormones required to maintain metabolism, growth and development. When this happens, a person is more likely to put on weight, have less energy levels and more chances of getting into depression. The reason behind hypothyroidism is pretty simple and that is the significant reduction in the amount of iodine that a person consumes.

Hyperthyroidism:

Like hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism was taught to us as a hyper person who is always active because of which he or she is really thin and unable to hold on to fat tissues in the body. For simple understanding, it can be said that hyperthyroidism is a condition characterised by the excess production of hormones by the thyroid gland. Some of the most significant symptoms of hyperthyroidism are excess weight loss, low tolerance to heat, poor digestion, fast heartbeat and an irregular and faster heartbeat.

So now that we’ve established the differences, although through a mnemonic, it should be easy to always remember what these two conditions are and how they different.