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Many people diagnosed with a thyroid condition are surprised that such a small gland can have such a profound impact on overall health and well-being. But the thyroid gland plays an enormous role in human health. Throughout life, this busy gland is constantly producing hormones that influence metabolism. When disease causes your thyroid gland to slack off and underproduce thyroid hormone, or overwork and produce too much of it, you'll know something isn't right. Thyroid Disease: Understanding hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism will help you recognize the symptoms and find the right treatment before you experience the long-term effects of this common condition.
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Recent Blog Articles. Your thyroid—a small gland in your neck—has a huge impact on your body. It produces thyroid hormone TH , which is responsible for keeping your metabolism, heartbeat, temperature, mood, and more, in check. An underactive thyroid doesn't produce enough TH, and that can cause a host of health problems. Watch the video for the warning signs.
Credit: Corbis. Woman looking depressed or anxious. Credit: Getty Images. Thyroid problems can be helped by what you eat. Skin that's dry and itchy can be a symptom of hypothyroidism. The change in skin texture and appearance is probably due to slowed metabolism caused by too little thyroid hormone production , which can reduce sweating.
Skin without enough moisture can quickly become dry and flaky. Likewise, nails can become brittle and may develop ridges. Here's What That Is. People with hypothyroidism sometimes complain of constipation. The disruption in hormone production has likely caused a slowdown of digestive processes. To learn clever tips for quelling your PMS, watch this video to learn five ways to ditch your symptoms, naturally.
How's your cholesterol these days? A change in your voice or a lump in your throat could be a sign of a thyroid disorder. One way to check is to take a good look at your neck to see if you can detect any signs of thyroid swelling. You can do a physical check of your own thyroid at home with these directions from The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists: Using a hand mirror, watch your throat as you swallow a drink of water.
You're looking for any bulges or protrusions in the thyroid area, which is below your Adam's apple but above your collarbones. You may want to try this several times to get a hang of where your thyroid really is. If you see anything that's lumpy or suspicious, see your doctor.
Insufficient sleep is linked to a host of health problems, from depression to cardiovascular disease.
Make sure you're falling asleep quickly so you can get a good night's rest. Watch this video for six simple tricks to avoid insomnia. Going up a few dress sizes can be caused by so many things that it's unlikely your doctor will look at weight gain alone as a potential thyroid disorder symptom.
Most cases of an underactive thyroid are caused by the immune system attacking the thyroid gland and damaging it, or by damage that occurs as a result of treatments for thyroid cancer or an overactive thyroid. An underactive thyroid often occurs when the immune system, which usually fights infection, attacks the thyroid gland. This damages the thyroid, which means it's not able to make enough of the hormone thyroxine, leading to the symptoms of an underactive thyroid.
A condition called Hashimoto's disease is the most common type of autoimmune reaction that causes an underactive thyroid. It's not clear what causes Hashimoto's disease, but it runs in families. It's also common in people with another immune system disorder, such as type 1 diabetes and vitiligo. An underactive thyroid can also occur as a side effect or complication of previous treatment to the thyroid gland, such as surgery or a treatment called radioactive iodine therapy.
These treatments are sometimes used for an overactive thyroid where the thyroid gland produces too much hormone or thyroid cancer.
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