What You Need to Know About Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is a disease wherein the thyroid glands creates not enough level of thyroid hormones, specifically thyroxin and triiodiothyrorine. Thyroid hormones are very significant as they perform on almost every cell in the body, especially for metabolism purposes. Therefore individuals who have an under active thyroid are apt to have a reduced activity in the numerous systems of the body. Some of the symptoms of hypothyroidism are osteoperosis, decreased sweating, carpal tunnel syndrome, muscle cramps, depression, low heart rate (bradycardia), goiter, increased sensitivity to cold, fatigue, and much more.
Hypothyroidism can be attributable to iodine deficiency or contact with Iodine-131, a radioactive isotope of iodine that destroys the thyroid. It can also be caused by the genetic autoimmune condition Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, where the body’s immune system assaults the thyroid gland. Yet another cause is lymphocytic thyroiditis, an swelling of the thyroid gland that triggers an overproduction of thyroid hormones, accompanied by a phase of hypothyroidism. Furthermore, medicines for hyperthyroidism may also result in hypothyroidism.
There are also various kinds of hypothyroidism. At times the pituitary gland or the hypothalamus is incapable of inducing the thyroid gland to generate adequate thyroid hormones despite the fact that the thyroid gland itself is normal. This condition is called secondary hypothyroidism and tertiary hypothyroidism, respectively. Meanwhile, subclinical hypothyroidism refers to the condition where there is a decreased serum TSH levels, indicating hypothyroidism, but have standard levels of thyroid hormones. Thyroid hormone deficiency can also happen during birth which is called congenital hypothyroidism. When left unattended, this may lead to growth failure and mental retardation. Hypothyroidism is also a typical ailment among domestic dogs.
The treatment method for this disorder is a long term therapy of synthetic levothyroxine (T4). It is taken in once a day dosage, though it requires larger doses for children. Individuals with a history of heart problems and even those people who are suspected of being at high risk aren’t recommended for this medication as it can aggravate their heart condition. The treatment should be frequently supervised if the correct amount of thyroid is taken. Excessive thyroid medication can be very unsafe as it may cause heart palpitations, increased blood pressure, and can contribute to osteoporosis.
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