A doctor at oprah winfrey show once suggested that thyroid problems and hormonal imbalances result when women fail to take time to properly care for mind, body and spirit.
Some experts say a woman over 35 has a 30 percent chance of developing a thyroid disorder. many experts think hypothyroidism is under-diagnosed, and researchers don’t know why. Possible explanations include:
Stress
It’s everywhere these days. Many thyroidologists recommend that patients try yoga, meditation, and other stress-reducers. Some experts believe that finding healthy ways to cope with stress might help prevent immune-system attacks like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, the most frequent cause of hypothyroidism, or at least slow its onset.
Environmental toxins
Chemicals that disrupt the body’s endocrine system may be throwing people’s hormones out of whack.
Nutritional deficiencies and/or imbalances
Too much or too little iodine, selenium deficiency from soil, fluoride in water, and too much soy in today’s diet may be culprits.
What is the Thyroid Gland?
( picture coutesy : www.cancernews.com )
The thyroid gland can produce too much of these hormones (hyperthyroidism) or not enough (hypothyroidism). These thyroid hormones play a vital role in the body, thereby influencing all organs. They also determine how fast or how slow the organs should work and when the body systems use energy.
What Does Thyroid Hormone Do?
Cells respond to thyroid hormone with an increase in metabolic activity. Metabolic activity, or metabolism, is a term used to describe the processes in the body that produce energy and the chemical substances necessary for cells to grow, divide to form new cells, and perform other vital functions.
The main function of the thyroid gland is to make the thyroid hormones, which regulates how much energy the body is burning. this is known as metabolism. the thyroid gland uses iodine from blood to make the thyroid hormone.
A small gland in the base of the skull and under the brain, known as pituitary gland, controls teh level of the thyroid hormone in the blood. It secreates a hormone known as Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, or TSH. TSH causes the thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormone
If you think of each cell in the body as a motor car, then thyroid hormone acts as if you were tapping on the accelerator pedal. Its message is "go."
Because thyroid hormone stimulates cells, it causes major body functions to "go" a bit faster.
Heart rate increases.
Breathing rate increases.
Use of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates rises.
Skeletal muscles work more efficiently.
Muscle tone in the digestive system, such as those in the walls of the intestines that help to move food through the digestive system increases.
Mental alertness and thinking skills are sharpened.
Symptoms of a Thyroid Disorder
The most common symptoms of thyroid disorders are:
An Underactive Thyroid – Hypothyroidism
The thyroid does not produce enough hormones and many symptoms of thyroid disorder in this case are related to a slow metabolism.
Symptoms include
fatigue, exhaustion
feeling run down and sluggish
depression
difficulty concentrating, brain fog
unexplained or excessive weight gain
dry, coarse and/or itchy skin
dry, coarse and/or thinning hair
feeling cold, especially in the extremities
constipation
muscle cramps
increased menstrual flow
more frequent periods
infertility/miscarriage
An Overactive Thyroid – Hyperthyroidism
The thyroid becomes enlarged, produces too much hormone, and the body uses energy faster than it should.
Symptoms include
nervousness
irritability
increased perspiration
thinning of your skin
fine brittle hair
muscular weakness especially involving the upper arms and thighs
shaky hands
panic disorder
insomnia
racing heart
more frequent bowel movements
weight loss despite a good appetite
lighter flow, less frequent menstrual periods
Diagnosing a Thyroid Disorder
A blood sample is the best screening method for any thyroid disorder. A blood analysis will help determine the levels of T4 and T3 that exist in the blood and can provide a picture of how the thyroid is functioning.
Thyroid tests can often come back normal or sub clinical although the thyroid is not functioning as it should be and all the symptoms of hypothyroidism are experienced. This is because a normal result on tests only indicates that the thyroid functioning falls within the average or slightly below average range.
Because thyroid functioning can vary from person to person, what may be normal for one person is not necessarily so for the next person. That is why the results of thyroid tests must always be seen in the context of symptoms experienced by the patient.
Patients who have a good working knowledge of their bodies can provide valuable information which assists the diagnostic process.
Treatment for Thyroid Disorder
Once we know what causes thyroid disorders and are diagnosed, we must seek proper treatment. The treatment will depends on the type of thyroid disorder. There are three main categories of conventional medical treatments - prescription medication, radioactive iodine and surgery.
Although thyroid disorders can be life-long conditions, most are easy to manage but complications can occur if they are left untreated or if the incorrect treatment is used.A healthy diet, exercise, meditation and other mind-body therapies have given many patients relief and comfort.
How is hypothyroidism treated?
The treatment is to take levothyroxine (thyroxine) tablets each day. This replaces the thyroxine which your thyroid gland is not making. Most people feel much better soon after starting treatment. Ideally, take the tablet on an empty stomach (before breakfast). This is because some foods rich in calcium or iron may interfere with the absorption of levothyroxine from the gut. (For the same reason, don't take levothyroxine tablets at the same time of day as calcium or iron tablets.)
What are the treatments for hyperthyroidism?
The main aim of treatment is to reduce your level of thyroxine to normal. Other problems, such as a large goitre (thyroid swelling) or associated eye problems, may also need treatment. Factors such as the underlying cause of the problem, your age and the size of any goitre are taken into account to decide on the best treatment plan.
Treatment options include the following:
Medicines - usually carbimazole,Radioiodine,Thyroid replacement therapy,Surgery,Treatment for eye problems,Betablocker medicines.
Note: the information above are from my research on web for thyroid disorders, causes, symptoms & treatments and from my personal experience.
I used to be on the synthetic drugs for hypothyroidism and it failed. I now take 5 of the dessicated porcine thyroid and my blood result is good. I still feel lethargic but at least I can trim my yard. My health practitioner is amazed.
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