Equip yourself with information about the signs of a thyroid problem
You may be wondering if you have a thyroid problem. Know the signs of a thyroid problem. Maybe the signs are subtle. Or maybe they’re unbearable. Whatever the case, if you’re experiencing symptoms you’ve never had before, it’s worth knowing whether it’s a thyroid problem.
Thyroid issues may be serious. They can wreak havoc on the body’s ability to properly function, supply bodily systems with key hormones and help you maintain your overall health. Worse, because they’re often tough to detect, many of these problems continue for prolonged periods while people are struggling to find out why.
If you’re being tripped up by problems you’ve never had before, it’s very possible that the issue is related to your thyroid. That can be a good thing, because thyroid problems are very correctable. You just have to know what you’re dealing with.
Signs of a thyroid problem
Energy Levels
This could be another trigger that lets you know you have a thyroid problem. If your energy levels have altered, it’s possible that the reason for this is that your thyroid function is abnormal. Proper thyroid function is essential to many other key bodily functions. Your body’s ability to regulate your energy levels is one of them. If this seems to have changed, and you’ve talked to your doctor about what many of the likely causes aren’t, it’s possible that you may be missing one that’s right under your nose. That is, a thyroid problem.
The Blues
Yes, even your mental health can be affected by proper thyroid function. Though this might shock some, many of whom believe that the chief function of the thyroid is to regulate other, more physical bodily systems, remember how the thyroid operates: hormone control. Hormones are basically chemical messages that tell your body to do whatever it is that it’s going to do. This includes your mood. How you feel above the shoulders is often very highly dictated by what’s going on in your throat. (That’s where your thyroid is located.)
By pumping out certain “feel good” chemicals, your body is able to help keep your head screwed on right. If for whatever reason that system is affected, so too is your mood.
Weight
This might be the big one, particularly because it’s the one that everyone focuses on so much: weight change. Serious fluctuations in weight are often one of the telltale signs of a serious thyroid problem. This is because, as mentioned above, your body’s ability to properly regulate hormone production directly influences everything that affects weight. It determines how hungry you are, what your body does with food after you eat it – even whether you’re able to get enough sleep, itself a huge driver of weight.
Thyroid problems can run in the family
Genes
Do thyroid problems run in your family? If so, that might be one of the first signs your issues are due to a thyroid problem. Like many other health issues, thyroid problems are often linked to genes. Get one bad gene from mum, you could have a problem. Get another from dad, you could be en route to an even bigger problem.Whether there’s any gene linkage involved, it’s important to know that thyroid problems are often treatable no matter the problem. If you’ve been feeling funny lately and fear that because of your family history you’re going to feel this way forever, know that this does not have to be the case. Thyroid problems can be managed. You just have to let a doctor help you figure out if that’s what the actual problem is.
If you have questions or concerns about thyroid problems see your local doctor who will arrange for you to see a thyroid surgeon.
