Hypothyroidism
How do I know if my thyroid is sick?
With an underactive thyroid, almost all metabolic processes in the body are slowed down. What that means, and how the disease is treated, you can read below.
What is an underactive thyroid?
If the thyroid is underactive, the thyroid produces fewer hormones than the body needs. With an overactive thyroid, on the other hand, exactly the opposite is the case. Thyroxine and triiodothyronine influence almost all metabolic processes. But when these hormones are hardly produced, the entire metabolic activity is reduced, which in turn causes discomfort. In addition, the thyroid hormones influence the circulation and the mind.
Especially with children, the Hypothyroidism, as the disease is technically called, have serious consequences. The reason: The thyroid hormone is also responsible for physical growth and the development of the brain.
What are the causes of hypothyroidism?
Doctors differentiate between three different forms of hypothyroidism. Primary hypothyroidism is the most common form – the cause of the disease lies in the thyroid gland itself. Some children are born without or with a defective thyroid gland, while others develop hypothyroidism as a result of chronic inflammation of the hormone-producing gland. In this case, one speaks of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune disease: for some inexplicable reason, the body forms special antibodies that destroy its own thyroid tissue. The thyroid can no longer produce sufficient amounts of thyroid hormones.
Secondary hypothyroidism is less common, the cause of which is a diseased pituitary gland (pituitary gland). Tertiary hypothyroidism, which is caused by damage to the hypothalamus, is even rarer. By the way: In Germany, around one percent of the population suffers from an underactive thyroid. Around one in 3,500 newborn babies is born with congenital hypothyroidism.
What are the symptoms of hypothyroidism?
The metabolic disease is creeping in – and is rarely recognized at the beginning. The low (or missing) production of hormones affects different body organs, the nervous system and your psyche. You should pay attention to the following symptoms, as they indicate an underactive thyroid:
- Poor performance and poor concentration as well as tiredness, listlessness, indifference and increased need for sleep (often at the same time sleep disorders), sensitivity to cold
- slowed reflexes and muscle spasms
- Weight gain and high blood fat levels (especially cholesterol) without changing your eating habits
- cool, pale, and dry skin
- brittle, brittle and falling hair
- hoarse, deep voice and slow speech
- Disorders in the menstrual cycle
- Decrease in libido and potency in men
- Swelling of the subcutaneous tissue and face; Affected people seem “bloated”
- chronic constipation
- Goiter on the thyroid caused by iodine deficiency – can be avoided with iodine intake
- Slow heartbeat, enlarged heart, low blood pressure
- low blood pressure
How is the metabolic disease diagnosed?
An underactive thyroid is diagnosed by a doctor (e.g. in endocrinology), who can make a diagnosis based on the description of the symptoms. At the beginning there is a blood test – and the determination of the laboratory value TSH, which gives indications of hypothyroidism. In the case of a hypofunction, the TSH value is increased. If there is a secondary or tertiary illness, the TSH value is too low. In addition, the thyroid hormone levels are determined in the blood test. If the concentration is below normal, a medical finding is: hypothyroidism.
In addition to blood tests, procedures such as ultrasound or scintigraphy can also provide important information. If there is inflammation of the thyroid gland, the organ appears dark on the ultrasound. In a scintigraphy, the patient is injected with a radioactive substance into the veins – if there is a metabolic disease, the thyroid gland only absorbs this substance to a small extent or not at all.
Treatment: what can you do about an underactive thyroid?
An underactive thyroid is – with a few exceptions – incurable and must therefore be treated permanently with medication. If the medication is well adjusted, a normal life is possible for those affected. The aim of hypothyroidism treatment must of course be to compensate for the hormone deficiency that has arisen, which is why the body is also supplied with synthetically produced thyroxine, which also stimulates the production of the other thyroid hormone. Usually iodine is also prescribed, as hypofunction is often associated with iodine deficiency.
As a rule, patients are prescribed a low dose, since preparations that are too high can lead to side effects such as cardiac arrhythmias. The final dose, however, depends on the basal TSH value as well as the subjective well-being of the patient. Over time, annual check-ups and blood tests will follow if the patient is underactive.
You can find out more about the thyroid in our articles on Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, Hashimoto’s Symptoms, and How My Thyroid Almost Driven Me into Depression.