All Posts tagged thyroid gland

Most women who keep tabs on issues related to women’s health have likely heard of diseases associated with the thyroid, a small gland at the base of your neck which is part of the endocrine system that produces hormones. Thyroid disorders can arise when your thyroid gland produces too much (hyperthyroidism) or not enough hormone (hypothyroidism). Common thyroid gland disorders include Hashimoto’s disease, Graves’ disease, goiter, and thyroid nodules.

What is it?

One of those diseases, Hashimoto’s results in an under-active thyroid gland (hypothyroidism). It is an autoimmune condition that mostly affects women between the ages of 40 and 60.

Who gets it?

Even though middle-aged women are the best candidates for Hashimoto’s diseases, there is nothing that prevents it from showing up in younger women, men, or even children. You are at high risk of getting it if it runs in your family, as it is hereditary, or if you have another autoimmune disease—such as Type 1 diabetes, lupus, or rheumatoid arthritis.

People who have been exposed to high levels of environmental radiation are also more likely to develop Hashimoto’s diseases. Of course, you are in the highest risk bracket if you have already had some type of thyroid surgery.

Symptoms

Sometimes the symptoms of Hashimoto’s disease can go unnoticed for years. The first sign can be an enlarged or swollen thyroid, usually combined with unexplained weight gain, prolonged and/or heavy menstruation, fatigue and depression, sensitivity to cold, constipation, hair loss and brittle nails, muscle weakness and joint pain, and even memory lapses.

Treatment

Since Hashimoto’s is a disease that affects the production of hormones in your body, it is usually treated with daily hormone intake—levothyroxine, the hormone that your thyroid gland would normally produce. In this way, the level of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) will slowly start to stabilize. Hormonal intake can take a long while to act in the body, so it may be several months before the symptoms begin to wane.

Consult your doctor in case your dose needs to be adjusted as your TSH levels can change due to pregnancy, heart disease, or if you take menopausal hormone therapy.