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How to Evaluate the Thyroid Gland

A thyroid imbalance can cause changes in your mood, behavior, weight and general health. Many symptoms are often written off as byproducts of stress but can be serious if not tended to, as they can lead to cholesterol elevation, heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and reproductive problems. If you believe you are suffering from a thyroid condition, see your doctor.

Things You'll Need

  • Doctor
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Instructions

  1. Symptoms

    • 1

      Evaluate your personal medical history with your doctor. If there is any history in your family of a thyroid condition or thyroid cancer, tell your doctor. If you have ever received radiation treatments near your neck area, or if you have lived near an area where nuclear tests were conducted, this is especially important.

    • 2

      Review your medications. Are you taking lithium or amiodarone? These could interfere with the functioning of your thyroid. Ask you doctor if you are taking interferon medications, like Avonex or Betaseron. Check your over-the-counter supplements for iodine, as high amounts can disrupt your thyroid.

    • 3

      Have your doctor examine your thyroid gland. It is located in the neck area just above the collarbone and below the Adam's apple. Your doctor should ask you to swallow so he can see your gland move. He will feel it as it moves to evaluate its shape and tell if there are any nodules or growths.

    • 4

      Tell your doctor about any symptoms you have had. Anxiety, fatigue, cold sensitivity, constipation, eye problems, weight changes, menstrual problems, insomnia, hair loss, racing heart beats or hoarseness can all be indications of thyroid problems.

    Tests

    • 5

      Undergo diagnostic testing to determine the existence of or level of thyroid dysfunction. Blood tests can diagnose hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid), autoimmune thyroid diseases (when your body's processes interfere with your thyroid), or cancer.

    • 6

      Ask your doctor for a Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) Test. This tests the blood levels of TSH. If there is not enough thyroid hormone in your blood stream, this means you are hyperthyroid, as your pituitary gland has already detected this and has slowed its production of TSH. If there is too much TSH, you are hypothyroid.

    • 7

      Request a test to measure the level of T3 (triiodotyronine) and T4 (thyroxine), the thyroid hormones, in your blood. A protein problem can make this test inaccurate; if this is the case, have your doctor conduct another test called T3RU for better results. You can always request antibodies tests to make sure your antibodies aren't over-stimulating or blocking your thyroid's receptors.

    • 8

      Have your doctor measure your TT4 (total thyroxine) and FT4 (free thyroxine) levels to determine the level of your thyroid disease. The abnormality of your TT4 will tell how severe your condition is. Also, ask your doctor to measure TT3 (Total Triioothyronine) and Free Triiodothyronine (FT3) , as these tests provide more insight into your nodules and enlargements.

    • 9

      Request a thyroid ultrasound. This involves a technician passing a scanning device over your throat so she can see an image of your thyroid on a screen and evaluate the size and shape of your thyroid, as well as any nodules or enlargements. She can determine if the nodule is a cyst or a solid, and if it may be cancerous. If this is a possibility, your doctor should order a biopsy.

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