USF-COM
Department
of Family Medicine
Patient Education Information on...
Index of
Patient Education Topics
What
is hypothyroidism ?
The thyroid gland is a butterfly
shaped gland that is located at the base of your neck just in front of
the windpipe. The thyroid acts as a metabolic control center for the body.
The thyroid gland makes thyroid hormone which travels through the body
and tells the body what metabolic gear it should run (low, normal or high
gear). Hypothyroidism is when your body does not make enough thyroid hormone.
As a result, your body's metabolism shifts into low gear and runs slower.
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Who
gets hypothyroidism?
There are many different causes
of hypothyroidism. The most common cause in the United States is a disorder
called Hashimoto's thyroiditis. In this disorder, the body makes particles
that block the thyroid from working shifting the body into low gear. Hashimoto's
thyroiditis is more common in women and may run in families.
There are many other causes of
hypothyroidism. For example, overtreatment of an overactive thyroid, medication
reactions, and in rare cases iodine deficiency. Hypothyroidism is not something
you can catch from other people. The bottom line is anyone can get hypothyroidism
- male or female, young or old. In fact, some people are just born with
hypothyroidism.
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What
are the symptoms of hypothyroidism?
-
Weakness and fatigue
-
Constipation
-
Dry skin and coarse hair
-
Weight gain
-
Puffy eyelids, face, and hands
-
Hoarseness
-
Feeling cold when everyone else
is hot
-
Irregular menstral periods
The symptoms may be mild at first
and go unnoticed. Not all of the symptoms named above have to be present
to have hypothyroidism.
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How
do I find out if I have hypothyroidism?
If you are having some of the symptoms
of hypothyroidism, ask your doctor. He or she will take a thorough medical
history and perform a physical exam looking for signs of hypothyroidism.
If the doctor feels there is reason to suspect hypothyroidism, a blood
test to check the thyroid will be done. The blood test checks to see if
the thyroid hormone levels are high enough in your body. If they are too
low, you have hypothyroidism.
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Can
hypothyroidism be treated?
Yes. Treatment envolves taking a
pill to replace the hormone that is missing. The medication is started
at a low dose and slowly increased until the hormone levels in the body
are normal. This means periodic blood testing every few months will be
done to measure the thyroid hormone levels.
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Are
there any side effects to the treatment?
Any medication has the potential
for side effects. Thyroid replacement medication is generally well tolerated,
but should only be taken as directed by your doctor. People with heart
disease may need to be monitored more closely.
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Is
there anything I can do to help prevent hypothyroidism?
There are no magic tips for the
prevention of hypothyroidism. Eating a well balanced diet will help ensure
that your body has everything it needs to make thyroid hormone. The good
news is we have effective and low risk treatment of hypothyroidism available.
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What
happens if hypothyroidism is not treated?
In infants, untreated hypothyroidism
can result in cretinism (mental retardation, short arms and legs). Infants
are now routinely checked for hypothyroidism at birth. Cretinism is preventable
if caught early and thyroid replacement medication started.
In adults, untreated hypothyroidism
can result in changes in several body organ systems. It can decrease the
heart's ability to pump blood, fluid can build up around the lungs making
breathing more difficult. In the intestines, chronic constipation can develop.
Untreated hypothyroidism can also cause decreased mental function and psychiatric
problems like depression. Severe untreated hypothyroidism can result in
myxedema coma. Myxedema coma is a serious condition that can lead to death
in 50 - 75%. Signs of myxedema coma include low body temperature, low blood
sugar, extreme weakness, shock, and decreased mental awareness. It may
occur gradually or all of a sudden.
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