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Overview
Hypothyroidism
(underactive thyroid) is a condition in which your thyroid gland doesn't
produce enough of certain crucial hormones.
Hypothyroidism may not cause noticeable symptoms in the early stages.
Over time, untreated hypothyroidism can cause several health problems, such as obesity,
joint pain, infertility, and heart disease.
Accurate thyroid
function tests are available to diagnose hypothyroidism. Treatment with
synthetic thyroid hormone is usually simple, safe, and effective once you and
your doctor find the right dose for you.
The
hypothyroidism LIE - it’s not a permanent disease
Symptoms
The signs and symptoms
of hypothyroidism vary, depending on the severity of the hormone deficiency.
Problems tend to develop slowly, often over a few years.
At first, you may
barely notice the symptoms of hypothyroidism, such as fatigue and weight gain.
Or you may simply attribute them to getting older. But as your metabolism
continues to slow, you may develop more-obvious problems.
Hypothyroidism signs
and symptoms may include:
- Fatigue
- Increased sensitivity to cold
- Constipation
- Dry skin
- Weight gain
- Puffy face
- Hoarseness
- Muscle weakness
- Elevated blood cholesterol level
- Muscle aches, tenderness, and stiffness
- Pain, stiffness or swelling in your joints
- Heavier than normal or irregular menstrual periods
- Thinning hair
- Slowed heart rate
- Depression
- Impaired memory
- Enlarged thyroid gland (goiter)
Hypothyroidism in infants
Although
hypothyroidism most often affects middle-aged and older women, anyone can
develop the condition, including infants. Initially, babies born without a thyroid
gland or with a gland that doesn't work properly may have few signs and
symptoms. When newborns do have problems with hypothyroidism, the problems may
include:
- Yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice). In most
cases, this occurs when a baby's liver can't metabolize a substance called
bilirubin, which normally forms when the body recycles old or damaged red blood
cells.
- A large, protruding tongue.
- Difficulty breathing.
- Hoarse crying.
- An umbilical hernia.
The hypothyroidism LIE - it’s not a permanent
disease
As the disease progresses, infants are likely
to have trouble feeding and may fail to grow and develop normally. They may
also have:
- Constipation
- Poor muscle tone
- Excessive sleepiness
When hypothyroidism in infants isn't treated,
even mild cases can lead to severe physical and mental retardation.
Hypothyroidism in children and teens
In
general, children and teens who develop hypothyroidism have the same signs and
symptoms as adults do, but they may also experience:
- Poor growth, resulting in short stature
- Delayed development of permanent teeth
- Delayed puberty
- Poor mental development
When to see a doctor
See your doctor if you're feeling tired for
no reason or have any of the other signs or symptoms of hypothyroidism, such as
dry skin, a pale, puffy face, constipation, or a hoarse voice.
If you're receiving hormone therapy for
hypothyroidism, schedule follow-up visits as often as your doctor recommends.
Initially, it's important to make sure you're receiving the correct dose of
medicine. And over time, the dose you need may change.
Causes
When your thyroid
doesn't produce enough hormones, the balance of chemical reactions in your body
can be upset. There can be several causes, including autoimmune disease,
hyperthyroidism treatments, radiation therapy, thyroid surgery and certain
medications.
Your thyroid is a
small, butterfly-shaped gland situated at the base of the front of your neck,
just below your Adam's apple. Hormones produced by the thyroid gland —
triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) — have an enormous impact on your
health, affecting all aspects of your metabolism. These hormones also influence
the control of vital functions, such as body temperature and heart rate.
Hypothyroidism
is NOT the life sentence you think it is!
Hypothyroidism results
when the thyroid gland fails to produce enough hormones. Hypothyroidism may be
due to a few factors, including:
· Autoimmune disease. The most common cause of hypothyroidism is an autoimmune
disorder known as Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Autoimmune disorders occur when your
immune system produces antibodies that attack your own tissues. Sometimes this
process involves your thyroid gland.
Scientists aren't sure why this happens, but it's likely a
combination of factors, such as your genes and an environmental trigger. However,
it happens, these antibodies affect the thyroid's ability to produce hormones.
· Over-response to
hyperthyroidism treatment. People who
produce too much thyroid hormone (hyperthyroidism) are often treated with
radioactive iodine or anti-thyroid medications. The goal of these treatments is
to get thyroid function back to normal. But sometimes, correcting
hyperthyroidism can end up lowering thyroid hormone production too much,
resulting in permanent hypothyroidism.
