Statistics show that 27 million people are affected by Thyroid Disease in the United States. This disease is most commonly found in women and it is believed that 4 out of every 100 women are afflicted with some form of autoimmune thyroid disease.
A thyroid that is under producing thyroid hormone is termed hypothyroidism. It is characterized by insufficient levels of the primary thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). Thyroxine is transformed into its active form of triiodothyronine by the liver.
Since women are more prone to thyroid disease than men, hypothyroidism is the most commonly diagnosed. The most common complaints include fatigue, weight gain, depression and high cholesterol. However, there are also a slightly lower number of women who suffer from hyperthyroidism or over production of thyroid hormone in the blood.
Symptoms of thyroid disease:
Hyperthyroidism:
Feeling warm Increased perspiration Weakness and fatigue Trembling hands Rapid heartbeat Weight loss Diarrhea Irritability / anxiety Eye discomfort Menstrual changes Inability to conceive
Hypothyroidism:
Fatigue Depression Sluggishness Feeling cold Weight gain of 5"10 pounds Dry hair and skin Constipation Menstrual changes
Menopause and Hormonal Imbalance:
Approximately 20% of menopausal women in the US are diagnosed with a problematic thyroid, and many women go undiagnosed. For women in their late 30s or 40s, hypothyroidism is indicative of being perimenopausal, which is the time of up to 15 years before menopause. Some women experience menopause in their early 40s, especially if their mothers entered menopause at a relatively early age.
What causes Hypothyroidism?
Thyroid dysfunction can be caused by physical and emotional stresses as well as a hormone imbalance of estrogen and progesterone. The most common culprits of this disease in women are Perimenopause, menopause and pregnancy as they bring on hormonal imbalances. This imbalance of more estrogen than progesterone can cause the thyroid to produce fewer hormones, thus resulting in hypothyroidism. Fortunately, this imbalance can be remedied with a prescription of progesterone to bring a natural balance back in to play which alleviates the symptoms.
Additional causes include adrenal fatigue and insulin resistance. The adrenal glands are located just above the kidneys where they release adrenaline in response to the flight or fight reaction. These responses are stress related, if they persist for too long, they can cause the adrenal gland to become fatigued. Once this occurs, the thyroid can not function properly, thus resulting in hypothyroidism.
Poor nutrition is the usual culprit for insulin resistance. This reaction causes the thyroid to be underactive. Women who have been diagnosed with hypoactive thyroid should be tested or insulin resistance.
The thyroid requires good nutrition, managed stress and a balance of hormones to function normally. Everything in the body works together as a whole to keep it running in tip top shape.
Oftentimes, symptoms of a thyroid problem can be mistaken for another disease, thus delaying you much needed treatment. A physician can perform a blood test to discover if the thyroid is indeed the problem or some other underlying or more serious problem is the cause. If in fact you do have a thyroid problem, you will begin to feel much better after a few weeks of proper treatment.
A thyroid that is under producing thyroid hormone is termed hypothyroidism. It is characterized by insufficient levels of the primary thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). Thyroxine is transformed into its active form of triiodothyronine by the liver.
Since women are more prone to thyroid disease than men, hypothyroidism is the most commonly diagnosed. The most common complaints include fatigue, weight gain, depression and high cholesterol. However, there are also a slightly lower number of women who suffer from hyperthyroidism or over production of thyroid hormone in the blood.
Symptoms of thyroid disease:
Hyperthyroidism:
Feeling warm Increased perspiration Weakness and fatigue Trembling hands Rapid heartbeat Weight loss Diarrhea Irritability / anxiety Eye discomfort Menstrual changes Inability to conceive
Hypothyroidism:
Fatigue Depression Sluggishness Feeling cold Weight gain of 5"10 pounds Dry hair and skin Constipation Menstrual changes
Menopause and Hormonal Imbalance:
Approximately 20% of menopausal women in the US are diagnosed with a problematic thyroid, and many women go undiagnosed. For women in their late 30s or 40s, hypothyroidism is indicative of being perimenopausal, which is the time of up to 15 years before menopause. Some women experience menopause in their early 40s, especially if their mothers entered menopause at a relatively early age.
What causes Hypothyroidism?
Thyroid dysfunction can be caused by physical and emotional stresses as well as a hormone imbalance of estrogen and progesterone. The most common culprits of this disease in women are Perimenopause, menopause and pregnancy as they bring on hormonal imbalances. This imbalance of more estrogen than progesterone can cause the thyroid to produce fewer hormones, thus resulting in hypothyroidism. Fortunately, this imbalance can be remedied with a prescription of progesterone to bring a natural balance back in to play which alleviates the symptoms.
Additional causes include adrenal fatigue and insulin resistance. The adrenal glands are located just above the kidneys where they release adrenaline in response to the flight or fight reaction. These responses are stress related, if they persist for too long, they can cause the adrenal gland to become fatigued. Once this occurs, the thyroid can not function properly, thus resulting in hypothyroidism.
Poor nutrition is the usual culprit for insulin resistance. This reaction causes the thyroid to be underactive. Women who have been diagnosed with hypoactive thyroid should be tested or insulin resistance.
The thyroid requires good nutrition, managed stress and a balance of hormones to function normally. Everything in the body works together as a whole to keep it running in tip top shape.
Oftentimes, symptoms of a thyroid problem can be mistaken for another disease, thus delaying you much needed treatment. A physician can perform a blood test to discover if the thyroid is indeed the problem or some other underlying or more serious problem is the cause. If in fact you do have a thyroid problem, you will begin to feel much better after a few weeks of proper treatment.
About the Author:
Barb Hicks is an experience writer and licensed registered nurse who loves to share her knowledge. You can find her lessons about Thyroid Nodules Causes and Thyroid Storm Treatment on Clivir - the Free learning Community Site.
