Find Out All About Thyroid Awareness Month 2024

January is Thyroid Awareness Month, and as per the recent reports published by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the number of individuals affected with Thyroid disorder is constantly increasing. The number of women facing Thyroid disorder is even more. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in a report states that the prevalence of thyroid disorder was 2% in women and less than 1% in men (15-49 years age group). The main reason behind this increase in the number of Thyroid patients in India is the changing lifestyle. Thus, to raise awareness about Thyroid, January is celebrated as Thyroid Awareness Month. So, let’s discuss it in the section below.

Thyroid Awareness Month 2024
What is Thyroid Disorder?
- 1. Hypothyroidism
- 2. Hyperthyroidism
Tips to Manage Thyroid Effectively
Health Insurance and Thyroid Disorder
How to Observe Thyroid Awareness Month 2024
Summing Up
FAQs

Thyroid Awareness Month 2024

Tracing the history of Thyroid Awareness Month, it was in 1543, when the first anatomic description of the thyroid gland was provided. Then in 1656, Thomas Warton coined the term ‘Thyroid’ and later in 1820, iodine was found as the treatment for Thyroid. Finally, it was in 1923, that the American Thyroid Association was finally founded with an idea to educate people about Thyroid disorder. Since then, every year the month of January is observed as Thyroid Awareness Month.

This year the theme for Thyroid Awareness Month is “Nurturing Thyroid Health: Knowledge, Detection and Wellness”. During this month, the focus is on understanding the role of the Thyroid gland and the different types of disorders related to it.

What is Thyroid Disorder?

The thyroid is a small gland located in the front of your neck. Its main function is to produce hormones to regulate the overall metabolism, body temperature, heart rate, and others. If the body produces excess or deficit of this hormone then disorders related to Thyroid arise such as Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism.

1. Hypothyroidism

It is a condition in which the body produces a deficient amount of thyroid gland which ultimately leads to decreased metabolism. The symptoms of Hypothyroidism include fatigue, weight gain, and others.

2. Hyperthyroidism

In this, the body produces a higher amount of thyroid hormones which can lead to accelerated metabolism. Some of the symptoms of Hyperthyroidism are weight loss, sweating, irritation, rapid heartbeat, and others.

Tips to Manage Thyroid Effectively

There are several ways in which you can prevent Thyroid disorders. Listed below are some of the tips in which you can regulate your thyroid effectively:

Avoid eating packaged food
Lead a healthy lifestyle
Maintain a sleep routine of at least 8 hours
Exercise daily
Avoid smoking and intake of alcohol
Consult a doctor as soon as you observe any symptoms of Thyroid

Health Insurance and Thyroid Disorder

Medical expenses are constantly rising, making it very important to buy health insurance. However, people with thyroid disorders often wonder whether health insurance companies provide coverage for such disorders or not. So, the answer is YES, there are some health insurance plans available that will provide coverage for thyroid. A few companies like ICICI Lombard, Care Health Insurance, etc, have health insurance plans that cover expenses related to thyroid tests, medicines, doctor consultations, and more. So, while you are buying a health insurance plan, make sure to check whether the thyroid is covered or not, especially when you have a family history of thyroid.

How to Observe Thyroid Awareness Month 2024

Here are some of how you can observe Thyroid Awareness Month 2024 more effectively:

You should take time out to educate yourself as well as others about Thyroid. If you have a family history of thyroid, then it becomes all the more important to research about it.
Schedule regular check-ups with your doctor and get tested in case you see any symptoms of Thyroid.
Monitor your daily diet, exercise, and focus on stress management.
You can also make donations towards research that is being conducted in the field of Thyroid. This way you will be able to support Thyroid research.

Summing Up

In a nutshell, it can be said that the most effective way for thyroid treatment is its early identification. So, this Thyroid Awareness Month, educate people to get tested and educate themselves about it.