10 Early Warning Signs Of Thyroid Problems

Know the 10 early warning signs of Hyperthyroidism and Hypothyroidism problems

early signs of thyroid diseases

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Signs of thyroid problems vary depending on the cause. An overactive thyroid makes one sensitive to heat, causes weight loss, and leads to diarrhea. An underactive thyroid, on the other hand, makes one sensitive to cold, causes weight gain, and leads to constipation. Along with these, other thyroid symptoms could prove to be early warning signs of thyroid disease. The thyroid is a small gland in the neck shaped like a butterfly that greatly impacts your body. It produces thyroid hormone (TH), which is responsible for keeping your metabolism, heartbeat, and more in check.

Warning Signs For Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism is caused by an overactive thyroid gland. Due to this condition, our body produces an excess of thyroid hormones, such as triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). T4 is particularly produced when the pituitary gland secretes the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). The signs that your thyroid is off when it has abnormally high levels of thyroid hormones include

1. Nervousness and anxiousness

When the thyroid gland works overtime, the hormones tell the body to work in overdrive. This leads to several symptoms that make you feel nervous and anxious. Initially, these hormones lead to mood swings and hyperactive thoughts.

2. Increased heart rate

One of the physical symptoms of high hormone levels is increased heart rate. The increase in heart activity also leads to heart palpitations. These two are also symptoms of hyperthyroidism that lead to dizziness and lightheadedness. So, in case you feel your heart is moving too fast, you should get your thyroid health checked.

3. Increased sweating

Because of the thyroid hormones when the body becomes more active, so naturally, it tries to cool itself off by sweating, even in less active situations when you’re not physically exerting yourself.

4. Weight loss

The abundance of thyroid hormones tends to increase your metabolism and appetite. This will lead to a little unexplained weight loss and unexpected weight loss further leads to dramatic and unwanted changes.

5. Weak nails and thinning hair

With hyperthyroidism, the extra hormones cause the body to increase the growth of your hair follicles and nails in a shorter time. Though it might seem that rapid nail growth would be a positive side effect of thyroid dysfunction, but this isn’t the case. This forced growth is too fast, as a result of which the body has to stretch its natural resources, which leads to thin and brittle hair and nails.

Warning Signs For Hypothyroidism

It is a condition in which the thyroid gland doesn't produce enough thyroid hormone. Hypothyroidism's deficiency of thyroid hormones can disrupt such things as heart rate, and body temperature. and all aspects of metabolism. Hypothyroidism is most prevalent in older women.

1.  Fatigue

Hypothyroidism causes the body to produce fewer thyroid hormones, hence making it harder to recover from day-to-day stress. As a result, you’ll start feeling tired more often and more frequently. You will also find it difficult to fall asleep. It also becomes more challenging for the body to get moving each day. Your body as well as your thoughts become more sluggish and slow, and you'll have difficulty concentrating as mental fatigue, or brain fog, sets in.

2. Sensitive to cold

The hormones secreted by the thyroid gland also regulate body temperature. With fewer hormones, the body will find it more difficult to heat itself because metabolism slows down. Therefore, you will become more sensitive to the Nashville winter cold.

3. Constipation

While hyperthyroidism speeds up the digestive process, hypothyroidism slows it down. And constipation tends to occur more often as a result of these slowed processes.

4. Dry and itchy skin

Since the overproduction of thyroid hormones leads to skin problems, the lack of these hormones tends to impact your skin’s health as well. The skin tends to become dry, itchy, and scaly. The skin even wrinkles or becomes pale. These symptoms also further cause other skin conditions.

5. Weight gain

Thyroid problems cause the metabolism to slow down significantly. As a result, the body begins burning less energy and consequently stores more fat. It makes it hard for you to exercise because of the fatigue that comes with hypothyroidism.