If you’re worried you might have an issue with an underactive thyroid, we’re here to help you understand the condition and common signs. Known as hypothyroidism, an underactive thyroid slows down body functions like your metabolism.
Hypothyroidism affects nearly 5% of American adults and occurs when your thyroid doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormones. The condition can be difficult to recognize since the symptoms are slow to progress.
Fortunately, our providers at Jacksonville ENT Surgery are experts at diagnosing and treating hypothyroidism. With four locations in Jacksonville, Florida, we’re committed to helping men and women get the care they need to put an end to their thyroid issues.
More than half of adults with hypothyroidism have no idea they have a thyroid issue, so we put together this guide to help you learn what the signs are. Take a moment to find out more about this common condition.
Your thyroid is a key organ in controlling many different body functions, including your blood pressure and heart rate. If your energy levels are down, it could be due to your thyroid.
An underactive thyroid allows your blood pressure and heart rate to drop and run much lower than normal, making you feel tired. Getting out of bed in the morning and staying awake during the day can become difficult too.
Gaining weight without an explanation is a common symptom of an underactive thyroid. When your thyroid is underactive, you don’t have the energy you need to burn calories and stay at a healthy weight.
If you’ve been experiencing changes in your weight, be sure to see your provider at Jacksonville ENT surgery.
Heightened sensitivity to cold temperatures is another symptom of hypothyroidism. This comes from your slowed metabolism, which affects your core body temperature.
As a result, if you have an underactive thyroid, you might feel chilly all the time — even if others around you feel warm.
Daily hair loss is normal. In fact, the average person sheds about 100 strands of hair each day. But if you’ve noticed an increase of lost hair, it could be due to your thyroid, since hypothyroidism affects your hair cycle.
Your hair cycle consists of a growth phase, transition phase, and resting/shedding phase. When you have an underactive thyroid, too many hair follicles stay in the resting/shedding phase and not enough enter the growth phase.
This means that more shedding occurs. More shedding can result in patchy hair loss and possibly even balding.
For women, there’s an additional sign of an underactive thyroid: heavy periods.
Your thyroid releases hormones that react with hormones all over your body, including the ones in your reproductive system. Hypothyroidism affects your hormones in a few different ways. It::
With these impediments, your reproductive system struggles to control your periods and can lead to uncomfortably heavy cycles.
Fortunately, if you think you have an underactive thyroid, it’s easy to diagnose and treat if you seek care from a thyroid professional, like those on our care team at Jacksonville ENT Surgery.
To diagnose an underactive thyroid, our team at Jacksonville ENT Surgery assesses your thyroid hormone levels, along with any other additional testing or imaging. Once the diagnosis is made, we work with you to develop a customized thyroid treatment plan.
Your treatment plan is based on your unique symptoms and medical history, but you can expect your plan to include one or several of these treatments to rebalance your thyroid hormones and end symptoms:
If you think you may have an underactive thyroid, or would just like to learn more, we’re here to help. Schedule an appointment online or over the phone at the Jacksonville ENT Surgery office nearest you.
