Hyperthyroidism Symptoms
We’ve covered the signs of hypothyroid – an underactive thyroid. But what about a thyroid that’s working overtime? Hyperthyroidism symptoms range from subtle to prevalent and from energy levels to physical appearance. Today we’ll cover hyperthyroidism symptoms, what to look for and what to do if this is you or someone you love.
Thyroid disorders are more common in women and in people with a family history of these types of conditions.
A Refresher on the Thyroid
What exactly does the thyroid do? Small but powerful. The thyroid is a little butterfly-shaped gland at the base of the neck. Just below the Adam’s apple. The thyroid secretes 3 hormones: T3, T4 and calcitonin. With that, about every process in the body is regulated, from skin and hair quality to mood and sleep – even your bowel movements. All roads lead to back to the thyroid. One of the most important bodily processes regulated by the thyroid is metabolism. So, in a thyroid that is overactive, metabolism will be higher than normal. This makes more sense as you read through the following list of hyperthyroid symptoms.
What are the Signs and Symptoms of an Overactive Thyroid?
There are varying signs and symptoms of an overactive thyroid. Many can mimic symptoms of other conditions. As a result, hyperthyroidism is sometimes misdiagnosed.
Here is a list of hyperthyroidism symptoms. Do any of these describe you?
On the Inside: Internal Signs of an Overactive Thyroid
- Rapid heartbeat (tachycardia): more than 100 beats a minute without exertion
- Irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)
- Pounding of the heart (palpitations)
- Increased appetite for no apparent reason
- Unexplained or unintentional weight loss even with normal appetite and food intake
What Others Might See: External Signs of an Overactive Thyroid
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Nervousness
- Sleep disturbances
- High sensitivity to heat
- Fatigue
- Muscle weakness
- Excessive sweating
- Fine, thinning hair
- Hair becoming more brittle over the course of months
- Thinning skin: skin that easily tears, injuries that don’t heal as quickly
- A goiter: an enlarged thyroid gland; appears at the base of the neck. Sometimes these are noticed first by someone else. This is especially true in women where an enlarged gland may appear somewhat subtle as opposed to males with a large Adam’s apple.
- Tremors in your hands and fingers
- Changes in the regular patterns of your menstrual periods
- More frequent bowel movements for no obvious reason (no change in diet or physical activity)
- Ophthalmic changes: protruding eyeballs, excessively dry eyes, sensitivity to light
What are the Causes?
Causes of hyperthyroidism are the following:
- Women are at higher risk
- Family history of thyroid issues, especially Graves’ Disease
- Certain medical conditions carry a higher risk for overactive thyroid. Especially conditions that relate to metabolism: Type 1 diabetes, pernicious anemia and certain adrenal conditions.
What to do?
If you suspect you have an overactive thyroid, don’t hesitate to call. Untreated hyperthyroidism leads to serious conditions, some life threatening including chronic heart conditions or life-altering eye issues, even blindness. Thyroid function is tested by lab and blood tests. From there, Dr. Russo will provide complete and private consultation that is holistic to address thyroid function from the inside out. Diet, medication when needed, daily activity-all of these play a part in restoring optimal thyroid functioning to help you lead your most fulfilling, healthy life.
Dr. Russo and her team at Inner Beauty are expertly trained in thyroid function to diagnose and treat hyperthyroid symptoms at their core. Contact us today for your private consultation.