Treatment and Prevention
The usual treatment for hypothyroidism is thyroid hormone replacement therapy. With this treatment, synthetic thyroid hormone is taken by mouth to replace the missing thyroid hormone. Treatment is usually lifelong.
Hyperthyroidism can be treated with iodine (including radioactive iodine), antithyroid medications or surgery.
Radioactive iodine can destroy parts of the thyroid gland. This may be enough to get hyperthyroidism under control. In at least 80% of cases, one dose of radioactive iodine is able to cure hyperthyroidism. However, if too much of the thyroid is destroyed, the result is hypothyroidism. Radioactive iodine is used at low enough levels so that no damage is caused to the rest of the body. It isn't given to pregnant women because it may destroy the thyroid gland of the developing fetus.
Larger doses of regular iodine, which does not destroy the thyroid gland, help block the release of thyroid hormones. It is used for the emergency treatment of thyroid storm, and to reduce the excess production of thyroid hormones before surgery.
Antithyroid medications (propylthiouracil* or methimazole) can bring hyperthyroidism under control within six weeks to three months. These medications cause a decrease in the production of new thyroid hormones by the thyroid gland. Larger doses will work more quickly, but may cause side effects including skin rashes, nausea, loss of taste sensation, and, very rarely, a decrease of blood cell production in the bone marrow.
Surgical removal of the thyroid gland, called thyroidectomy, is sometimes necessary. It may be required if there are cancerous nodules; if a non-cancerous nodule is causing problems breathing or swallowing; if the person cannot take radioactive iodine or antithyroid medications, or if these do not work; or if a nodule that contains fluid continues to cause problems. Removing the thyroid gland leads to hypothyroidism, which must then be treated with thyroid hormone therapy for the rest of a person's life.
Beta-blocker medications such as propanolol can control hyperthyroidism symptoms such as shakiness, increased heart rate, anxiety, and nervousness. However, these won't cure thyroid dysfunction.
Treatment for thyroid cancers often involves some combination of thyroidectomy, radioactive iodine, radiation therapy, anticancer medications, and hormone suppression.
*All medications have both common (generic) and brand names. The brand name is what a specific manufacturer calls the product (e.g., Tylenol®). The common name is the medical name for the medication (e.g., acetaminophen). A medication may have many brand names, but only one common name. This article lists medications by their common names. For information on a given medication, check our Drug Information database. For more information on brand names, speak with your doctor or pharmacist.