THYROID DISORDERS OVERVIEW
DOSSIER
DU FRANÇAIS À L’ANGLAIS
professeur d’anglais aux écoles d’ergothérapie de Nancy et Mulhouse
A newly graduated Registered Nurse (RN) has been taken on in the Endocrinology Service. An Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) is discussing with her some aspects of Thyroid disorders.
APN : Almost all of the metabolic processes in your body are influenced by the thyroid gland through the hormones it produces. And hence, disorders of the thyroid can range from harmless goiter to life-threatening cancer. Do you happen to know what the most common problems involving abnormal thyroid are?
RN : I guess it’s that too much hormone production triggers hyperthyroidism while its insufficiency leads to hypothyroidism.
APN : Now what about symptoms of this disease?
RN : Perspiration, arrhythmia, weight loss, protruding eyes and nervousness suggest hyperthyroidism; and fatigue, weight gain and depression point to hypothyroidism. The early signs can be changes in the tolerance for hot and cold temperatures, menstrual cycle, energy level and mood and weight. But I don’t know much about the risk factors.
APN : Women are more at risk than men, and if you have a family history, you are more likely to get thyroid disorders. However there are also other risk factors like having a deleterious anemia, type I diabetes, taking medicines with iodine, being 60 or over, or if you had a previous thyroid condition or cancer.
RN : And how do we diagnose thyroid disorders?
APN : This is not always easy as the symptoms can be attributed to other health conditions, like those of pregnancy, for example. However, if properly diagnosed and treated, this disorder can be managed well. In any case, a simple and painless test can be done at the doctor’s office, where the GP can feel your neck for any growths or enlargement of the thyroid. Blood tests that measure the amount of the thyroxine, can give a good indication of the thyroid disorders. A thyroid scan can show the size, shape, or presence of nodules. And in case of hyperthyroidism, we can look for the iodine level absorbed by the thyroid.
RN : Ok. We know that medicine, like hormone replacement, can be prescribed to restore the hormone levels to normal, and that treatment can be decreased or stopped. But what about surgical procedures?
APN : For thyroid cancer, we usually proceed to thyroidectomy, either partially or totally depending on the severity of the condition. But we can also have recourse to a radioactive procedure.
COMMON PHRASES
Almost all of the metabolic processes in your body are influenced by the thyroid gland through the hormones it produces.
La quasi-totalité des processus métaboliques de l’organisme est influencée par la glande thyroïde via les hormones qu’elle produit.
Disorders of the thyroid can range from harmless goiter to life-threatening cancer.
Les troubles de la thyroïde peuvent aller d’une hypertrophie inoffensive à un cancer potentiellement mortel.
Symptoms can include arrhythmia, perspiration, weight loss, protruding eyes and nervousness (hyperthyroidism); and fatigue, weight gain and depression (hypothyroidism).
Les symptômes peuvent être : arythmie, transpiration, perte de poids, yeux exorbités et nervosité (hyperthyroïdie) ; fatigue, prise de poids et dépression (hypothyroïdie).
Women are more at risk than men, and if you have a family history, you are more likely to get thyroid disorders.
Les femmes sont plus à risque que les hommes, et si vous avez des antécédents familiaux, vous êtes plus susceptible de souffrir de troubles de la thyroïde.
It is not easy to diagnose the thyroid disorders as the symptoms can be attributed to other health conditions, like those of pregnancy.
Il n’est pas aisé de diagnostiquer les troubles de la thyroïde, car les symptômes peuvent être attribués à d’autres pathologies, comme celles liées à la grossesse.
If properly diagnosed and treated, this disorder can be managed well.
S’il est correctement diagnostiqué et traité, ce trouble peut être bien géré.
A simple and painless test can be done at the doctor’s office, where the GP can feel your neck for any growths or enlargement of the thyroid.
Un test simple et indolore peut être effectué par le médecin généraliste, qui palpera votre cou pour détecter d’éventuelles excroissances ou hypertrophies de la thyroïde.
Blood tests that measure the amount of the thyroxine can give a good indication of the thyroid disorders.
Les analyses de sang qui mesurent la quantité de thyroxine peuvent donner une bonne indication des troubles de la thyroïde.
Medicine, like hormone replacement can be prescribed to restore the hormone levels. That treatment can be decreased or stopped.
Des médicaments, telles les hormones de substitution, peuvent être prescrits pour rétablir les taux d’hormones. Ce traitement peut être réduit ou arrêté.
VOCABULARY
Harmless goiter
Hypertrophie bégnine
Life-threatening cancer
Cancer avec pronostic vital
Weight loss/gain
Perte/prise de poids
Protruding eyes
Yeux exorbités
Nervousness
Nervosité
Fatigue
Fatigue
Depression
Dépression
Mood
Humeur
Family history
Antécédents familiaux
Deleterious anemia
Anémie délétère
Iodine level
Taux d’iode
Thyroid condition
Pathologies de la thyroïde
GP (General Practitioner)
Médecin généraliste
Blood tests
Examens sanguins
Presence of nodules
Présence de nodules
Hormone replacement
Remplacement hormonal
Radioactive procedure
Procédure radioactive
Non-medical treatment
Traitement non-pharmaceutique
Immune function
Fonction immunitaire
Diet adaptation
Adaptation du régime alimentaire