What are the Causes of Hypothyroidism & Thyroid Disorders

The thyroid gland is a gland located in the neck whose function is to produce hormones. The hormones produced by the thyroid control various functions of the human body, such as how calories are burned or how fast the heart beats. Holistic thyroid treatment can easily be done if condition get severe.

Hypothyroidism is a disorder in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough of certain hormones to meet the body’s needs.

Symptoms of hypothyroidism

Depending on the amount of hormonal deficiency, the severity of the symptoms will vary. However, it should be mentioned that the symptoms of the disease usually develop slowly, which is why they can manifest after several years.

At first, the symptoms of hypothyroidism are practically imperceptible, with fatigue or weight gain being the main signs. As the metabolism slows down, the signs may become more apparent. The most common are the following:

• Fatigue
• Constipation
• Dry Skin
• Increased sensitivity to cold
• Weight gain
• Swelling of the face
• Hoarseness
• Muscular weakness
• Joint pain
• Muscle tenderness and pain
• Heavier than normal or irregular periods
• Slow heart rate
• Bad memory
• High levels of cholesterol in the blood
• Poor memory
• Goiter (enlarged thyroid gland)
• Depression

Medical tests for hypothyroidism

At the time when a patient has symptoms such as excessive fatigue, constipation, weight gain or excessively dry skin, a blood test can be done to measure the amount of TSH in the blood.

Causes of hypothyroidism.

There are several different causes for someone to develop hypothyroidism. Among them are autoimmune diseases, radiotherapy, thyroid surgery … The most common factors are mentioned below:

• Autoimmune disease: the most common cause of hypothyroidism is an autoimmune disorder known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, which occurs when the immune system produces antibodies that attack the patient’s own tissues.
• Response to treatment for hyperthyroidism: People who make too much thyroid hormone, that is, hyperthyroidism, are usually treated with iodine or antithyroid drugs. The goal of these treatments is to correct poor thyroid function, although correcting hyperthyroidism can sometimes cause the amount of hormone produced to be reduced too much, leading to permanent hypothyroidism.
• Thyroid surgery: Removing the gland or part of it can slow or stop hormone production. However, if its production were to stop, it would be necessary to consume thyroid hormone for life.
• Radiation therapy: Radiation therapy used to treat head and neck cancer can cause the thyroid gland to be affected and lead to hypothyroidism.
• Medication use: The consumption of a large number of drugs can cause a person to develop hypothyroidism.

Other possible causes, although less frequent, can be:

• Congenital disease
• Pituitary gland disorders
• Iodine deficiency

Can hypothyroidism be prevented?

There is no concrete way to prevent or avoid the development of hypothyroidism. It is known to be a more common problem in women than in men, and it is more common in women over 50 years of age, although it can also occur at other ages. In turn, it is known that a person will have a higher risk of hypothyroidism:

• There is a family history of thyroid problem.
• Radioactive iodine or anti-thyroid medications have been applied to the patient
• Radiation therapy has been applied to the neck or upper neck
• You have had thyroid surgery