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Hyperthyroidism Center - Abilene, TX

Abilene Endocrinologist Doctors for Hyperthyroidism

Type of Physician: Endocrinologist

What is a Endocrinologist?

A subspecialty certification by the Board of Internal Medicine; practitioners treat disorders of the internal (endocrine) glands such as the thyroid and adrenal glands. Endocrinology also deals with disorders such as diabetes, metabolic and nutritional disorders, pituitary diseases, and menstrual and sexual problems.

Specialty: Endocrinology

Common Name:

Endocrinologist Doctors in Abilene *

Frederick A White MD
Frederick A White
2125 Pine St
Abilene, TX 79601
(325) 677-5201

Abilene, Texas

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Abilene, Texas
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Hyperthyroidism

What is hyperthyroidism?

Hyperthyroidism is a condition in which an overactive thyroid gland is producing an excessive amount of thyroid hormones that circulate in the blood. ("Hyper" means "over" in Greek). Thyrotoxicosis is a toxic condition that is caused by an excess of thyroid hormones from any cause. Thyrotoxicosis can be caused by an excessive intake of thyroid hormone or by overproduction of thyroid hormones by the thyroid gland. Because both physicians and patients often use these words interchangeably, we will take some liberty by using the term "hyperthyroidism" throughout this article.

What are thyroid hormones?

Thyroid hormones stimulate the metabolism of cells. They are produced by the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is located in the lower part of the neck, below the Adam's apple. The gland wraps around the windpipe (trachea) and has a shape that is similar to a butterfly formed by two wings (lobes) and attached by a middle part (isthmus).

The thyroid gland removes iodine from the blood (which comes mostly from a diet of foods such as seafood, bread, and salt) and uses it to produce thyroid hormones. The two most important thyroid hormones are thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) representing 99.9% and 0.1% of thyroid hormones respectively. The hormone with the most biological activity (for example, the greatest effect on the body) is actually T3. Once released from the thyroid gland into the blood, a large amount of T4 is converted to T3 - the more active hormone that affects the metabolism of cells.

Thyroid hormone regulation--the chain of command

The thyroid itself is regulated by another gland located in the brain, called the pituitary. In turn, the pituitary is regulated in part by thyroid hormone that is circulating in the blood (a "feedback" effect of thyroid hormone on the pit...

Recommended Reading Related to Hyperthyroidism

Fine-Needle Aspiration Biopsy of the Thyroid »

What are thyroid nodules?

The thyroid gland is found in the neck just below the "Adam's apple." This gland is responsible for producing thyroid hormone, which is an important hormone that stimulates the metabolism of the body. Between 4% and 7% of people in the United States have lumps (or nodules) in their thyroid gland that can be felt on examination. Like many things, the thyroid gland gets "lumpier" as we get older and the frequency of these nodules increases with age. In fact, many are found incidentally during routine examinations or radiology testing. Thyroid nodules are also more common in women than in men. In fact, ultrasound studies have found that up to one in every three women has at least one thyroid nodule that may be too small to notice. (Usually, a nodule needs to be greater than one centimeter in diameter for it to be felt.). Interestingly, because women have so many more nodules than men, the incidence of detected cancer is higher in women then in men by...

Emergency Contact for Abilene

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Abilene Hospitals *

Hendrick Health System
1900 Pine St
Abilene, TX 79601
(325)670-2000

Acadia Abilene Psychiatric Center
4225 Woods Pl
Abilene, TX 79602
(325)698-6600

Abilene Regional Medical Center
6250 Highway 83-84 at Antilley Rd
Abilene, TX 79606
(325)428-1000

Anson General Hospital
101 Ave J
Anson, TX 79501
(325)823-3231

Stamford Memorial Hospital
1601 Columbia St
Stamford, TX 79553
(325)773-2725

North Runnels Hospital
7821 E Highway 153
Winters, TX 79567
(325)754-4553

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