The thyroid gland is a small, butterfly-shaped gland in your lower neck.
The main purpose of this gland is to product two hormones.
These two hormones are commonly called T3 and T4.
T3 stands for triiodothyronine and T4 stands for thyroxine.
Both are responsible for delivering energy to all the cells in your body.
When this gland does not product enough or any of these hormones, the resulting condition is called hypothyroidism.
There are several symptoms of hypothyroidism, but below, you will find the ten most common.
You might be surprised at how much the thyroid can affect many areas of your life! #1 Weight Gain Many people with an underactive thyroid experience weight gain even though they have not changed their diet or level of exercise.
Some people find that no matter what diet they try or how much they work out, they are simply not able to lose weight.
When this gland does not function as it should, the metabolic rate of the body begins to slow down.
This leads to weight gain.
#2 Fatigue Because the body's metabolic rate decreases, fatigue, exhaustion, and a feeling of being rundown are very common.
Once a diagnosis of hypothyroidism is made and treatment is started, many patients notice a marked increase in their energy levels within just a week or two.
#3 Depression or Mood Swings Because hormones control so many different areas of the body, depression and mood swings are very common when hormones are unbalanced.
If you suffer from hypothyroid, you may have difficulty concentrating, become more forgetful, and even have a decreased sex drive.
Treatment may provide relief very quickly to these symptoms.
#4 Irregular Menstrual Periods A thyroid hormonal imbalance can affect menstrual cycles, but it does not always affect every woman the same way.
Some may experience heavier periods, with strong cramping.
Others may experience lighter periods or none at all.
An underactive thyroid may also affect a woman's ability to become pregnant and is often tested before fertility treatments.
#5 Coarse, Brittle Hair and Dry, Flaky Skin Some people with hypothyroidism suffer from hair loss or brittle, dry hair that breaks easily.
Others find that their skin is very dry, flaky, itchy, and scaly.
Many physicians believe that this is often a result of intestinal problems that are common with this disease.
Constipation is a common complaint and the buildup of toxins in the digestive track and body may be responsible for the problems with the skin and hair.
Treatment Can Help One of the most common treatments for hypothyroidism is a synthetic thyroid hormone call levothyroxine.
This is an oral prescription medication that helps return the levels of the thyroid hormones to normal.
It's relatively inexpensive and many patients will notice improvement within just a couple of weeks.
The dosage may need to be adjusted to get rid of side effects, such as shakiness, heart palpitations, increased appetite, and insomnia.
The best thing to do if you have some of the above symptoms is to ask your physician to test you for hypothyroidism.
You do not have to live with all of the symptoms of this disease.
The main purpose of this gland is to product two hormones.
These two hormones are commonly called T3 and T4.
T3 stands for triiodothyronine and T4 stands for thyroxine.
Both are responsible for delivering energy to all the cells in your body.
When this gland does not product enough or any of these hormones, the resulting condition is called hypothyroidism.
There are several symptoms of hypothyroidism, but below, you will find the ten most common.
You might be surprised at how much the thyroid can affect many areas of your life! #1 Weight Gain Many people with an underactive thyroid experience weight gain even though they have not changed their diet or level of exercise.
Some people find that no matter what diet they try or how much they work out, they are simply not able to lose weight.
When this gland does not function as it should, the metabolic rate of the body begins to slow down.
This leads to weight gain.
#2 Fatigue Because the body's metabolic rate decreases, fatigue, exhaustion, and a feeling of being rundown are very common.
Once a diagnosis of hypothyroidism is made and treatment is started, many patients notice a marked increase in their energy levels within just a week or two.
#3 Depression or Mood Swings Because hormones control so many different areas of the body, depression and mood swings are very common when hormones are unbalanced.
If you suffer from hypothyroid, you may have difficulty concentrating, become more forgetful, and even have a decreased sex drive.
Treatment may provide relief very quickly to these symptoms.
#4 Irregular Menstrual Periods A thyroid hormonal imbalance can affect menstrual cycles, but it does not always affect every woman the same way.
Some may experience heavier periods, with strong cramping.
Others may experience lighter periods or none at all.
An underactive thyroid may also affect a woman's ability to become pregnant and is often tested before fertility treatments.
#5 Coarse, Brittle Hair and Dry, Flaky Skin Some people with hypothyroidism suffer from hair loss or brittle, dry hair that breaks easily.
Others find that their skin is very dry, flaky, itchy, and scaly.
Many physicians believe that this is often a result of intestinal problems that are common with this disease.
Constipation is a common complaint and the buildup of toxins in the digestive track and body may be responsible for the problems with the skin and hair.
Treatment Can Help One of the most common treatments for hypothyroidism is a synthetic thyroid hormone call levothyroxine.
This is an oral prescription medication that helps return the levels of the thyroid hormones to normal.
It's relatively inexpensive and many patients will notice improvement within just a couple of weeks.
The dosage may need to be adjusted to get rid of side effects, such as shakiness, heart palpitations, increased appetite, and insomnia.
The best thing to do if you have some of the above symptoms is to ask your physician to test you for hypothyroidism.
You do not have to live with all of the symptoms of this disease.
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