Do I Have an Underactive Thyroid?

Symptoms are a funny thing. There are so many that are characteristic of a plethora of ailments, that the symptom is treated until and if the cause is found. By then, matters have advanced to unhealthy levels. There are five major systems in the body, all interactive, and all choreographed by hormones. The thyroid regulates hormones. An underactive thyroid is called hypothyroidism and can cause many problems.

Symptoms

Black circles under the eyes it would take surgery to correct, dry skin, hair loss with every pass of the brush, lack of sleep including not restful sleep, inability to lose weight, joint pains, body aches are all symptoms of a slow thyroid, but they look like, and are treated for, things like fibromyalgia, for example. Weak muscles are often treated for rheumatoid- and osteo-arthritis. High blood pressure also accompanies hypothyroidism, but gets treated for heart conditions.

Systems

Some of the body's systems affected by these hormones are the immune system, which fights off infection, and is characterized by fatigue and sluggishness. The reproductive system runs on hormones, too, and is affected by a slow thyroid, made obvious by changes in menses. The metabolism is instrumental in how the body uses blood sugar for the benefit of the muscles, so weak muscles have a lot to do with the thyroid, and here you may read in adult-onset, or Type II, diabetes. High cholesterol involves the circulatory system, bringing in the lungs and heart. The thyroid regulates how the hormones run these systems.

Causes

When the thyroid doesn't make enough hormones, the systems suffer. It produces two hormones that regulate the systems, triionothyronine and thyroxine. These hormones are released at a certain rate, which is controlled by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus. Don't release enough, or under-produce the hormones, and you get disease. Blood tests can be used to determine failure to produce the hormones, because, over the years, the tests have become much more sensitive and can pick it up quickly, unlike blood tests back in the day.

Remedies

Doctors may prescribe a drug called levothyroxine, which is, in effect, hormone replacement therapy. It will stimulate the body's systems. The patient will notice the fatigue dropping away, an increased appetite, muscular and joint wellness and much more. Sometimes the dosage will need to be adjusted so the heart isn't overloaded with this new activity. Some doctors distrust natural or herbal remedies because they aren't passed by the FDA, but some have been proven to work by those who turned to such methods. Guugulipid is one herb that works just fine in hypothyroidism.

Testing

Considering that many symptoms look like something else, testing is a good idea when struck by symptoms. People of a certain age or persons having suffered from thyroid problems should be tested. Generally, older women, those with diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis, or those with a family history of thyroid problems should be tested. Pregnant women should be tested to make sure the fetus is growing healthy without problems.