How to Know if You've Got a Thyroid Problem

A thyroid imbalance is a serious condition that can affect your daily life dramatically and should be taken care of as soon as possible. Many thyroid problems are ignored or considered unimportant, often because the symptoms are so widespread and can be attributed to other causes. If you experience any of the symptoms, it is important to have your thyroid checked.

Things You'll Need

• Mirror
• Scale
• Hairbrush

Show More

Instructions

Assess Your Symptoms

• 1

  Record the amount of sleep you get every night in a journal and compare that to how you feel. One of the major symptoms of a thyroid imbalance, whether it is hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid) or hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid), is constant fatigue and exhaustion. Although fatigue is also a symptom of many other conditions, it is one of the most common symptoms of a thyroid imbalance. Many patients with thyroid imbalances ignore their fatigue, assuming they just need more sleep or are overstressed.

• 2

  Weigh yourself on a scale, and compare your current weight to the time directly before your symptoms began. Weight gain that cannot be explained by other means is one of the symptoms of hypothyroidism. You may even have a loss of appetite while still gaining weight; this is a common sign of hypothyroidism. Weight loss for no reason is a common sign of hyperthyroidism.

• 3

  Compare your hair's thickness and texture to a year prior. Check your shower drain and hairbrush for excessive loss and split or broken hair shafts. Hyperthyroidism can cause your hair to become much straighter and finer than it normally is. Your hair may break easily and even fall out. An underactive thyroid can cause you to experience hair loss because of the low levels of thyroid hormone in the blood, as your hair is made of metabolic cells that are sensitive to the metabolic slowdown that occurs if you are suffering from hypothyroidism.

• 4

  Have your doctor perform a blood test to check for anemia. If you have an underactive thyroid that is caused by an autoimmune disorder, one of your symptoms could be anemia. Anemia can give you low energy and make you feel extremely weak for no apparent reason. Hypothyroidism can cause anemia because of deficiencies in folic acid, vitamin B12 or iron.

• 5

  Examine the lower part of your neck in the mirror. If you are not getting enough thyroid hormone, your thyroid gland can enlarge, causing a goiter. This is a common symptom of hyperthyroidism. The enlargement is at the base of your neck and can cause hoarseness, coughing and difficulty swallowing. In rare cases, a goiter can mean the thyroid gland has a deficit in enzymes needed to manufacture thyroid hormone. If you notice a definite enlargement, have your thyroid checked by your doctor.