Understanding Your Thyroid
A small gland in the neck that sets your body’s pace.
What is it
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland at the front of the neck. It makes thyroid hormone, which acts rather like a thermostat for your metabolism, influencing your energy, weight, heart rate, temperature, mood and digestion.
When the thyroid makes too little hormone the body slows down, a state called hypothyroidism. When it makes too much, everything speeds up, which is hyperthyroidism. Both are common and both are treatable, and they are among the conditions our specialists manage every day. The pages that follow explain each in more detail.
How it is diagnosed
Thyroid function is assessed with a blood test. The main screening test is the TSH, a signal sent from the brain to the thyroid; it rises when the gland is underactive and falls when it is overactive, which makes it a sensitive early indicator. Free T4 and T3 measure the actual circulating thyroid hormone levels and are used alongside the TSH to build a complete picture.
Antibody tests help identify autoimmune thyroid conditions, which are the most common cause of both underactivity and overactivity. Imaging with ultrasound, or occasionally a thyroid scan, is added when there is a lump to characterise or when an overactive gland needs a closer look.
Many people, however, feel entirely well in the early years, which is why testing rather than symptoms is what usually leads to the diagnosis.
How it is managed
Treatment depends entirely on whether the gland is under- or over-active, and the next two pages set out the options for each. What both share is the need for regular monitoring: thyroid blood tests guide the dose of any treatment and keep hormone levels within the healthy range over the long term.
Most thyroid conditions, once stabilised, require only occasional review. The aim is to reach a steady state where you feel well and your results are unremarkable — and then to leave things alone.
Further reading
The American Thyroid Association (thyroid.org) and the Endocrine Society patient hub (hormone.org) publish clear, reliable material for patients.
Speak with our team
Our specialist endocrinologists diagnose and manage this condition every day. Request a consultation with our team today.
