Thyroid Dysfunction Symptoms

Thyroid dysfunction can affect your entire body. Dysfunctions can be as vague as fatigue, or as severe as thyroid cancer. The thyroid gland is responsible for making the thyroid hormone, and this hormone has an effect on virtually all cell tissues of the body that involve cellular activity.

Conditions

• The thyroid gland is susceptible to distinct problems; some are very common.

  A goiter is an enlargement of the thyroid gland. A goiter can compress the esophagus or trachea; making swallowing and breathing difficult.

  Cancer of the thyroid is common, and has a very high success rate. This malignancy is easy to detect because of its early symptoms. As many as 50 percent of the population will have a solitary nodule in their thyroid at some point, the overwhelming majority of this is benign.

  Hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism are very common occurrences. Hyperthyroidism results from too much thyroid hormone and hypothyroidism is just the opposite, too little thyroid hormone. Thyroiditis is an inflammation of the thyroid gland. This can present itself with an array of symptoms; most common are pain or fever.

Symptoms

• Some of the vast array of symptoms presented by thyroid problems is a racing heart, sensitivity to cold or heat, weight loss or gain, increased bowel movements, muscle weakness or spasms, warm, moist skin, or cold, dry skin, frequent staring, change in menstrual cycles, insomnia, fatigue, depression, memory problems, constipation and irritability.

Tests

• Most common thyroid problems are detected by taking a simple blood test. Most doctors perform this as an important part of a regular physical examination.

  If your doctor suspects you have a thyroid disorder, he will advise you to see a specialist in endocrinology.

  An endocrinologist may schedule an iodine uptake scan or thyroid ultrasound to better enable him to see how your thyroid is functioning. A needle biopsy accesses tissue samples and determines if your symptoms are due to cancer.

Treatments

• Hypothyroidism is manageable by taking a thyroid hormone pill (Levothyroxine). Once you begin your medication is will take about two weeks for absorption by your system and full recovery of symptoms may take as long as two months. Regular blood work is necessary. This is a trial and error period and it may take up to a year before you and your doctor find the correct level of medication for you.

  Hyperthyroidism treatments are taking drugs that reduce your thyroid levels such as methimazole, and propylthiouracil.

  Radioactive iodine treatment may be used by your doctor to kill all or a portion of your thyroid gland. This is a common procedure and the iodine is oral medication and requires no hospitalization. The most common side effect of radioactive iodine treatment is that it may make you have hypothyroidism.

  Physicians rarely recommend surgery anymore unless the patient simply refuses to take medications for their thyroid problem, or unless cancer is a cause of the symptoms.

Warning

• Taking Levothyroxine is something you will need to do for the rest of your life. A correct thyroid level for your body is necessary for it to function at its optimal ability. Even a slight excess of the thyroid hormone could increase risks for patients who have heart disease, and it can worsen angina problems. The medication is safe for almost everyone, with epilepsy patients and people who take certain cholesterol medications.