Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland is underactive. It can cause symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, joint pain, muscle aches and brain fog. Hypothyroidism can be diagnosed with a blood test and treated with hormone supplements taken orally.
What Is Hypothyroidism?
Hypothyroidism is a condition where the thyroid gland is underactive and not producing as much thyroid hormone as it should. It is the most common type of thyroid disorder.
The thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland at the base of your neck under your Adam’s apple.
It produces special hormones that help control your metabolism: thyroxine (T-4) and triiodothyronine (T-3).
Your metabolism and other bodily functions like heart rate and body temperature start to drop when your thyroid doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormones.
Anyone can get hypothyroidism, but it is more common in women over the age of 60. It affects every 1 in 300 people in the U.S., according to the AAFP.
Symptoms of Hypothyroidism
Common symptoms of hypothyroidism include:
- Fatigue and tiredness
- Sensitivity to cold
- Hoarse voice
- Slow speech
- Droopy eyelids
- Puffy and swollen face
- Unexplained weight gain
- Constipation
- Coarse and dry hair and skin
- Hand tingling or pain (carpal tunnel syndrome)
- Slow pulse
- Muscle cramps
- Joint pain
- Brain fog or confusion
- Increased or irregular menstrual flow in women
Symptoms Vary
Your symptoms may vary by age and gender. Hypothyroidism looks different in every person, and some people do not exhibit symptoms at first.
Symptoms of an underactive thyroid may be similar to those of depression, so your health care provider will need to do a blood test to confirm a diagnosis.
How Hypothyroidism Affects Daily Life
Hypothyroidism may make it more difficult to do things because it causes fatigue, confusion and brain fog. You may have a harder time getting through school or the workday because of these symptoms. It may also cause feelings of sadness or a loss of purpose if you don’t have the energy to do what you love.
Causes of Hypothyroidism
Autoimmune Disorder
Hypothyroidism is usually caused by an autoimmune disorder, which occurs when your body’s immune system mistakenly attacks itself. In this case, it attacks the thyroid gland, and it cannot produce enough hormones to regulate your metabolism and other bodily functions. This is why you start to experience symptoms.
Congenital Hypothyroidism
Some babies are born with an underactive thyroid, known as congenital hypothyroidism. Your baby’s provider will test for hypothyroidism in the first few days after birth and recommend a treatment plan if it’s detected.
Thyroid Surgery
If you’ve had surgery to remove part or all of the thyroid, its ability to produce hormones is diminished.
Thyroiditis
The thyroid may become inflamed due to infection, which causes it to become overactive and release all of its hormones at once. This is called hyperthyroidism. After this spike, the thyroid becomes underactive again.
Secondary causes of hypothyroidism include pituitary surgery/radiation and certain medications, like lithium.
Diagnosing Hypothyroidism
Your provider can diagnose hypothyroidism by:
- Understanding your medical history
- Doing a physical evaluation
- Performing blood tests
The blood test will show how much thyroid-stimulating hormone and thyroid hormone is in your blood. It can also measure antibodies that attack your thyroid, which will confirm an autoimmune condition.
Treatment Options for Hypothyroidism
Treatment for hypothyroidism will depend on your symptoms, age and overall health.
Oral Medication
Your provider may prescribe hormone replacement therapy to restore your hormone levels back to normal. This is an oral medication (taken by mouth) called levothyroxine.
You may have to adjust your dosage to avoid side effects of the medication and to resolve symptoms of hypothyroidism. Your provider will perform blood tests to measure your hormone levels and find the right dosage.
Your symptoms should resolve after taking levothyroxine for a few weeks. Depending on your condition, you may need to take levothyroxine for life.
Managing Hypothyroidism
For many patients, taking their prescribed dosage of levothyroxine will keep their symptoms in check. Your provider will perform a blood test to measure thyroid-stimulating hormone about 6-8 weeks after you start taking it. They may adjust your dosage if needed.
