Thyroid Disease Symptoms

Thyroid disease might be something that you have not heard of, but it affects many people everyday. The good news is thyroid disease is completely manageable and proper diagnosis is key to your first step in feeling better.

Your thyroid is a key gland that helps maintain your entire body, key to the way you feel and key to how your body functions.  The thyroid is located in the front of your neck; it is a butterfly shaped gland with two sides or lobes.  Each side is approximately 4cm long and ranges from 1 to 2 cm wide. 

It is interesting to note that the name thyroid comes from the Greek word meaning shield.
In North America and most other modern countries, the majority of people do not have a thyroid problem; however, the cases of thyroid cancer are on the rise for reasons not quite determined yet.  Iodine is a major contributor to the proper function of your thyroid; iodine is a major component in for the thyroid hormone and production.  We obtain iodine through our drinking water, and in both Canada and the United States iodine is added to our salt.  Nevertheless, like many other things, there are still people that are not immune to thyroid disease. 

There are two types of thyroid disease.  If your thyroid produces too much hormone you can or will be diagnosed with hyperthyroidism.  If you have the opposite, or production of too little hormone, you would fall under the hypothyroidism category. 

Hyperthyroidism symptoms can include:
•    Weight loss
•    Nervousness
•    Irritability
•    Intolerance to hot weather
•    Excessive sweating
•    Shakiness and muscle weakness

Other possible signs and symptoms of hyperthyroidism can include:
•    Rapid pulse
•    Loss of body fat and muscle bulk
•    Thyroid enlargement – commonly known as goitres
•    Fine tremors of the fingers
•    Hot, moist, velvety skin

Another symptom of hyperthyroidism is the appearance of considerable eye bulging.  The eye bulge also may show signs of redness, watering and lids may appear swollen.  With this also comes eyes that may appear to not move as usual since the eye muscles are not as able to work properly.  This symptom generally occurs in 50% of cases; whereas the remaining 50% may suffer from Graves’ disease.  Graves’ disease creates symptoms of less bulging since the eye muscle spasm, which in turn gives the eyes a strange appearance.

Hypothyroidism symptoms can include:
•    Poor appetite
•    Intolerance to cold weather
•    Dry, course skin, brittle hair
•    Tiredness
•    Hoarse voice
•    Constipation and muscle weakness
•    Slow reflexes
•    Slow heart rate
•    Thickening of the skin and/or the underlying tissues

Diagnosing hypothyroidism is done through a simple blood test to determine if the thyroid hormone levels are normal. 
Treatment of each type of thyroid disease varies.  Some treatment includes removable of the thyroid glad to hormone medication, talk to your doctor if you are experiencing any of these symptoms.