If your thyroid does not work properly, there is trouble on the horizon. The thyroid is only a couple of inches tall and about 3 inches wide, but it has a relationship with most of the essential glands in your body. Your skin, heart, brain, liver, kidney and other glands, as well as multiple physiological processes, depend on your thyroid staying in apple pie order.
One condition that signals your thyroid is not healthy is called hypothyroidism.
In medicine, when you see the root “hypo”, you can think of a process that has been slowed down or is under-active. This is why hypothyroidism is sometimes called under-active thyroid disease. It is estimated that about 1 in 10 children and adults in the United States have some form of an under-active thyroid. It is also reported that most people are not treated for this condition even if they have it. This is because some of the symptoms can mislead doctors into believing some other health problem is at work.
Producing hormones important for metabolism, growth and development, body temperature and brain development, the thyroid has far-reaching influence. That is why hypothyroidism is many times misdiagnosed. The following list shows some minor and major symptoms of an under-active thyroid. If you experience one or two of the following signs, you may not have a problem with your thyroid. If you experience several of the symptoms on the list below, ask your doctor to check your thyroid function.
- Fatigue, feeling tired for no reason
- Constipation
- Weight gain that is unexplained
- Hoarse voice, sore throat
- High cholesterol level
- An increased sensitivity to cold temperatures
- Dry skin
- A “puffy”, swollen face weakness in your muscles
- Muscle aches and pains
- Pain and stiffness or swelling in your joints
- Irregular or heavy menstrual periods
- Thinning hair
- Difficulty remembering things
- Depression
- Lower than normal heart rate
As you can see from the list above, some of the signs of an under-active thyroid may not cause too much concern. On the other hand, left untreated, a high cholesterol level and heart rate, depression and loss of memory can become serious health issues. Most of the signs of hypothyroidism are signals that your body is not making enough energy, and your metabolism slows down. In many cases, getting more iodine in your diet through foods like shellfish, eggs, dairy products, seaweed and table salt can solve this problem. It should be noted that iodine deficiency is rare in the United States and in most first-world, modernized nations.
This condition results in abnormally high levels of TSH. The pituitary gland tells your thyroid how much of each of 3 different hormones to produce, and the messaging system it uses is TSH, or thyrotropin releasing hormone. When too much TSH collects a goiter may develop on the neck, where the thyroid is located. This often looks like a ball has been placed under the skin of the neck. In rare cases, mismanaged or untreated hypothyroidism has led to coma and death.
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