The thyroid gland, or simply the thyroid, in vertebrate anatomy, is one of the largest endocrine glands and consists of two connected lobes. The thyroid gland is found in the neck, below the thyroid cartilage. This organ produces hormones which are crucial for the brain activity and the metabolism. There aren’t any particular symptoms of thyroid problem and they are usually vague. However, if you notice some of the following symptoms or more of them, you need to visit your doctor and do a blood test in order to check the hormone levels.
- Clothes that fit tighter than usual
Dr. Gharib states: “Lack of hormones decreases metabolism and calorie burning, so you may see gradual but unexplained weight gain.” So, if you notice that your clothes fit tighter than usual but you haven’t changed the exercise or eating habits in the meantime, an underactive thyroid can be the cause.
- Infertility or miscarriage
Women, who have troubles with conceiving and are without family history of infertility or miscarry in the early stages of pregnancy, are recommended to do a thyroid screening. As Dr. Gupta explains: “Low hormone levels affect ovulation and predispose you to infertility or miscarriage.” She adds: “If you have thyroid disease, hormone supplementation can be very beneficial while trying to conceive and during pregnancy.”
- Out of nowhere anxiety
If you are one of those people who have never had problems with anxiety but suddenly start to feel unsettled or anxious, this can be a sign of hyperactive thyroid. According to Ashita Gupta, MD, and endocrinologist at Mount Sinai Roosevelt Hospital in New York City, the presence of too many thyroid hormones often cause patients to feel anxious without any particular reasons. She adds: “There’s more brain stimulation so it excites you to the point where you don’t feel good about it.”
- Sleep changes
If you start to experience some sleep changes and you`ve been a good sleeper before, the thyroid problem could be the reason for the changes. According to Hossein Gharib, MD, a Mayo Clinic endocrinologist, an overactive thyroid pumps out certain hormones such as thyroxine or T4 and triiodothyronine or T3 and the excess of these hormones overstimulates the central nervous system, resulting with insomnia.
On the other hand, if you need to sleep more than usual or you feel tired after a full night` sleep, the cause can be the underactive thyroid. The reason for this sleep change is the absence of sufficient amount of hormones.
- Developmental delays in children
According to Dr. Gupta, the thyroid problems are often manifested in children because they are not always able to express their symptoms. She adds: “If you notice that they are growing significantly slower than their peers, complaining about muscles soreness, or if teachers say they’re jumpy and unfocused, that could be a sign that they have low hormone levels, which can affect their development.”
- Brain fog
The thyroid function and the brain activity are closely related. When the thyroid isn’t working properly, neither is the brain. An overactive thyroid makes it difficult to concentrate while underactive thyroid causes an overall mental fatigue and subtle memory loss. According to Dr. Gupta, many people with underactive thyroid feel a “brain fog” or “it`s on the tip of my tongue” feeling.
- Thinning hair
The most common sign of thyroid disease is the thinning hair, especially on the eyebrows. According to Dr. Gupta, overactive or underactive thyroid throws off the hair growth cycle. When the thyroid hormones are imbalanced, too much hair rests at once which makes the hair look thinner. Usually most of the hair grows while a small portion rests but in cases of imbalanced hormones that is not the case.
- Craving an afternoon nap every day
The urges to nap or daytime tiredness are also very common signs of underactive thyroid. Dr. Gharib states: “The body needs these thyroid hormones to produce energy.”
- Changes in bowel habits
Both underactive and overactive thyroid cause changes in bowel habits. Since the thyroid hormones play a huge role in keeping the digestive tract running, if the body produces too little, things get backed up. A frequent constipation is a common sign of an underactive thyroid.
On the other hand, the overactive thyroid creates the opposite effect. According to Dr. Gupta, you will experience bowel movement-not diarrhea- but the need to go more frequently because everything is sped up.
- Too much energy
The increase of thyroid hormones accelerates the body processes. Dr. Gupta states: “People say they feel like they’ve had too much caffeine or have heart palpitations even when they’re relaxed.”
- Sweating at random times
Another very common sign of hyperactive thyroid is the excessive sweating when you are not exerting yourself. As Dr. Gupta puts it: “The thyroid regulates the body’s energy production. Higher than normal hormone levels mean your metabolism is revved up, which causes people to feel overly warm.”
- Out -of -wack periods
In cases when the thyroid doesn’t produce enough hormones, the periods become longer, occur closer together or become heavier. On the other hand, if the periods occur further apart or become lighter, the overactive thyroid might be producing too many hormones.
- Feeling ravenous but not gaining weight
As mentioned in the very beginning, the lack of thyroid hormones can result with weight gain. On the other hand, if you are suddenly able to fit into smaller-size clothes, without changing the exercise or diet plan in the meantime, you are probably dealing with an overactive thyroid, causing an increase in metabolism. Dr. Gupta says: “People often report that their appetite is up and they’re eating a lot, but are losing weight instead of gaining.”
How to Treat Thyroid Problems:
- Underactive Thyroid
The underactive thyroid usually requires a lifelong treatment with levothyroxine, a synthetic thyroid hormone. This medication which should be taken orally helps reverse symptoms such as constipation, weight gain, brain fog and fatigue. It also restores hormone levels.
- Overactive Thyroid
The usual treatment for overactive thyroid is an anti-thyroid medication which release of T3 and T4 hormones and slows down their production. Dr.Gharib says that once the hormone levels are balanced, the patients can eventually stop taking the medicine. According to Mayo Clinic, if hyperthyroidism is left untreated, sometimes even a surgery is needed in order to remove some of the gland.
