Common Signs of Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough of the thyroid hormone.
The thyroid gland controls the body's energy, making it a very important part of the endocrine system.
The thyroid itself is a small, butterfly shaped gland in the front neck.
The thyroid makes and secretes hormones that control the way the body uses energy.
Problems with the thyroid affect the entire body.
The most common symptom of hypothyroidism is feeling tired and weak.
If hypothyroidism is not treated it can cause raised levels of cholesterol and increase the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke.
Hypothyroidism is especially threatening to pregnant women, because it can harm the baby.
Hypothyroidism is most commonly caused by an iodine deficiency, and can affect people of any age.
Adults and women over the age of 60 are more predisposed to the disorder, as well as people with a family history of the disease.
Hypothyroidism can be difficult to recognize at first.
The early stages of the condition are often asymptomatic or have very mild symptoms.
The early signs include infertility, problems with menstrual cycles, poor muscle tone, fatigue, hyperprolactinemia, cold intolerance, constipation, rapid thoughts, depression, muscle cramps, joint pain, thin fingernails, decreased sweating, dry, irritated skin, weight gain, low heart rate.
These symptoms are noticeable, but are so minor that many people suffering from hypothyroidism do not even realize they have the disorder until it escalates into more serious stages.
Symptoms of late hypothyroidism are much more severe including goiter, slow speech and a hoarse breaking voice, dry puffy skin, thinning of the outer third of the eyebrows, abnormal menstrual cycles, low basal body temperature, thyroid-related depression.
Uncommon symptoms can also include impaired memory, umpired cognitive function, slow heart rate, slow reflexes, hair loss, anemia, difficulty swallowing, shortness of breath, acute psychosis, deafness and enlarged thumb.
Though hypothyroidism is dangerous, it can be relatively easy to treat.
Doctors usually prescribe thyroid hormone pills to treat the symptoms.
Symptoms begin to cease after only two weeks and can completely disappear in a few months.
However, it is likely that patients suffering from hypothyroidism will have to take synthetic hormones for the rest of his or her life.
Avoiding hypothyroidism is relatively simple for most people.
Because iodine deficiency is main cause of the disorder, taking a daily nutritional supplement with iodine greatly decreases the risk of developing hypothyroidism.
The thyroid gland controls the body's energy, making it a very important part of the endocrine system.
The thyroid itself is a small, butterfly shaped gland in the front neck.
The thyroid makes and secretes hormones that control the way the body uses energy.
Problems with the thyroid affect the entire body.
The most common symptom of hypothyroidism is feeling tired and weak.
If hypothyroidism is not treated it can cause raised levels of cholesterol and increase the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke.
Hypothyroidism is especially threatening to pregnant women, because it can harm the baby.
Hypothyroidism is most commonly caused by an iodine deficiency, and can affect people of any age.
Adults and women over the age of 60 are more predisposed to the disorder, as well as people with a family history of the disease.
Hypothyroidism can be difficult to recognize at first.
The early stages of the condition are often asymptomatic or have very mild symptoms.
The early signs include infertility, problems with menstrual cycles, poor muscle tone, fatigue, hyperprolactinemia, cold intolerance, constipation, rapid thoughts, depression, muscle cramps, joint pain, thin fingernails, decreased sweating, dry, irritated skin, weight gain, low heart rate.
These symptoms are noticeable, but are so minor that many people suffering from hypothyroidism do not even realize they have the disorder until it escalates into more serious stages.
Symptoms of late hypothyroidism are much more severe including goiter, slow speech and a hoarse breaking voice, dry puffy skin, thinning of the outer third of the eyebrows, abnormal menstrual cycles, low basal body temperature, thyroid-related depression.
Uncommon symptoms can also include impaired memory, umpired cognitive function, slow heart rate, slow reflexes, hair loss, anemia, difficulty swallowing, shortness of breath, acute psychosis, deafness and enlarged thumb.
Though hypothyroidism is dangerous, it can be relatively easy to treat.
Doctors usually prescribe thyroid hormone pills to treat the symptoms.
Symptoms begin to cease after only two weeks and can completely disappear in a few months.
However, it is likely that patients suffering from hypothyroidism will have to take synthetic hormones for the rest of his or her life.
Avoiding hypothyroidism is relatively simple for most people.
Because iodine deficiency is main cause of the disorder, taking a daily nutritional supplement with iodine greatly decreases the risk of developing hypothyroidism.
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