The clinical name for someone suffering from an overactive thyroid is hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism affects eight times more women than men. This is a thyroid disorder that involves the over production of the thyroid hormone, thyroxine.
 
The thyroid gland is found in the neck area and is wrapped around the trachea just below the ‘adams apple’. Its job is to produce a hormone which is mainly responsible for metabolism and energy.

One of the most common symptoms of an overactive thyroid is goiter; this is quite often visible as a swelling in the neck area as the thyroid gland swells. Other common symptoms include but are not limited to:  unexplained weight loss, diarrhea, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, panic attacks, excessive sweating etc.

The list of symptoms of an overactive thyroid is large and varied; so investigation by a doctor should always be the first step if you suspect that you or someone you know could have a thyroid disorder.

An overactive thyroid in teenagers could mistakenly be diagnosed as anorexia due to the unexplained weight loss which is usually accompanied by a reduced appetite. If you have an anorexic teenager, it would be a good idea to ask your doctor to carry out a blood test in order to rule out an overactive thyroid.

If you have an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) and it remains untreated you run the increased risk of developing heart problems such as cardiomyopathy, angina and heart failure. Pregnant women have an increased risk of complications like miscarriage, low birth weight and even possibly congenital abnormality. There is also an increased risk of osteoporosis.

However, with successful treatment most of the increase risks are minimized. Treatment usually involves taking medication to reduce the production of the hormone thyroxine. The treatment will take a while to work because it is not effective for the hormone that has already been produced but it will decrease the further production of the hormone thyroxine.

Careful monitoring is required to establish the correct dosage for each individual. Another method of treatment for an overactive thyroid is radio active iodine treatment and is usually offered to post menopausal women and men over the age of 45. This treatment is carried out in specialist centers and is very safe.

If, due to an overactive thyroid, you develop a large and unsightly goiter, an alternative treatment option would be surgery. The surgery involves removing part of the thyroid gland. This is usually a safe operation; however all surgery requiring anaesthetic carries a small risk.

The causes of an overactive thyroid are not entirely clear. However, studies have shown that there are possible environmental (such as smoking, stress and some types of medication) and hereditary influences that contribute to hyperthyroidism.