What Does TSH Mean in Blood Tests?
If you are experiencing weight loss or gain along with feelings of fatigue, depression or aches and pains, you may be experiencing symptoms related to an overactive or underactive thyroid. If your doctor suspects that you may have a thyroid problem, he may decide to do a test to reveal your TSH level.
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What is TSH?
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TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) is a hormone that is produced by the pituitary gland; it is the job of the TSH to stimulate the thyroid and trigger the production of thyroid hormone.
High or Low TSH
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High TSH signifies that your thyroid is not producing enough hormone; a low TSH denotes an overproduction of thyroid hormone.
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Normal TSH
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Sometimes you may experience symptoms of thyroid disease, but a blood test reveals that your TSH is normal. T3 and T4 (both thyroid hormones that are produced by the thyroid gland) also play a role in thyroid disease. Either of these two can be out of range, signifying a thyroid disorder, even if the TSH is normal.
TSH and Heart Disease
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Both high and low TSH can be destructive to the health of the heart; if left untreated, life threatening damage can result.
TSH Medications
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TSH levels can be stabilized with the use of medications. Hypothyroidism can be treated with Synthroid, and hyperthyroidism with the use of Tapazole.
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Resources
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