{"id":1982,"date":"2018-12-27T09:15:04","date_gmt":"2018-12-27T09:15:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/veryhealthy.life\/?p=1982"},"modified":"2021-07-20T13:01:48","modified_gmt":"2021-07-20T13:01:48","slug":"14-distinguished-hypothyroidism-symptoms-to-look-out-for","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/veryhealthy.life\/14-distinguished-hypothyroidism-symptoms-to-look-out-for\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Distinguished Hypothyroidism Symptoms To Look Out For"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Every second, thousands and thousand of chemical reactions take place inside our body. Inside every cell, nutrients that we absorb from food, and the oxygen we breathe is combined and transformed to create new substances that we need to live.<\/p>\n

Other chemicals travel through our blood and other fluids and react with receptors, free molecules, and even microorganisms. All these reactions and processes are called metabolism, and our body needs to control the pace and intensity of these changes so we can live. Metabolism is controlled by hormones produced in our thyroid gland, located inside our throat.<\/p>\n

When we have too much or too little thyroid hormones circulating in our blood, our metabolism will be negatively affected, and we will develop a series of symptoms over time. Hypothyroidism is a syndrome caused by insufficient thyroid hormones; it is easily treatable, but must be diagnosed first. Here is a list of symptoms of hypothyroidism.<\/p>\n

1. Fatigue<\/strong><\/h3>\n

One of the main consequences of decreased metabolism<\/a> is a lack of energy. We obtain our energy through chemical reactions in which we consume substances like sugars and fat and release the energy trapped in their molecular bridges.<\/p>\n

A decreased metabolism means that less energy will be available for our use at any time, so we will feel weak and tired. This feeling of fatigue isn’t caused by lack of sleep, excessive exercise or effort, or mental stress. We do have the energy we need inside of our cells, it is just that our body isn’t working fast enough to recover it and put it to use.<\/p>\n

We might feel sleepy, tired, or inclined to sleep more, even if the quality of our sleep itself isn’t affected. We might also experience some degree of physical weakness as if our muscles didn’t have the strength to perform our everyday tasks.<\/p>\n

\"\"2. Weight gain<\/strong><\/h3>\n

If energy sources like sugar \u2013 especially glucose \u2013 and fat don’t undergo their normal metabolic process which transforms them into energy for our bodies, they accumulate inside our tissues, particularly around our organs and beneath our muscles.<\/p>\n

This is the natural mechanism through which we gain weight. When our metabolism is slowed down due to a lack of thyroid hormone, we are even more likely to put on extra weight. Also, if we are on a diet and\/or an exercise program in order to try and lose some weight, and you realize that your weight loss progresses at a slower rate than expected, chances are that you have<\/p>\n

hypothyroidism. Insufficient thyroid<\/a> hormone can also make your face look puffy and round. If you are trying to lose weight but not seeing the results that you expect, don’t give up yet; get an appointment with an endocrinologist, because chances are that you need a thyroid hormone supplement.<\/p>\n

\"\"3. Constipation<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Hypothyroidism has consequences in all major systems of your body. It affects all functions of your cells and, for that reason, all your vital functions are affected as well. Your digestive system works every day to process the food that you eat, absorb all nutrients necessary for your normal functions, and then excrete the remaining, indigestible parts of food.<\/p>\n

When your bowels don’t have enough dynamism, they move less and perform their function more slowly. Your larger intestine in particular, which is the last portion of your digestive system before final excretion, absorbs water contained in the aliments and sends it right to your bloodstream for it to be distributed around your body.<\/p>\n

The longer your fecal matter remains inside your large intestines, the more water they absorb, and the dryer it becomes. Dry fecal matter flows less and is more difficult to excrete, and thus causes constipation<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"4. High blood cholesterol level<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Lower metabolism means that substances we absorb from food stay for longer in our system before we excrete them o transform them into some other chemical that we need. In some cases, that can be very detrimental to our health, not only because it takes longer for us to synthesize proteins, ATPs, and other molecules that we need, but because some other molecules can accrue in our system and cause some trouble. In the case of cholesterol, which is a fatty substance present in many aliments, it can circulate for a long time in our blood without ever being absorbed or processed inside our cells.<\/p>\n

