The term “thyrotoxicity” simply means that abnormally high levels of thyroid hormone in the body are causing a toxic reaction also referred to as “hyperthyroidism”. While the majority of hyperthyroid conditions are a result of auto-antibodies that stimulate excessive thyroid hormone levels, there are a number of other causes as addressed in the subheadings that follow.
Temporary Thyroiditis
Some people experiencing viral infections or pregnancies will have a resulting inflammatory reaction in their thyroid glands called “thyroiditis”. Some cases manifest with a painful thyroid gland (sub-acute) while others do not (silent) but the majority of temporary thyroiditis conditions start with a phase of hyperthyroidism. Treatment for high levels of thyroid hormone is usually not necessary since the condition will resolve on its own over several weeks period of time. Treatment may only require bed rest and anti-inflammatory drugs for fever and thyroid inflammation.
Over-consumption of Iodine
People taking drugs that contain high-iodine content or who consume an excessive amount of iodine-rich foods such as kelp (seaweed) or supplements that contain higher-than-recommended daily allowances of iodine can cause hyperthyroidism to be induced. In these cases, if the excessive iodine intake does not trigger an autoimmune response, causing permanent hyperthyroidism, the treatment would simply be to discontinue use of the products containing high levels of iodine.
Hot Nodules
Thyroid nodules are tumor-like growths that can develop within the thyroid gland. The majority of them do not affect thyroid hormone levels but a small percent can present as “hot nodules”. This means the nodule has taken on features similar to thyroid gland tissue and is absorbing iodine coming into the body and producing thyroid hormones from it. This adds more thyroid hormone production to what the gland is already normally producing, causing the levels to become abnormally high.
Treatment for hot nodules may include surgical removal of them or removal of part of the thyroid gland (partial or sub-total thyroidectomy or lobectomy) or of the entire gland (total thyroidectomy). Once thyroid tissue is removed via a corrective procedure, thyroid hormone replacement may also become necessary afterward, as a life long treatment.
Over-treated Hypothyroidism
Thyroid hormone replacement therapy is administered by an oral dose of T4 or combination T4 and T3 prescription thyroid hormone medication. The dose is then monitored through follow-up blood retests of the hormone levels in the patient’s body. If a dose is too high and over-replacement is occurring, medication-induced thyrotoxicity can occur. The treatment would be to reduce the patient’s dose and to possibly stop the dose temporarily so that their thyroid hormone levels decrease back down into the normal values range. Afterward the corrected dose-level would also need to be monitored via blood retests and at reasonable intervals throughout the patient’s life.
Thyroid Autoimmunity
Graves’ disease is the autoimmune cause of progressive hyperthyroidism in which auto-antibodies stimulate excessive production of thyroid hormones. Hashitoxicosis is also an autoimmune cause of hyperthyroidism but in this case, patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis that typically causes progressive hypothyroidism (under-active) will first see the condition manifest with a phase of temporary hyperthyroidism.
Most patients experiencing Hashitoxicosis will not have additional flares of the condition once it initially resolves, although some do experience milder fluctuations in thyroid hormones due to flares of thyroiditis (phases of increased inflammation). In rare cases, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis will transition over to Graves’ disease but most patients remain hypothyroid and require life-long thyroid hormone replacement therapy.
Treatment for cases of hyperthyroidism from Graves’ disease may include anti-thyroid drugs to reduce elevated thyroid hormone levels, beta-blocker medications to reduce hyperthyroid symptoms and possible eventual thyroid removal by surgery (thyroidectomy) or destruction of the gland by radioactive iodine (ablation).
Jim Lowrance - James M. (Jim) Lowrance has authored over 100 book and ebook publications since year 2004.
