Muscular Side Effects Associated With Thyroid Disease

Thyroid disease is a general term that applies to disorders which cause irregularities in the amounts of thyroid hormones in your body. Thyroid disease has the potential to cause many types of symptoms or side effects, including some that affect your muscles.

Identification

• Both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism have the potential to cause muscle symptoms. Hyperthyroidism refers to the excessive production of thyroid hormones, while hypothyroidism is the state of thyroid hormone deficiency.

Types of Symptoms

• Muscular symptoms caused by hypothyroidism include aching, tenderness, stiffness, spasms and cramps. Hyperthyroidism has the potential to cause muscle weakness or loss of muscle tone, known as muscle wasting.

Time Frame

• Both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism typically become worse over time, with symptoms developing gradually, according to the Mayo Clinic. Because of this, you are likely to notice your muscular side effects becoming gradually worse over a period of weeks or months.

Treatment

• Hypothyroidism and its accompanying symptoms are typically treated with synthetic thyroid hormones taken in the form of a prescription medication each day. Medication to suppress the activity of the thyroid or surgery are the most common treatments for hyperthyroidism and its related problems.

Considerations

• Relief from your muscular side effects is not likely to happen overnight, even with treatment for thyroid disease. Massage, acupuncture, light exercise and myofacial surgery may help alleviate some of your symptoms, according to thyroid-info.com.