When you have hypothyroidism, the underactive thyroid not only causes all of the side effects and symptoms you are aware of, but can also increase the risk for developing other conditions and disorders. It is important to understand the risk so you are more motivated to get tested and treated for your thyroid condition.
Medical Conditions Caused by Thyroid Problems
Cardiovascular Problems
If you are experiencing cardiovascular health issues, it might not be just from your lifestyle choices like your diet or lack of exercise. It may also be due to you having hypothyroidism. This thyroid condition can affect the health of your heart, increasing your risk for the bad cholesterol that can lead to heart disease. This also increases your risk for heart attack or stroke. Additionally, hypothyroidism and the lower levels of thyroid hormones can cause building up fluid around your heart. As you can see, it is very important to get your thyroid problem checked as soon as possible.
Birth Defects
Another reason you should see a doctor if you suspect thyroid problems is if you are pregnant. When you are pregnant, a lot of your medical issues can be passed to your unborn baby through your bloodstream. Unfortunately, this means your baby can be negatively affected by your thyroid disorder and actually cause mental or physical birth defects. This is why when you become pregnant, your doctor orders blood work to be done. They want to find out if you have a thyroid disorder or other issues that might increase the risk of problems with your baby.
Goiter
If you have hypothyroidism, you might end up with a condition called goiter. This occurs when your thyroid gland enlarges and looks like a large bump in front of your throat. It is not uncommon for people to not realize they even have a thyroid condition until they end up with a goiter. If you see a bump in front of your neck, don’t hesitate to get medical treatment as soon as you can.
Depression
Your mental health is also at risk, which can lead to a lot of other issues in your life as well. One significant danger of having hypothyroidism that isn’t treated is developing depression. With depression, it can cause you to feel hopeless and even put your life at risk if it gets severe enough. Depression affects your job, your health, your happiness, and relationships with your friends and loved ones. You should seek help for your depression and consult a doctor about treating your thyroid condition as well.
For a full thyroid workup, I recommend consulting with a Functional Medicine practitioner, such as, myself. We keep up with the latest research and use Functional Medicine laboratories, which help to get to the root cause of the problems. I offer a For 30-Minute Thyroid Strategy session. You can book that here.
Download my FREE “Eat Right for Your Thyroid Crash Course” here. I provide you with 5 days of recipes, meal plans, and a guide to help you reverse your thyroid symptoms. You can join my free Facebook group, where I help answer all of your questions related to diet and thyroid issues.
