How to Recognize Symptoms of Thyroid Disorders

Hypothyroidism can make you feel tired.

Thyroid disorders affect an estimated 20 million Americans, according to the American Thyroid Association. Many people with thyroid disorders remain undiagnosed because symptoms develop gradually and are frequently attributed to aging or other medical conditions. Learning the signs and symptoms associated with a malfunctioning thyroid gland will help you detect the disorder, which is the critical first step in restoring your good health.

Things You'll Need

• Scale
• Mirror
• Old photographs of yourself

Instructions

1. Examine your hair for thinning, which frequently occurs with an overactive or underactive thyroid gland. Because hair loss develops gradually, look at old photographs to compare your current head of hair with the amount you had a year or two ago. Thinning of your eyebrows may indicate an underactive thyroid gland.

2. Check your skin for dryness, a common symptom of thyroid disease. Skin thickening may indicate an underactive thyroid gland, or hypothyroidism. Itchiness and clamminess suggest the possibility of an overactive thyroid gland, or hyperthyroidism.

3. Take note of your fingernails. Do they break easily and frequently? Nail brittleness is one of many symptoms suggestive of a thyroid disorder.

4. Mentally review your recent bowel habits. Are you moving your bowels more or less frequently than in the past? Decreased bowel movement frequency and constipation commonly accompany hypothyroidism; increased frequency may signal hyperthyroidism.

5. Weigh yourself to check for weight loss or gain. Unintentional weight loss, despite a normal or increased appetite, suggests the possibility of hyperthyroidism. If you've gained weight without significant changes in your diet or exercise routine, you may have an underactive thyroid.

6. Hold your arms out in front of you and look for shaking, or a tremor, in your hands. Hyperthyroidism frequently causes tremors, which can affect the muscles of your arms, legs, neck, head and trunk.

7. Reflect on your prevailing mood and mental health in recent months. Increased nervousness, agitation and irritability raise the possibility of hyperthyroidism. Depression, poor concentration and lack of motivation suggest possible hypothyroidism.

8. Note your sleep patterns over the previous 6 to 12 months. An underactive thyroid gland often causes increased nightly sleep and daytime sleepiness. Hyperthyroidism typically leads to a reduction in sleep time caused by difficulty falling and staying asleep.

9. If you feel uncomfortably warm or cool, ask those around you about their comfort level. An overactive thyroid gland revs up your metabolism, causing you to feel unusually warm. An underactive thyroid gland has the opposite effect, causing a persistent feeling of coldness.

10. Look at your eyes in a mirror, checking for unusual bulging. The development of eye bulging occurs gradually in some people with hyperthyroidism. Because early eye changes are difficult to detect, look at old photographs of yourself for comparison or ask someone you see infrequently whether your eye appearance has changed.

11. Check your neck for an abnormal growth or lump below your Adam's apple. A thyroid mass, or goiter, often develops with a thyroid disorder.

12. Track your periods if you are a menstruating woman. Abnormally increased or decreased thyroid gland activity often causes irregular periods.

Tips & Warnings

• Talk with your doctor if you recognize any symptoms that suggest the possibility of thyroid disease. Doctors typically use blood tests to evaluate your thyroid function.

• Do not ignore the symptoms of a thyroid disorder. In addition to causing undue suffering, untreated thyroid disease usually progresses and may become life threatening.

• Inform your doctor right away of any symptoms of hyperthyroidism if you have surgery or a medical procedure planned. Health-related stress can trigger a potentially fatal hormonal crisis called a thyroid storm in people with underlying hyperthyroidism.

References

• American Thyroid Association: Press Room
• PubMed Health: Hypothyroidism
• PubMed Health: Hyperthyroidism
• Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals: Hypothyroidism (Myxedema)
• Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals: Hyperthyroidism (Thyrotoxicosis)
• American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists: American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists Medical Guidelines for Clinical Practice for the Evaluation and Treatment of Hyperthyroidism and Hypothyroidism

Resources

• The Hormone Foundation: Thyroid Disorders Overview
• American Thyroid Association: Frequently Asked Questions