Identifying and Treating Hyperthyroidism

Your thyroid is a tiny butterfly-shaped gland found at the base of your neck, a gland that weighs less than an ounce but plays a critical role in your body. The thyroaid produces two important hormones, thyroxine (T-4) and triiodothyronine (T-3) that maintain the rate at which your body uses fats and carbohydrates, helps control your body temperature, influences your heart rate and helps to regulate the production of protein as well as the amount of calcium in your blood.
A common disorder related to the thyroid is hyperthyroidism, which is an overactive thyroid in which your thyroid begins to produce too much thyroxine.
Once you understand what the thyroid does in your body, it is easier to understand the seemingly random symptoms of hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism symptoms include:
 

Sudden weight loss with no accompanying loss of appetite. In fact the weight-loss is often accompanied by an increased appetite
A rapid heartbeat, heart palpitations or an irregular heartbeat.
Increased sensitivity to heat
Difficulty sleeping
Thinning skin and fine brittle hair
Nervousness, anxiety and irritability
Fatigue or muscle weakness

 
Another hyperthyroidism symptom, less common than those listed above, is when the eyeballs are also affected by the disorder. This is called Graves’ ophthalmopathy and occurs when the tissues and muscles behind the eyes swell, pushing the eyeball out of its orbit. This gives the impression of large bulgy eyes and is often accompanied by excessive tearing or sensitivity of the eyes as well as light sensitivity, blurry or double vision, inflammation, or reduced eye movement.