Treatment of hyperthyroidism: hormone drugs and surgery?

If hyperthyroidism is caused by inflammation of the thyroid gland, treatment is aimed at treating this inflammation. In this case, the elevated hormone levels return to normal after the inflammation has healed. Long-term treatment is not required.

If the disease is caused by Graves' disease, it is treated pharmacologically with thyrostatic medicines and beta-blockers (medicines for the heart and heart rate). In this case, the treatment is long-term. It usually takes a year to a year and a half, and an improvement can be expected after only three months.

High-dose shock therapy is chosen for thyrostatic therapy. Subsequently, the doses are reduced according to the results of the tests. Of course, if the root cause is not known, it needs to be diagnosed. Thyrostatics reduce the production of hormones.

Unless long-term medication even works, or if hormone levels return to normal, definitive surgery is the best solution. It consists of removing the thyroid gland. This removal is also technically referred to as thyroidectomy.

After surgical removal, a person is at risk of hypothyroidism, which is a deficiency of thyroid hormones. And so it is necessary to supply the hormones artificially to the body immediately. An alternative to removal is radioactive iodine therapy, which captures the thyroid gland and thus acts locally. This type of treatment is not suitable for pregnant women.

In treatment, it is necessary to limit physical activity, of course, also to eliminate mental strain. The speed and effectiveness of treatment are individual. The time is different for each person. It can be weeks or even months. That is why it is important to persevere in treatment and not interrupt it.