World Thyroid Day: Nine Worrying Signs Your Thyroid Is Sending You

A decade ago, the European Thyroid Association (ETA) and the American Thyroid Association (ATA) joined forces to designate a day dedicated to the thyroid gland and its many and often "invisible" symptoms.
The fruit of these efforts was the establishment of World Thyroid Day, which is celebrated every year on May 25.
A few words about the thyroid
THE thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped endocrine gland located at the base of the neck. It is charged with the all-important task of producing thyroid hormones, which are released into the blood and then transported to every tissue in the body.

Among other things, thyroid hormones regulate metabolism and body temperature and contribute to the smooth functioning of the brain, heart, muscles and other organs and systems.

How common are thyroid conditions?
According to the American Thyroid Association, about 20 million people in the US suffer from some form of thyroid disease. Also, it is estimated that over 12% of the US population will develop a thyroid condition such as hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, or thyroid cancer at some point in their lives.

The most striking statistic, however, is that up to 60% of thyroid sufferers are unaware that their thyroid is malfunctioning.

Thyroid diseases are more common in women than in men. It is estimated that a woman is five to eight times more likely to develop a thyroid condition than a man.
What symptoms does the thyroid cause?
As already mentioned above, diseases of the thyroid gland are often "silent", that is, they do not cause obvious symptoms that will motivate us to visit the doctor and do the necessary tests.

At the same time, many of the symptoms caused by the thyroid refer to various other diseases and thus make it difficult for us to recognize the thyroid as the real "culprit".

1. The skin becomes hard or too thin: One of the functions of the thyroid is to control the rate of skin regeneration. In hyperthyroidism, the skin renews itself faster, resulting in it being thinner and smoother than normal, while in hypothyroidism, skin cells renew more slowly and the skin becomes hard and rough. Other skin symptoms associated with thyroid disorders are hot or clammy skin, increased redness of the face and hands (hyperthyroidism) or cold and pale skin, slow wound healing and yellowish/orange skin due to weakness of the thyroid to convert food carotenes into vitamin A (hypothyroidism).

2. Changes in body weight: Although hypothyroidism causes weight gain, it is usually not much. In contrast, hyperthyroidism is characterized by marked weight loss. Of course, this does not always happen, since the thyroid basically affects the appetite. In practical terms, this means that people with hyperthyroidism have an increased appetite, so they are more likely to eat more, while people with hypothyroidism have a decreased appetite and eat less, so they are likely to avoid gaining weight.

3. The perception of the temperature of the environment changes: In hyperthyroidism, all the metabolic processes that occur in the body are accelerated, while in hypothyroidism they are slowed down. Thus, in hyperthyroidism there is increased combustion and, by extension, heat production, so profuse sweating and palpitations are often manifested even when the temperatures are not very high. On the other hand, hypothyroidism is characterized by a constant feeling of cold.

4. Emotional confusion prevails: Hyperthyroidism is closely linked to feelings of anxiety, irritability or even psychosis, while hypothyroidism is more associated with sadness and social withdrawal. Hypothyroidism can also lead to problems with memory and concentration.

5. Energy levels are affected: When the body burns calories at an increased rate, as occurs in hyperthyroidism, this means that energy availability rises and a feeling of overactiveness is observed. Conversely, the reduced energy availability that characterizes hypothyroidism implies a more general feeling of lethargy and constant fatigue. However, it should be noted that hyperthyroidism also eventually leads to exhaustion, since overstimulation ends up tiring the body. These effects of the thyroid on energy levels also translate into problems in the bedroom, such as difficulty sleeping and decreased libido.

6. The gastrointestinal system is out of sync: The acceleration and deceleration of metabolic processes seen in hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism respectively often leads to episodes of diarrhea and constipation.

7. Menstrual cycle becomes irregular: Both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism can lead to changes in cycle length and heavier or lighter bleeding during menstrual days. In fact, one of the first questions a doctor often asks women who are concerned about their thyroid is whether they've been experiencing problems with their periods lately.

8. Hair falls out: Hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism lead to hair loss through different mechanisms. In hyperthyroidism there is a generalized weakening of the hair and a reduction in body hair growth, while in hypothyroidism it is more common to see thinning of the eyebrows.

9. Swollen eyes: It is very common in people with Graves' disease, a form of hyperthyroidism, for the eyes to be swollen and look like they are bulging out of the sockets. This symptom is due to the accumulation of extra tissue behind the eyes.

Source: www.onmed.gr