Cholesterol<\/a> makes our cell membranes more rigid, so it helps give our tissue structure and resistance. However, when deposits of cholesterol grow in the wrong places, they could make some structures too rigid, causing malfunctions or even threatening our lives.<\/p>\n

\"\"5. Chilliness<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Our body maintains an inner temperature that quite constant, usually a few degrees above room temperature. This internal heat is the consequence of our metabolism. Chemical reactions that take place inside our body produce a bit of heat as a result of their activity. Energy<\/a> is released from molecular unions, and the movement of fluids and organs also tends to slowly raise our temperature.<\/p>\n

When our metabolism is slowed down because of a lack of thyroid hormones, our capacity to naturally regulate our temperature can be affected.<\/p>\n

People with hypothyroidism can have an increased sensitivity to cold, which means that they suffer from cold more than people around them. Aside from body temperature, other vital signs might drop as well, all as a result of the same deceleration of the metabolic processes. For example, people with hypothyroidism might have a slowed heart rate than average for their level of fitness and activity.<\/p>\n

\"\"6. Cramps<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Alterations caused by a decreased rate in metabolism don’t only affect our organs. All tissues will face the consequences of a lower than normal blood level of thyroid hormones<\/a>. Even if parts of our bodies like muscles or bones don’t seem like dynamic structures just as organs are, the matter of the fact is that they are made of living tissue in which cells function, reproduce, die and engage in metabolic activity constantly.<\/p>\n

Our muscles in particular can manifest the consequences of low thyroid hormone levels.<\/p>\n

People with hypothyroidism sometimes feel pain on their muscles, like cramps or aches. Other common muscular symptoms include the difficulty to move and relax (stiffness) and a sensation of tenderness. These can be combined with abnormal levels of fatigue and tiredness that are a result of less energy liberation inside the cells of our muscles. If you have unexplained cramps or muscular aches you should consult a doctor.<\/p>\n

\"\"7. Joint problems<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Your joint tissue can also be affected by hypothyroidism<\/a>. You might feel that it’s more difficult for you to move; for example, to bend your knees or your hip, or move your arms around. Stiffness in your joints is one of the most common symptoms.<\/p>\n

Pain can also appear, and it isn’t linked to a bad movement or an excess in physical effort. Your joints might also experience swelling and inflammation, which is very likely to make the pain and the stiffness worse. If you notice that it is more difficult for you to move than before, and your joints hurt, then you should go to a doctor and request a derivation to a traumatologist.<\/p>\n

Once the main causes of joint pain, like injury caused by overstressing or a bad movement, rheumatoid arthritis, and bone growths, are discarded, you might be referred to an endocrinologist, especially if you have other symptoms of possible hypothyroidism.<\/p>\n

\"\"8. Menstrual irregularities<\/h3>\n

Statistics show that women are more likely than men to have hypothiroidism. Even if the age of the highest incidence for women is over 60 years old, many women in their fertile years live with low thyroid hormone levels. If this is the case, they might experience menstrual alterations that are a result of their hypothyroidism.<\/p>\n

Women with low thyroid hormone levels tend to have more irregular periods. The duration of the bleeding as well as the distance between the beginning of one period and the beginning of the next one might vary from month to month and even some periods might get skipped completely.<\/p>\n

Another possible consequence of hypothyroidism in women is abundant bleeding, much heavier than normal. The main disadvantage of heavy periods is that they dehydrate the body and lower the erythrocyte count, increasing the likeability of having fatigue<\/a> and anemia due to blood loss.<\/p>\n

\"\"9. Weak hair<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Our hair<\/a> (including eyelashes and eyebrows) and our nails are the only tissues in our hearts that are comprised of dead cells, but that nonetheless is a structural part of our organisms. Hair and nails we have already grown are not affected by a drop in our thyroid hormone levels, but metabolic problems will affect the hair folicles that are found in our skin.<\/p>\n

From each hair, the follicle grows one hair. Lack of nutrients and of proper protein synthesis will cause your hair cells to be flawed and low quality, and this will affect the texture of your hair. People with hypothyroidism have weak, coarse hair. Since the hair folicles are weaker as well, hair is more likely to attach itself from your scalp and fall off.<\/p>\n

Low thyroid hormone levels usually increase your rate of hair loss; your hair becomes thinner and requires additional nutrition to stay strong and appealing.<\/p>\n

