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This week on Bodytalk, in association with Spire Hartswood Hospital, Jules Bottazzi chatted to two consultants – Dr Eltayeb Marouf, consultant endocrinologist, and Mr Mrinal Saharay, consultant surgeon – about thyroid disease, its causes, diagnosis and treatment. The two consultants work closely together to treat thyroid disease, one from an physician’s point of view, one from a surgeon’s.

Dr Marouf explained the differences between an underactive and overactive thyroid and how both can be treated with medication. Occasionally, someone suffering from thyroid disease needs surgery, which is where Mr Saharay comes in, and he talked about the great advances made in surgery so that a complex operation such as removing the thyroid gland can now be done with just an overnight stay at Spire Hartswood.

We also discussed thyroid cancer, which is extremely rare (it accounts for 1% of all cancers) and very treatable. As always, early detection is essential, and if you have any concerns about anything you heard on tonight’s show, do visit your GP.

For further information on treatments available at Spire Hartswood Hospital, please visit www.spirehartswood.com.