Symptoms of a thyroid condition Problem: which can go undiagnosed for years

One in 20 individuals in the UK are believed to have thyroid issues, yet it can take years to get a proper diagnosis. This is due to the symptoms’ overlap with a number of different illnesses.

The average time it takes to identify a thyroid disease is 4.5 years, according to a recent study conducted by professors at the University of Aberdeen in conjunction with a number of well-known thy-roid charities, according to ChronicleLive. Nearly two thirds of instances required numerous sessions and a worsening of symptoms before a diagnosis was established, according to the study, which examined the experiences of nearly 1,200 people.

In the neck, directly in front of the trachea (windpipe), the thyroid is a tiny gland with a butterfly-like form. One of its primary roles is to generate hormones that assist control the body’s metabolism, which is the process by which food is converted into energy. These hormones have an impact on things like your heart rate and body temperature.

Triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) are the names of these hormones, and having too much or too little of them can result in unpleasant and perhaps dangerous issues that may require treatment. Anyone can have an overactive thy-roid, although women are commonly affected between the ages of 20 and 40 and are affected around 10 times more frequently than males.

Also Read: Here Are the Psychological Effects of Keeping Secrets

Underactive thyroid symptoms

According to the NHS, symptoms of an underactive thy-roid frequently resemble those of other illnesses and typically manifest gradually, so you might not notice them for years. For instance, if you are approaching menopause, you can mistakenly believe that the menopause has begun rather than that you have an underactive thyroid.

Among the signs of a hypothyroidism are:

• Tiredness
• Weight gain
• Depression
• Being sensitive to the cold
• Dry skin and hair
• Muscle aches

Overactive thyroid symptoms

Many different symptoms can be brought on by an overactive thyroid. According to the NHS, they include:

• Nervousness, anxiety and irritability
• Mood swings
• Difficulty sleeping
• Persistent tiredness and weakness
• Sensitivity to heat
• Swelling in your neck from an enlarged thyroid gland (goitre)
• An irregular and/or unusually fast heart rate (palpitations)
• Twitching or trembling
• Weight loss

Also Read: Sudden Cardiac Arrest among Teens on Rise: Here’s What Experts Say You Can Do

If you are exhibiting signs of either an underactive or an overactive thy-roid, you should schedule a visit with your doctor. Only a thyroid function test, which includes testing a sample of your blood to determine your hormone levels, can determine whether you have a thy-roid issue.

Taking medicine is typically the first step in treating a thy-roid condition. While an overactive thy-roid is normally treated with medication that prevents your thy-roid from creating too much of these hormones, an underactive thy-roid is typically treated with daily hormone replacement pills called levothyroxine to boost your thyroxine levels.

FAQs

Also Read: High-Functioning Anxiety: Is It a Real Thing? Here’s What the Experts Say