People with hypothyroidism may experience a constellation of vague symptoms like fatigue, joint and muscle pain, constipation, swelling, etc., Until it’s diagnosed correctly, an individual with these symptoms may go from doctor to doctor until the real culprit is discovered.
The thyroid is an endocrine organ that has a major impact on the metabolism of the whole body. Do we need to take medicine for life if we suffer from hypothyroidism?
The many symptoms of hypothyroidism
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped organ on the front of the neck that secretes thyroxine, which controls many critical bodily functions. Levels of thyroxine can impact weight, heart rate, breathing, and mood. Many body functions will slow down due to inadequate levels of thyroxine. The disease caused by insufficient secretion of thyroxine is called hypothyroidism.
Symptoms of hypothyroidism vary and may include: weight gain, fatigue, cold intolerance, constipation, slow reflexes, dry skin, thinning hair, body puffiness, slow heartbeat, joint and muscle pain, memory loss, and depression.
Women may also experience infertility, heavy menstrual bleeding, or irregular menstruation.
Blood tests for such patients may also detect hyponatremia, anemia, or elevated LDL cholesterol.
Because so many symptoms of hypothyroidism overlap with other conditions, many patients may find out they have this disease after seeing many doctors.
The most common symptom is fatigue., which is very vague and non-specific. Anemia, insomnia, and aging can also make a person feel tired easily. Typically, a person will not suspect a thyroid problem first. There may also be a slight weight gain as a thyroxine deficiency worsens.
Some patients will experience myxedema. Myxedema is caused by a lack of thyroxine. This causes the fibroblasts of the connective tissue in the body to produce too many mucopolysaccharides similar to hyaluronic acid; it deposits in the dermis, scar tissue, or internal organs, resulting in a swollen appearance.
As hypothyroidism progresses, a patient may experience slow reflexes, slow heartbeat, or cold intolerance. Untreated cases may lead to pleural and pericardial effusions. Severe cases may result in a myxedema coma, with symptoms including hypoventilation, hypothermia, low blood pressure, slow heartbeat, and confusion.
Causes of hypothyroidism
1. Autoimmunity
Autoimmunity is the most common cause of hypothyroidism. The patient’s immune system will attack the thyroid gland, causing it to become inflamed and unable to secrete enough thyroxine.
For people with a family history of autoimmune thyroid disease, it is recommended to reduce the intake of foods with high iodine content; it may prevent the onset of the disease.
2. Aging
People over the age of 55 are more likely to suffer from the disease.
There is a higher proportion of women among patients with hypothyroidism. Goiter, thyroid dysfunction, and autoimmune thyroid disease are all more common in women. However, the ratio of male to female prevalence is similar in the elderly population.
3. Surgery and radiation therapy
Hypothyroidism may result from insufficient thyroid tissue remaining after surgical treatment for diseases such as thyroid cancer, hyperthyroidism, and thyroid nodules.
Radiation therapy used to treat head and neck cancers can also affect the thyroid gland, causing it to become underactive.
Will you need lifetime medication for hypothyroidism?
If blood tests confirm that you have hypothyroidism, you will likely need to take thyroxine medication for the rest of your life. And your doctor will likely schedule regular blood tests to confirm that your levels are adequate. However, your doctor may take into account certain issues like your ethnicity, age, symptoms, lifestyle, and whether you have autoimmune diseases.
If you are over 70 and a blood test shows a mild case with few symptoms, it may be considered subclinical hypothyroidism. It may be regarded as part of the normal aging process.
Thyroid and stress
The thyroid gland is an organ affected by stress, and the secretion of thyroxine is controlled by the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) secreted by the pituitary gland. The hormone changes of the pituitary gland change every few hours, so you may need more than just one blood test.
For subclinical patients, the thyroid function can return to a relatively stable and normal range in a short period of time without taking medicine when stress is addressed.
Some people will develop subclinical hypothyroidism in their 50s. Most will return to normal with controls followed carefully. In these cases, observation may be best rather than a rush to medicine.
However, medication will be necessary of your blood tests show hypothyroidism. For example, if the blood test report clearly shows hypothyroidism, and the patient has symptoms of extreme fatigue, hyperlipidemia, and risk of cardiovascular disease, it is necessary to supplement thyroxine.
They typically have an increased mortality rate with the cause of death being cardiovascular disease.
A 2017 meta-analysis of more than one million people found that compared with normal thyroid function, patients with hypothyroidism have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease: 13% higher risk of ischemic heart disease, 15% higher risk of myocardial infarction, 96% higher risk of cardiac mortality, and a 25% higher risk of all-cause mortality. Cardiac patients with hypothyroidism have a 122% increased risk of cardiac mortality and a 51% increased risk of all-cause mortality.
Some hypothyroidism is caused by subacute thyroiditis. Since the thyroid function may slowly return, taking thyroxine temporarily is sufficient. Subacute thyroiditis, a non-persistent and naturally reversible inflammation of the thyroid gland, usually occurs after a cold.
Do you need to limit iodine intake? Patients with autoimmune antibodies, regardless of their age, should avoid eating high-iodine foods such as nori, kelp, and seaweed in their daily lives, as these foods will aggravate thyroid inflammation and make the condition worse. At the same time, developing a healthy daily routine, having proper stress relief, and learning to control emotions can all help in managing the condition.