Overview
Hyperthyroidism means the thyroid gland in the neck produces too much hormone, putting the whole body in overdrive — racing heart, weight loss, heat intolerance and anxiety. It may come with a visible neck swelling (goitre) or prominent eyes. Blood tests confirm it, and treatment is very effective.
Symptoms
- Racing or irregular heartbeat
- Unintentional weight loss despite good appetite
- Feeling hot and sweating excessively
- Tremor of the hands
- Anxiety, irritability or restlessness
- Neck swelling (goitre)
- Bulging or staring eyes
- Lighter or absent periods
Causes & risk factors
- Graves disease (autoimmune overstimulation)
- Overactive thyroid nodules
- Thyroid inflammation
- Excess iodine or thyroid hormone intake
Treatment & self-care
Doctors confirm the diagnosis with thyroid blood tests, then treat with anti-thyroid tablets, radioactive iodine or surgery depending on the cause and severity, often adding medicines to slow the racing heart. Regular monitoring fine-tunes the dose. Untreated hyperthyroidism strains the heart, so follow-up matters.
See a doctor urgently if
- Racing heart with weight loss and heat intolerance
- A growing neck swelling
- Palpitations with breathlessness or chest pain
- Fever, agitation and confusion in a known thyroid patient — emergency