Symptoms Of Thyroid Problems
Just below your Adam’s apple is a little, butterfly-shaped gland known as the thyroid gland. It is a part of the endocrine system, a network of glands that regulates the body’s internal processes. It is the endocrine system that governs a large portion of your body’s functions. For instance, your thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate your metabolism.
Several disorders can occur when your thyroid produces too much hormone (hyperthyroidism) or not enough hormone (hypothyroidism). There are four common thyroid disorders: Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Graves’ disease, goitre, and thyroid nodules.
Here are the signs, symptoms, and treatments of the problems as mentioned above:
Hyperthyroidism:
The thyroid gland becomes overactive in hyperthyroidism. It overproduces its hormone. About 1% of women have hyperthyroidism. It is less common in men.
Graves’ disease is one of the most common causes of hyperthyroidism, affecting roughly 70% of people with an overactive thyroid. Overproduction of thyroid hormones can be a result of thyroid nodules, also known as toxic nodular goitre or multinodular goitre.
Excess thyroid hormone production causes symptoms such as:
- restlessness
- nervousness
- irritability due to a racing heart
- increased sweating
- tremors, anxiety, difficulty sleeping, and thin skin
- brittle hair and nails muscle weakness
- weight loss
- bulging eyes (in Graves’ disease)
Treatment of Hyperthyroidism:
Thyroid hormone (thyroxine, or T4) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels in the blood are measured by a blood test. The pituitary gland releases TSH to stimulate thyroid hormone production. A high level of thyroxine and a low level of TSH indicate that your thyroid gland is overactive.
Your doctor may also administer radioactive iodine by mouth or injection and then assess how much of it your thyroid gland absorbs. Your thyroid takes in iodine for it to produce hormones. A high intake of radioactive iodine indicates that your thyroid is overactive. The low level of radioactivity dissipates quickly and is not harmful to most people.
Treatments for hyperthyroidism either destroy or inhibit the thyroid gland’s ability to produce hormones.
- Methimazole (Tapazole) and other antithyroid medications prevent the thyroid from producing hormones.
- When your thyroid gland absorbs iodine, it also absorbs radioactive iodine, which damages the gland.
- Your thyroid gland can be removed surgically.
You will develop hypothyroidism if you have radioactive iodine treatment or surgery that destroys your thyroid gland, and you will need to take thyroid hormone daily.
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis:
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is also known as chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis. Women in their 40s and 50s are the most prone to get this condition. When the body’s immune system attacks and gradually destroys the thyroid gland, the illness occurs.
Some people with mild Hashimoto’s thyroiditis may not exhibit any obvious symptoms. The disease can be stable for years, and the symptoms are frequently subtle. They’re also non-specific, which means they can mimic symptoms of a variety of other diseases. Among the symptoms are:
- fatigue \depression \constipation
- mild weight gain dry skin dry, thinning hair pale, puffy face heavy and irregular menstruation cold intolerance
Treatments for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis:
When screening for any thyroid disorder, the first step is often to measure TSH levels. When you experience any of the symptoms listed above, your doctor may order a blood test to check for elevated TSH levels and low thyroid hormone levels (T3 or T4). Because Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease, the blood test would also reveal abnormal antibodies attacking the thyroid.
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis has no known cure. Hormone replacement therapy is frequently used to increase thyroid hormone levels or decrease TSH levels. It can also help to alleviate the disease’s symptoms. In rare advanced cases of Hashimoto’s, surgery to remove part or all of the thyroid gland may be required. Because the disease progresses slowly, it is usually detected early and remains stable for years.
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above, I suggest you book an appointment with an endocrinologist and get tested.
Graves’ disease:
Graves’ disease was named after the physician who first described it over 150 years ago. Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disorder that occurs when the body’s immune system attacks the thyroid gland by mistake. As a result, the gland may overproduce the hormone that regulates metabolism.
The disease is hereditary and can occur at any age in men and women, but it is much more common in women aged 20 to 30. Stress, pregnancy, and smoking are also risk factors.
When there is a high thyroid hormone level in your bloodstream, your body’s systems speed up, resulting in hyperthyroid symptoms. These are some examples:
- anxiety \iirritability \fatigue
- Hand tremors, an increased or irregular heartbeat, difficulty sleeping, diarrhea, or frequent bowel movements
- menstrual cycle disruption
- goiter, bulging eyes, and vision issues
Treatment for Graves’ disease:
Exacerbating symptoms of metabolic syndrome include a quick pulse, bulging eyes, and elevated blood pressure. Your doctor will conduct blood tests to rule out Graves’ illness to look for high T4 and low TSH. A radioactive iodine absorption test can assess how quickly your thyroid absorbs iodine.
The immune system signaling the thyroid gland and leading it to overproduce hormones has no cure. However, Graves’ disease symptoms can be managed in numerous methods, typically in combination:
If you can’t tolerate antithyroid medicines or radioactive iodine, surgery to remove your thyroid gland is a permanent alternative.
Treatment for hyperthyroidism generally causes hypothyroidism. After that, you’ll need to take hormone replacement therapy. Untreated Graves’ illness can cause heart difficulties and brittle bones.
FAQs
What are the early signs of thyroid problems?
- Gastrointestinal problems.
- Mood changes.
- Weight changes.
- Skin problems.
- Sensitivity to temperature changes.
What symptoms of thyroid problems in females?
- Increased sensitivity to cold.
- Dry skin.
- Weight gain.
- Puffy face.
How to get tested for thyroid problems?
A hormone blood test is the only way to diagnose a problem accurately. The thyroid function test measures TSH and T4 levels in the blood. Doctors call it “free” T4 (FT4).
