The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped organ in the neck, slightly above the collarbone. The gland has two side lobes, which are adjoined by an isthmus in the middle. The thyroid gland has many blood vessels and the nerves that control the voice quality also pass through it.

The thyroid gland is a part of your glands that produce hormones for various regulatory functions. These are classified as thyroid hormones. One of the crucial hormones the thyroid produce is thyroxine, also called T4 that controls your heartbeat, metabolism, growth and development, and body temperature while in infants, thyroid hormones are held responsible for brain development.

Thyroid disorders can range from a small, harmless goiter to life-threatening cancers later in life. The most common complication is the abnormal production of thyroid hormones. If your body has started producing too many thyroid hormones, it is called hyperthyroidism, while hypothyroidism, is inadequate production of hormones.