7 Most Common Early Symptoms Of Thyroid Disease
Only people with thyroid problems know how hard it is to deal with. I can say this because I am a sufferer of the same. It is almost a year now since I have been suffering from Thyroid disease. I wish I could know the early signs and symptoms of thyroid so that I could take action on time. But alas, I had no idea about the early symptoms of thyroid which led me to a sufferer of thyroid.
Although my thyroid is now under control and I am doing well now, I still prefer prevention over cure. That is why, today, in this article below, I am going to talk about the most common early signs and symptoms of thyroid. Hope this will help you understand the warning signs of thyroid better and you can take proper action on time and you do not suffer like me.
How Do I Know I Am Having A Thyroid Problem?
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There is a butterfly-shaped gland known as the thyroid gland present in your neck. This gland often affects your health. Since the thyroid gland is responsible for producing the TH hormone or thyroid hormone and regulating many body functions, issues with your thyroid gland may bring a lot of issues to your body.
That is why, insufficient or extreme production of thyroid can invite many issues to your health. However, if you know about the early signs and symptoms of thyroid, you can prevent it on time and lead a healthy life.
To know whether you are having a thyroid issue or not, you should know what thyroid issue is, what are the types (to understand which type you are getting), etc. Let’s know that first.
What Is Thyroid?
The thyroid gland in your body is a very small organ located in the front of your neck. This gland is in the shape of a butterfly. Since it is a gland, it creates and releases substances that aid your body in performing a particular thing. For example, your thyroid gland produces hormones that control many significant functions of the body.
If your thyroid gland does not function properly, it impacts your whole body’s system. It means your thyroid gland may be producing insufficient TH hormone or producing a lot more than it should. Depending on the product of the TH hormone, your thyroid problem can be of two types:
Hyperthyroidism
It is even known as an overactive thyroid. This is called overactive because, in this condition, your body produces and releases extreme levels of TH hormone. Hyperthyroidism speeds your metabolism up. Generally, people with Hyperthyroidism get symptoms such as weight loss, rapid heartbeat, anxiety, and increased appetite.
Hypothyroidism
Unlike Hyperthyroidism, Hypothyroidism is responsible for not producing and releasing sufficient TH hormone into the bloodstream. This condition generally slows the metabolism down, causing weight gain issues in patients with Hypothyroidism.
Maybe this is the reason why Hypothyroidism is also known as an underactive thyroid. Generally with Hypothyroidism, you will get symptoms like gaining weight, feeling tired, and you won’t be able to stand cold temperatures.
Common Symptoms Of Thyroid: Hyperthyroidism
I have already explained the meaning of Hyperthyroidism. But do you know what are the most common symptoms of Hyperthyroidism? Let’s here know the 7 most common symptoms of Hyperthyroidism, However, there are more than just 7 symptoms, but I am going to mention the most common ones only.
1. Weight Loss
Since in Hyperthyroidism your thyroid gland produces and releases more than enough TH hormones, it speeds up your metabolism level. As a result, if you are having Hyperthyroidism, you will notice sudden weight loss without any valid explanation. No matter how much you eat, gaining weight will be a challenging task for you.
2. Increased Appetite:
In hyperthyroidism, hyperphagia is the main culprit for increased appetite. It makes the TH hormone directly act on your CNS appetite circuits and increase your appetite. Also, Triiodothyronine stimulates your food intake directly to increase the appetite in hyperthyroidism conditions.
3. Increased Heartbeat Rate
At the beginning of your Hyperthyroidism problem, you will notice issues like rapid heartbeat. Hyperthyroidism often leads to the patient to persistent tachycardia, ventricular dilation, and even chronic heart failure if untreated. Thus, Hyperthyroidism can be a fatal condition if left untreated.
4. Trouble Falling Asleep
With Hyperthyroidism condition, you may have trouble falling asleep at night. As a result, you may also suffer from issues like headaches or trouble concentrating on your work. Without proper sleep at night, many things get affected in your life. So, if you suspect that you are facing issues falling asleep without a valid reason, consult your doctor ASAP.
5. Muscle Weakness
Your muscle strength may be affected by the hyperthyroidism condition in your body. This is because the hyperthyroidism condition causes your body to utilize more energy than it should be. Moreover, since hyperthyroidism patients do not get enough sleep, their muscles do not get the time to recover from the daily stress in life.
6. Increased Sweating
Increased sweating in hyperthyroidism is also known as Hyperhidrosis disorder. This disorder can lead to excessive sweating for no valid reason. So, if you see you are sweating excessively without any apparent reason, it can be an early symptom of thyroid, especially hyperthyroidism.
7. Restlessness
With the hyperthyroidism condition, people often seem to suffer from restlessness. In case you are often feeling angered or easily agitated, it can be symptoms of the thyroid that you are dealing with unexplainable emotional issues.
Common Symptoms Of Thyroid: Hypothyroidism
I have already explained the most common symptoms of hyperthyroidism, now it is time for the most common symptoms of hypothyroidism. Let’s dig deeper to understand the 7 most common symptoms of hypothyroidism in this article below:
Weight Gain
One of the most common symptoms of hypothyroidism is an unexplainable weight gain problem. When you start having hypothyroidism issues, you will notice sudden weight gain no matter how much you eat and how much you exercise a day. You need to consult your doctor ASAP to know which stage you are at to prevent further serious issues with hypothyroidism.
Memory Issues
More or less everyone often faces issues like forgetfulness but with hypothyroidism, you forget basic things like where you put your keys or you may struggle to concentrate. Memory issues or brain fog issues are some of the most common issues in hypothyroidism.
Fatigue
Fatigue can happen with hypothyroidism. When you are suffering from hypothyroidism, you may feel a lack of energy or tiredness. It is not similar to feeling sleepy or drowsy. So, if you feel fatigued all of a sudden, it can be due to hypothyroidism.
Intolerance To Cold Temperature
When you suffer from underactive thyroid, it impairs the ability of your body to control your body temperature. Thus, your body becomes sensitive to cold temperatures. This happens because the thyroid gland can’t produce enough TH hormone for your body.
Joint And Muscle Pain
Hypothyroidism often causes muscle tenderness, aches, and even stiffness. Stiffness, and joint pain, especially in your knees and hands are caused due to hypothyroidism. You may also witness issues like swelling of small joints in your feet and hands.
Fertility Issues
With the hypothyroidism condition in your body, your thyroid gland does not produce sufficient necessary hormones. Thus, insufficient hormone production often interferes with your egg release from the ovary (ovulation). This causes infertility issues in women.
Irregular and Heavy Menstruation
With hypothyroidism, you may suffer from heavy or irregular periods or even period miss events. Since with hypothyroidism your prolactin levels change, it can cause thinning of your uterine lining as well as changes in your pituitary gland’s control over your ovaries. All these eventually lead to many menstruation-related issues.
BOTTOM LINE
Hope this article was helpful for you to understand the most common symptoms of thyroid. With a better understanding of the early symptoms of thyroid, you can prevent it on time and can lead a healthy life!
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