« Causes Of Hypothyroidism | Home | Diagnosis Of Hypothyroidism »
Symptoms Of Hypothyroidism
By peace | March 19, 2007
The signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism vary widely, depending on the severity of the hormone deficiency. But in general, any problems you do have tend to develop slowly, often over a number of years.
At first, you may barely notice symptoms such as fatigue and sluggishness, or you may simply attribute them to getting older. But as your metabolism continues to slow, you may develop more obvious signs and symptoms:
Symptoms of Hypothyroidism
The symptoms of hypothyroidism are often subtle. They are not specific (which means they can mimic the symptoms of many other conditions) and are often attributed to aging. Patients with mild hypothyroidism may have no signs or symptoms. The symptoms generally become more obvious as the condition worsens and the majority of these complaints are related to a metabolic slowing of the body. Common symptoms are listed below:
- Fatigue, low energy
- Weakness
- Depression
- Weight gain and difficulty losing weight
- Cold intolerance
- Excessive sleepiness
- Dry, coarse hair, growing slow
- Hair Loss
- Constipation
- Dry, rough pale skin
- Muscle cramps and frequent muscle aches
- Vague aches and pains
- Increased cholesterol levels
- Irritability
- Memory Loss
- Decreased concentration
- Swelling of the legs
- Decreased libido
- Abnormal menstrual cycles
- high cholesterol resistant to cholesterol lowering drugs
As the disease becomes more severe, there may be puffiness around the eyes, a slowing of the heart rate, a drop in body temperature, and heart failure. In its most profound form, severe hypothyroidism may lead to a life-threatening coma (myxedema coma). In a severely hypothyroid individual, a myxedema coma tends to be triggered by severe illness, surgery, stress, or traumatic injury. This condition requires hospitalization and immediate treatment with thyroid hormones given by injection.
The symptoms of hypothyroidism occur throughout the body. In adults, they usually develop slowly and are often mistaken for part of the aging process. Some patients will have one of these symptoms as their main complaint, while another will not have that problem at all and will be suffering from a different symptom. Most will have a combination of a number of these symptoms. Occasionally, some patients with hypothyroidism have no symptoms at all, or they are just so subtle that they go unnoticed.
When hypothyroidism isn’t treated, signs and symptoms can gradually become more severe. Constant stimulation of your thyroid to release more hormones may lead to an enlarged thyroid (goiter). In addition, you may become more forgetful, your thought processes may slow or you may feel depressed.
Advanced hypothyroidism, known as myxedema, is rare, but when it occurs it can be life-threatening. Signs and symptoms include low blood pressure, decreased breathing, decreased body temperature, unresponsiveness and even coma. In some cases, myxedema can be fatal.
Hypothyroidism in children and teens
Although hypothyroidism most often affects middle-aged and older women, anyone can develop the condition, including infants and teenagers. Initially, babies born without a thyroid gland or with a gland that doesn’t work properly may have few signs and symptoms. When newborns do have problems with hypothyroidism, they may include:
- Yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice). In most cases, this occurs when a baby’s liver can’t metabolize a molecule called bilirubin, which normally forms when the body recycles old or damaged red blood cells.
- Frequent choking.
- A large, protruding tongue.
As the disease progresses, infants are likely to have trouble feeding and may fail to grow and develop normally. They may also have:
- Constipation
- Poor muscle tone
- Excessive sleepiness
When hypothyroidism in infants isn’t treated, even mild cases can lead to severe physical and mental retardation.
In general, children and teens who develop hypothyroidism have the same signs and symptoms as adults do, but they may also experience:
- Poor growth, resulting in short stature
- Delayed development of permanent teeth
- Delayed puberty
- Poor mental development
Topics: All Posts, Children, Diseases, Man's health, Mental Health, Woman's Health | No Comments »
