Thyroid Problems? Hard To Tell
As many as one in 10 Americans has an underactive thyroid which can cause a host of medical symptoms, reports The Early Show medical correspondent Dr. Emily Senay.
Thyroid problems usually result when the gland, a butterfly-shaped gland in the front of the throat just below the Adam's apple, is not producing enough hormones, a condition known as hypothyroidism. These hormones regulate growth and the way the body uses energy.
The most common thyroid disease is an immune system disorder linked to aging; the body destroys its own thyroid cells and the lack of the hormones causes a body-wide slowdown. Older women especially are more prone to this kind of thyroid problem.
Symptoms of underactive thyroid
How can you tell if your thyroid is not functioning properly? Thyroid problems can throw the whole body and mind out of whack. An underactive thyroid gland can cause a wide range of symptoms like memory lapses, depression, fatigue, feeling chilled or increased sensitivity to cold. It can also cause weight gain or trouble losing weight, high cholesterol, thinning hair, dry skin and puffy eyes.
Many of these symptoms can also come with age, which is why thyroid problems often go unnoticed, even while the symptoms are being treated.
Other causes of thyroid problems
The thyroid can fail to produce enough hormone for a number of reasons, such as infections, some medications or hormone fluctuations during pregnancy or menopause. Some people are born with an underactive thyroid.
Treatment
The treatment and the test for common hypothyroidism are inexpensive and easy. A daily dose of thyroid hormones can usually replace what the gland fails to make on its own.
Currently the medical community is developing guidelines for screening and treatment. But the American Thyroid Association says that men and women older than 35 should have a blood test every five years, and recommends annual screening for those older than 60, especially women.
If you have a family history of thyroid problems, you should talk to your doctor about getting screened more often.
The current question when it comes to thyroid problems centers on people whose thyroid is just slightly underactive - a condition called mild hypothyroidism. In these people, there may be some symptoms or none at all. Some experts say that nearly half of those with mild hypothyroidism will develop the full-blown thyroid disease in five to seven years. But there is still debate about whether these people should be treated before they develop problems.