Some of the symptoms of hyperthyroidism include: Increased heart beat, weight loss, heat intolerability, tremors, anorexia, dyspnoea, palpitations, hyper-relexia, muscular weakness, alopecia, amenorrhea, loss of libido, fatigue, gynaecomastia and increased thirst.

In more than 90% of the cases, the cause of hyperthyroidism is Graves’ disease along with a multinodular goiter or autonomously functioning thyroid nodule. Around 1 in 500 pregnant women may have high levels of thyroid hormone. Hyperthyroidism may affect a woman’s ability to become pregnant.

Diagnosis can be done easily with a blood test indicating high levels of T3 and T4 and/or an unusually low level of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). A radioactive iodine uptake (RAIU) scan may also be done.

There is no cure to Graves’ disease though for hyperthyroidism there are treatments available including:

• Anti-thyroid drugs
• Radio-active iodine, also known as radio-iodine 131

These substances help reduce the amount of thyroid hormone secreted by the thyroid gland.