Unexplained weight gain is a common symptom that sends a person to the doctor to get their thyroid checked. When levels of thyroid hormone get too low, the body’s processes start to slow down, which can result in weight gain. But there are other, less well-known signs that the thyroid is not doing what it is supposed to do.
Thyroid disease occurs when the butterfly-shaped gland located in the lower front of the neck isn’t working properly. A healthy thyroid gland secretes thyroid hormones that are sent to every tissue in the body. These hormones help you to use energy, stay warm, and keep all of the body’s organs working the way that they should. When the thyroid is not working properly, there is a wide range of symptom that can occur. The symptoms differ based on whether the thyroid is secreting too much thyroid hormone or not enough.
Sensitivity to Cold
Are you always the person in the office who is complaining that it’s too cold? Sensitivity to cold can be a sign of an underactive thyroid, especially if it’s something that you are noticing more lately.
Aches and pains
Have you been experiencing muscle aches, pains or cramping? This is another sign of a possible thyroid problem. Joint pain, especially in the shoulders and hips, is a possible sign of thyroid disease.
Memory Loss
Do you feel like you are experiencing brain fog? If you are finding your job more difficult to perform than it used to be, or feel like you are more forgetful, this can be due to an underactive thyroid. According to the American Thyroid Association, many older people ignore these signs thinking they are just a normal part of aging, when actually they are symptoms of a treatable thyroid problem.
Anxiety
Have you tried to treat anxiety without success? According to the Chicago Weight Loss Clinic, anxiety that doesn’t respond to medication can be a sign of an overactive thyroid.
If you suspect that you have signs of thyroid disease, the only way to know for certain is to take a blood test that measures your thyroid hormone levels. Some of the signs of hyperthyroidism overlap with the signs of hypothyroidism, and some symptoms of thyroid disease are also present in other illnesses. Talk to a doctor to find out whether or not thyroid disease is the cause of your symptoms.
The post Do You Have These 4 Telltale Signs? You May Have Thyroid Disease appeared first on .
