What causes worsening of hyperthyroidism symptoms after radioactive iodine treatment?

Regarding the issue of symptoms getting worse after treatment for hyperthyroidism, this is indeed a topic worth exploring in depth. First of all, we need to clarify the specific process and principle of radioactive iodine treatment for hyperthyroidism. Although radioactive iodine is basically similar to iodine in daily food in biological properties, its special feature is that it is radioactive. When radioactive iodine is ingested into the body, it will be completely taken up by thyroid cells because of its thyroid cell specificity. Subsequently, these radioactive iodine will participate in the synthesis process as raw materials.

However, it is this radioactive characteristic that causes radioactive iodine to produce a short-term radioactive effect locally in the thyroid gland, thereby damaging local thyroid cells. The purpose of this process is to destroy excessive thyroid cells in a non-surgical way, thereby achieving the effect of treating hyperthyroidism. The essence of hyperthyroidism is that the activity of thyroid cells is too strong, resulting in excessive hormone secretion, which in turn causes abnormal thyroid function. Therefore, radioactive iodine treatment aims to reduce the level of hormone secretion by destroying some thyroid cells, thereby relieving the symptoms of hyperthyroidism.

However, within a period of time after treatment, patients may experience worsening of hyperthyroidism symptoms. This is mainly due to the release of a large amount of thyroxine from the damaged thyroid cells into the blood. During radioactive iodine treatment, due to the damage to thyroid cells, a large amount of thyroxine stored in the cells will be rapidly released into the blood, resulting in a transient increase in hormone levels. This process may lead to worsening of hyperthyroidism symptoms, including the appearance of typical symptoms such as palpitations, hand tremors, sweating, and weight loss.

Although this aggravation may not be serious and most patients can get through this stage by self-adjustment, for some patients who are intolerant, the symptoms may seriously affect their quality of life. In this case, the doctor may consider using antithyroid drugs to help patients relieve symptoms. These drugs can inhibit the synthesis and release of thyroid hormones, thereby reducing the symptoms of hyperthyroidism.

In addition to drug treatment, patients also need to pay attention to maintaining good living habits and eating habits to assist the treatment effect. For example, getting enough sleep, avoiding excessive fatigue, and eating a reasonable diet can all help relieve the symptoms of hyperthyroidism. At the same time, patients also need to undergo regular thyroid function tests to keep abreast of changes in their condition and adjust their treatment plans.

In summary, the reason why symptoms of hyperthyroidism worsen after treatment is that after the thyroid gland is destroyed by radioactive iodine, a large amount of thyroxine is released into the blood in a short period of time, resulting in transient aggravation of hyperthyroidism symptoms. For this phenomenon, patients and doctors need to remain vigilant and take appropriate measures in time to relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life. At the same time, with the continuous development of medical technology, more effective treatments may be available in the future, bringing better treatment effects to patients with hyperthyroidism.