Every human being has a thyroid gland. It is located above the trachea. It looks like a butterfly in the middle of our throats. This incredible yet small organ plays an important role in our body, because this is where our hormones are produced. Which obviously means the thyroid gland regulates the amount of energy and vitamins the body absorbs and excretes.

But like any normal body organ a thyroid gland also may cause sever damage to the body. Thyroid problems happen when there is a huge amount of irregularity in the production of the hormones. This may lead to serious repercussions to the rest of the human body. There are two types of thyroid problem; they are called hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.

Hypothyroidism happened when the thyroid gland doesn't produce enough hormones for the body. People suffering from this condition experience slow metabolism, fatigue and goiter. Hyperthyroidism is exactly the opposite, the metabolism is faster and the body excretes too much energy.

You may not know it but you might be suffering from a thyroid problem unknowingly. So how do we as common people diagnose a thyroid problem? Here are some simple steps you can follow to help save lives:

Step 1: Look for symptoms

Hypothyroidism ? symptoms include: fatigue, constipation, easily feels cold, dry skin, lack of appetite, deeper voice and sometimes hair fall and depression.

Hyperthyroidism ? symptoms may appear as: insomnia, nervousness, unusual sweating, increase lost of weight, frequent bowel movement and difficulty in concentrating similar to confusion.

Step 2: If you feel the symptoms, study your medical history. Finding the root cause of the disease will make it easier for you to find the appropriate treatment.

Here are some causes of thyroid problems:

Hyperthyroidism ? Graves disease, pituitary gland problems, toxic adenomas and subacute thyroiditis.

Hypothyroidism ? Hashimoto's thyroiditis, removal of thyroid gland, too much iodide in the body and exposure to lithium.

Step 3: Be sure to seek medical help especially if the condition have worsen. Look out for these symptoms as well: shortness of breath, vomiting, abdominal and chest pain, high irritability level, confusion and coma.

Step 4: As soon as you seek professional care, make sure you are ready to take a series of test that will determine the status of your thyroid problem.

Step 5: Prepare to know the results of you test. There are two distinct ways to diagnose if a patient has hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. For hyperthyroidism, your thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) serum is lower compared to the standard. While for hypothyroidism, the TSH is higher than the normal rate.

Step 6: If your result matches any one of the two types, you better seek medication or treatment. Treatment will depend on how severe the problem may be. There are different treatments available so you don't need to fret.

Thyroid problems may cause harsh damages to the body, but it is one of the easiest diseases to cure. We recommend that you research and consult your doctor regularly, to avoid abnormalities in the body.