The thymus gland has an important role in the immune system. If the thymus gland does not work properly, then cancer cells and various types of microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi, will easily attack your body.
The thymus gland is a gland located in the center of the chest cavity, behind the breastbone and between the lungs. It is shaped like a small tube and consists of two parts that are the same size. The thymus gland changes in size with age.
During childhood and adolescence, the thymus gland will be more active and will be larger in size. When entering adulthood, this gland will shrink, and in the elderly, almost all of the thymus gland tissue will be replaced with fatty tissue.
Thymus Gland Function
The thymus gland is an important part of the lymph system (lymphatic system) in the body. One of the important tasks of the thymus gland for health is to produce white blood cells called T-lymphocytes or T cells.
These cells are part of the immune system that functions to fight cancer cells and microorganisms that cause infection, including various viruses, such as the Corona virus, that enter the body.
To maintain your health, T-lymphocytes do not work alone. These cells are assisted by other white blood cells called B-lymphocytes. B-lymphocytes are produced by the spinal cord in the body.
These white blood cells are in charge of detecting certain substances, foreign objects, and microorganisms that are considered harmful in the body, and then producing antibodies to fight them.
In addition to T-lymphocytes, the thymus gland also produces hormones thymosin which serves to support the work of T-lymphocytes in fighting infection and cancer cells. Several types of hormones, such as insulin and melatonin (sleep hormone), are also produced by this gland, but in small amounts.
Although quite rare, the thymus gland has the potential to develop cancer. Cancer of the thymus gland is called a thymoma. Sometimes this disease is asymptomatic, but if it gets worse, this thymoma disease can cause several symptoms, such as:
- Chest pain
- Hard to breathe
- Chronic cough
- Difficulty swallowing
- Hoarseness
- Weight loss
- Tired easily
- Swelling in the face and arms
Keep Thymus Gland Healthy dari Now!
Implementing a healthy lifestyle is the most practical and effective way you can do to maintain the health of your organs, including the thymus gland. To keep your immune system and thymus gland healthy, you can do the following:
- Eat a balanced nutritious diet.
- Exercise regularly.
- Do not smoke and avoid consuming alcoholic beverages.
- Maintain ideal body weight.
- Drink more water.
- Reduce or avoid things that can trigger stress.
- Get enough sleep.
In addition to undergoing some of the healthy habits above, regular medical check-ups also need to be done to ensure the health of the immune system, including the thymus gland. Because as you get older, your risk for experiencing problems with the thymus gland will be higher.
Problems that can arise include a gland that does not decrease in size with age, abnormal functioning of the thymus gland, or abnormal white blood cell levels.
The doctor will usually perform a physical examination and investigations, such as blood tests to find out whether your thymus gland is producing the right amount of white blood cells or not.
To determine whether the shape of the thymus gland is normal or not, the doctor may also suggest other investigations, such as X-rays, and CT scans, or chest MRI.