· Thyroid surgery. Removing all or a large portion of your thyroid gland can
diminish or halt hormone production. In that case, you'll need to take thyroid
hormone for life.
· Radiation therapy. Radiation used to treat cancers of the head and neck can
affect your thyroid gland and may lead to hypothyroidism.
· Medications. A few medications can contribute to hypothyroidism. One
such medication is lithium, which is used to treat certain psychiatric
disorders. If you're taking medication, ask your doctor about its effect on
your thyroid gland.
Less often,
hypothyroidism may result from one of the following:
·
Congenital disease. Some babies are born with a defective thyroid gland or no
thyroid gland. In most cases, the thyroid gland didn't develop normally for
unknown reasons, but some children have an inherited form of the disorder.
Often, infants with congenital hypothyroidism appear normal at birth. That's
one reason why most states now require newborn thyroid screening.
·
Pituitary disorder. A relatively rare cause of hypothyroidism is the failure
of the pituitary gland to produce enough thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) — usually
because of a benign tumor of the pituitary gland.
·
Pregnancy. Some women develop hypothyroidism during or after
pregnancy (postpartum hypothyroidism), often because they produce antibodies to
their own thyroid gland. Left untreated, hypothyroidism increases the risk of
miscarriage, premature delivery, and preeclampsia — a condition that causes a
significant rise in a woman's blood pressure during the last three months of
pregnancy. It can also seriously affect the developing fetus.
·
Iodine deficiency. The trace mineral iodine — found primarily in seafood,
seaweed, plants grown in iodine-rich soil and iodized salt — is essential to
produce thyroid hormones. Too little iodine can lead to hypothyroidism, and too
much iodine can worsen hypothyroidism in people who already have the condition.
In some parts of the world, iodine deficiency is common, but the addition of
iodine to table salt has virtually eliminated this problem in the United
States.
The hypothyroidism LIE - it’s not a permanent
disease
Risk factors
Although anyone can
develop hypothyroidism, you're at an increased risk if you:
- Are a woman
- Are older than 60
- Have a family history
of thyroid disease
- Have an autoimmune
disease, such as type 1 diabetes or celiac disease
- Have been treated with
radioactive iodine or anti-thyroid medications
- Received radiation to
your neck or upper chest
- Have had thyroid
surgery (partial thyroidectomy)
- Have been pregnant or
delivered a baby within the past six months
Complications
Untreated
hypothyroidism can lead to several health problems:
· Goiter. Constant stimulation of your thyroid to release more
hormones may cause the gland to become larger — a condition known as a goiter.
Although generally not uncomfortable, a large goiter can affect your appearance
and may interfere with swallowing or breathing.
· Heart problems. Hypothyroidism may also be associated with an increased
risk of heart disease and heart failure, primarily because high levels of
low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol — the "bad" cholesterol —
can occur in people with an underactive thyroid.
· Mental health issues. Depression may occur early in hypothyroidism and may
become more severe over time. Hypothyroidism can also cause slowed mental
functioning.
· Peripheral neuropathy. Long-term uncontrolled hypothyroidism can cause damage to
your peripheral nerves. These are the nerves that carry information from your
brain and spinal cord to the rest of your body — for example, your arms and
legs. Peripheral neuropathy may cause pain, numbness and tingling in affected
areas.
·
Myxedema. This rare, life-threatening condition is the result of
long-term, undiagnosed hypothyroidism. Its signs and symptoms include intense
cold intolerance and drowsiness followed by profound lethargy and
unconsciousness.
A myxedema coma may be triggered by sedatives, infection, or
other stress on your body. If you have signs or symptoms of myxedema, you need
immediate emergency medical treatment.
· Infertility. Low levels of thyroid hormone can interfere with
ovulation, which impairs fertility. In addition, some of the causes of hypothyroidism
— such as autoimmune disorder — can also impair fertility.
· Birth defects. Babies born to women with untreated thyroid disease may
have a higher risk of birth defects compared to babies born to healthy mothers.
These children are also more prone to serious intellectual and developmental
problems.
Infants with untreated hypothyroidism present at birth are at
risk of serious problems with both physical and mental development. But if this
condition is diagnosed within the first few months of life, the chances of
normal development are excellent.
Hypothyroidism
is NOT the life sentence you think it is!