\"\"10. Emotional distress<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Many organs in your body require a very delicate balance of chemicals<\/a> and reactions to work properly, and perhaps the most complex and sensitive of all is your brain. Every second, literally millions of cells send signals left and right, up and down, and the result is your behavior, your thoughts, your emotional reactions, and even the balance and harmony of all the other organs and tissues in your body.<\/p>\n

When your thyroid hormone levels are too low, your brain can’t synthesize enough neurotransmission and your neural connections become less efficient. Some neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin regulate our mood and our emotions, so an insufficiency of these components can negatively affect the way you feel.<\/p>\n

Hypothyroidism can cause irritability, dysphoria, and a general feeling of discomfort that cannot be attributed to everyday events or specific psychological features. Low thyroid hormone levels can also cause sadness and melancholy.<\/p>\n

\"\"11. Depression<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The neurological unbalance caused by insufficient synthesis of neurotransmission and slowed down retake and transportation can affect our behavior so much that we meet the description of some psychiatric conditions. Specifically, in many cases, people with hypothyroidism can be misdiagnosed as having depression<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Lack of serotonin, dopamine, and\/or noradrenalin can heavily affect our mood, our psychological energy, and our motivation. There is a pseudo-depression caused by a lack of thyroid hormone, and many of its symptoms match those of a standard depressive episode. People with hypothiroidism can feel weak and fatigued, sad, unmotivated, and apathetic.<\/p>\n

Other possible symptoms include decreased libido (sex drive) and cognitive difficulties. When a psychologist or psychiatrist receives in their offices a person with presumed depression, they must ask for a thyroid hormone dosage, especially if the patient has other typical hypothyroidism symptoms, such as being overweight, having a pale and dry face, thin hair and muscle cramps.<\/p>\n

\"\"12. Cognitive difficulties<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Emotional disorders such as depression aren’t the only mental condition that can be mimicked by hypothyroidism. Our brain has other functions aside from regulating our mood and processing our emotional responses to our environment. Intellectual processes such as memory, language, and rational thought can also be affected by decreased metabolism<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Acetylcholine, for example, is neurotransmission deeply involved in our cognitive processes and our thought, and the death of neurons that produce acetylcholine is linked to certain cases of dementia. Noradrenaline also plays a big part in our cognitive performance because it activates our cognitive processes and our alert, allowing us to pay attention and focus on mental tasks.<\/p>\n

Hypothyroidism can cause cognitive problems such as impaired memory, denomination problems, and a decrease in measurable IQ, so much so that some diagnoses of mental retardation or special needs are actually cases of undetected hypothyroidism, so it is always important to check your hormone levels.<\/p>\n

\"\"13. Development problems in infants.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Hypothiroidism develops gradually, and its symptoms are barely noticeable for the first few years. Although it can start at any age, it is most frequently developed in the elder years. However, in a small number of cases, people can be born with hypothiroidism or develop it within the first years of their lives.<\/p>\n

Congenital conditions like a lack of thyroid gland can cause low or non-existent thyroid hormone levels in newborns. Babies with hypothyroidism have symptoms that are different from those of adults. For example, the metabolic delay might cause substances like bilirubin<\/a> to accumulate inside the baby’s body, giving him or her a yellowish tone in their skin and eyes.<\/p>\n

This condition is known as jaundice. Other symptoms include an abnormally long tongue, that protrudes outside of the mouth, and the difficulty to swallow. The swallow reflex develops later than usual, so the infant chokes often and has problems eating.<\/p>\n

\"\"14. Growth delay<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Infants and young teens with untreated hypothyroidism will see their natural growth delayed or even interrupted if the hormone levels are too low. All tissues develop when kids grow up and, when puberty hits, they progressively change into their adult anatomy. However, slowed down metabolism<\/a> can delay this whole process.<\/p>\n

Infants with untreated hypothyroidism will grow less than others, and if the condition isn’t treated in time they will remain shorter than usual for the rest of their lives. Also, puberty can be delayed, so their physical sexual development will be affected as well. Permanent teeth will also take longer to grow in their mouths.<\/p>\n

So if you notice some sort of growth delay in your children, it wouldn’t hurt to pay an endocrinologist a visit. Hormones like the growth hormone (GH) and thyroid hormones play a big part in development, and timely treatment will allow normal growth.<\/p>\n\r\n

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