The thyroid is located in a person’s neck and is a gland that is shaped like a butterfly. It rests just above your collarbone and is one of the endocrine glands which help to produce hormones in the body.

Thyroid hormones control the rate of many activities  in your body. These include how fast you burn calories and how fast your heart beats. All of these activities are your body’s metabolism.

Symptoms of thyroid disease include

• difficulty in swallowing
• nervousness, agitation and tremors
• mental fogginess and poor concentration
• menstrual cycle changes
• feeling bloated
• increased heartbeat and palpitations
• muscle aches and pains
• weight gain
• high cholesterol levels
• intolerance to heat
• decreased body temperature

Thyroid problems include

• goiter–enlargement of the thyroid gland
• Hyperthyroidism–when your thyroid gland makes more thyroid hormones than your body needs
• Hypothyroidism–when your thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormones
• Thyroid cancer
• Thyroid nodules–lumps in the thyroid gland
• Thyroiditis–swelling of the thyroid

To diagnose thyroid diseases, doctors use a medical history, physical exam, and thyroid tests. They sometimes also use a biopsy. Treatment depends on the problem, but many include medicines, radioiodine therapy, or thyroid surgery.