U.S. News and World Report talked to L.A. Care endocrinologist Dr. Joseph Wanski about "What’s the Difference Between Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism?". The piece addresses common confusion about the two medical conditions that affect the thyroid gland, which produces hormones that regulate a wide range of bodily functions.
From U.S. News and World Report:
In Greek, "'hypo' means low or below normal," says Dr. Joseph Wanski, an endocrinologist with L.A. Care Health Plan in Los Angeles. "Hypothyroidism defines the clinical condition of low or underactive laboratory levels of the thyroid hormone because the thyroid gland does not make enough" of the hormones that the body requires.
At the other end of the thyroid spectrum is hyperthyroidism, in which the thyroid becomes overactive and generates too much thyroid hormone.
Both hypo- and hyperthyroidism can be dangerous, and "if left untreated, hypothyroidism can lead to unconsciousness and death," Wanski says. On the other hand, hyperthyroidism "can cause significant weight loss, infertility, a heart irregularity called atrial fibrillation and double-vision."