The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped endocrine gland located below the Adam's apple in the lower part of the neck that wraps around the windpipe (trachea). Common thyroid problems include:
- Hyperthyroidism (also called overactive thyroid), a condition in which the body produces too much thyroid hormone and increases the body’s metabolism
- Graves’ disease, the most common cause of hyperthyroidism
- Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) occurs when a person produces insufficient amounts of thyroid hormone
- Hashimoto’s disease, of the most common cause of hypothyroidism
- Thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer
Tests done to check the thyroid for problems include:
- Blood tests
- Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)
- Thyroxine (T4)
- Triiodothyronine (T3)
- Thyroid antibody tests
- Other blood tests to help determine the cause of hyperthyroidism (such as Graves' disease, toxic nodular goiter, or thyroiditis)
- Other tests
- Thyroid scan
- Ultrasound
- Radioactive iodine uptake test
- Fine needle aspiration biopsy for thyroid nodules
What Are Symptoms of Thyroid Problems?
Common symptoms of hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) may include:
- Fatigue/lethargy
- Loss of energy
- Weight gain
- Weakness in extremities
- Decreased appetite
- Constipation
- Sleepiness
- Muscle pain
- Joint pain
- Dry skin
- Hair loss
- Mood swings
- Depression
- Mental impairment
- Difficulty in cold weather, needing to wear extra layers inside, cold feet and hands
- Impaired memory/forgetfulness
- Mental impairment
- Difficulty concentrating
- Fertility problems
- Menstrual disturbances
- Decreased sweating
- Numbness and tingling and nerve entrapment syndromes
- Decreased hearing
- Mood swings
- Feeling of fullness in the throat
- Hoarseness
- Nail problems
Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) may not cause any symptoms. When symptoms of hyperthyroidism occur, they may include:
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Anger
- Trouble sleeping
- Sweating more than usual
- Difficulty in hot weather, sweating when it’s not excessively hot, hot
- Weakness
- Hand tremors
- Fast or uneven heartbeats
- Tiredness/fatigue
- Weight loss even with a normal or increased appetite
- Oily skin
- Diarrhea/frequent bowel movements
- Vision changes
- Watery eyes
- Eye redness or dryness
- Difficulty closing the eyelids
- Bulging eyes (if caused by Graves' disease)
- Hair thinning or hair loss
- Swelling in the neck (goiter)
- Memory problems
- Irregular or missed menstrual periods, which may be associated with infertility
- Breast tissue growth in men
- Erectile dysfunction (impotence)
- Atrial fibrillation, chest pain, and rarely, heart failure if untreated
Symptoms of thyroid cancer may include:
- A lump or nodule in the neck
- Nodule may cause no symptoms
- In some cases, the tumor may have spread to lymph nodes in the neck, which may be enlarged
- See a doctor if you notice a lump on the neck
- Swelling in the neck
- Pain in the neck, jaw, or ear
- Difficulty breathing or swallowing if the nodule is large
- Hoarseness or other voice changes
- Persistent cough not due to a cold
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Reviewed on 7/7/2022
References
REFERENCES:
Image source: iStock Images
https://www.hormone.org/your-health-and-hormones/glands-and-hormones-a-to-z/hormones/thyroid-hormones
https://www.uptodate.com/contents/hypothyroidism-underactive-thyroid-the-basics?search=Hypothyroidism&source=search_result&selectedTitle=1~150&usage_type=default&display_rank=1
https://www.uptodate.com/contents/hyperthyroidism-overactive-thyroid-beyond-the-basics?search=Hyperthyroidism&topicRef=15437&source=see_link
https://medicaltransformationcenter.com/what-are-early-warning-signs-of-thyroid-problems/
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/thyroid-cancer.html
Image source: iStock Images
https://www.hormone.org/your-health-and-hormones/glands-and-hormones-a-to-z/hormones/thyroid-hormones
https://www.uptodate.com/contents/hypothyroidism-underactive-thyroid-the-basics?search=Hypothyroidism&source=search_result&selectedTitle=1~150&usage_type=default&display_rank=1
https://www.uptodate.com/contents/hyperthyroidism-overactive-thyroid-beyond-the-basics?search=Hyperthyroidism&topicRef=15437&source=see_link
https://medicaltransformationcenter.com/what-are-early-warning-signs-of-thyroid-problems/
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/thyroid-cancer.html