Empowering Your Health: Identifying and Managing Thyroid Symptoms
Your thyroid gland is in the front of your neck, shaped like a butterfly and hugging around your windpipe (trachea). It makes hormones that regulate metabolism.
The symptoms of many thyroid conditions look similar to those of other medical or life changes, such as aging or menopause. It’s essential to take early warning signs seriously and seek help if necessary.
Weight Gain
Unexplained weight gain is a common symptom of thyroid problems. The thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland at the front of the neck, produces hormones that regulate how your body converts food into energy. These hormones impact everything from heart rate, bowel movements, and cholesterol levels to women’s menstrual cycles and mood. If your thyroid isn’t producing enough of these hormones, you’ll feel full sooner and struggle with weight gain.
If you need to figure out what’s causing your unexplained weight gain, it’s worth talking to your healthcare provider. Visit https://drgharrison.com/thyroid-symptoms to have a thyroid blood test. During a medical examination, your physician may conduct a physical exam of your neck to detect any abnormality such as a bulge or growth, also known as a nodule, which may indicate an enlargement of the thyroid gland, commonly referred to as hypothyroidism. The treatment aims to restore your thyroid hormone levels to normal, improving your overall health and well-being.
Fatigue
When your thyroid is out of balance, you might feel sluggish or tired day after day. Your thyroid makes hormones that make your body use energy, and that’s how you stay awake and move through the day. When it makes too much thyroid hormone, you might lose weight, feel anxious, and have difficulty tolerating cold temperatures.
Fatigue is a common symptom of many health problems, from thyroid disease to iron-deficiency anemia and sleep apnea. It can also be a symptom of some mental health conditions, like anxiety and depression.
Getting enough sleep, improving your diet, and managing stress are vital for overcoming fatigue.
Cold Symptoms
A runny nose, scratchy throat, or nonstop sneezing are the hallmarks of the common cold. It is caused by more than 200 viruses, including rhinovirus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). It spreads from person to person when someone with the common cold coughs or sneezes.
Your thyroid gland makes hormones that affect how every cell in your body uses energy. When you have hypothyroidism, your thyroid doesn’t produce enough of these regulating hormones.
Taking thyroid medication simultaneously each day helps your body absorb it better. It also helps your doctor see how well it’s working. If you have trouble tolerating your thyroid medicine, ask your healthcare professional about changing the dose or timing of the medication.
Hair Loss
The thyroid gland, located in the front of your neck, is a small gland shaped like a butterfly. It releases hormones into the bloodstream, including triiodothyronine and thyroxine, which affect your metabolism and growth, and calcitonin, which regulates calcium levels.
An underactive thyroid, or hypothyroidism, slows your metabolism and causes you to lose muscle mass. It can lead to weakened immunity and dry, brittle hair and skin.
The opposite is true with hyperthyroidism, in which your hormones cause your metabolism to go into overdrive, and you may gain weight, feel nervous, have trouble sleeping, experience mood swings, or have an enlarged thyroid (goiter). It’s essential to keep track of your symptoms and report them to your doctor so they can help get the situation under control.
Dry Skin
Dry skin (xerosis) is a common condition affecting people of all ages. It causes the skin to feel rough, flaky, or scaly. In severe cases, dry skin may crack.
Many things can cause dry skin: health conditions, genetics, the normal aging process, medications, and some environmental factors. For example, central heating and low humidity can dry the air and lead to drier skin. Soaps and detergents that strip the body’s natural oils can also contribute to dry skin, as can eczema, psoriasis, and specific medical treatments.
The best way to help relieve dry skin is to use a moisturizer often and to keep the skin covered and protected from wind and sun. Try a moisturizer with added humectants or anti-irritating ingredients.
