Symptoms of Thyroid Disorders

Thyroid is a small, butterfly shaped gland situated in the lower neck. It is brownish red in color divided into the left and right lobe. The lobes appear like butterfly wings and weigh less than an ounce.

Even though it is a small gland, it plays an important role of producing hormones that regulate the metabolism and growth of the body. It plays a crucial role in adolescents by carrying out the various hormonal changes in the body. The thyroid gland secretes hormones that travel though the bloodstream. These hormones control the growth and structure of the bone, sexual development and other body functions. These hormones help the body mature as required. Thyroid hormones require iodine, a chemical element, to carry out the various functions. The body absorbs iodine from the food and water we consume.

Thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) are the two most important thyroid hormones. The thyroid hormones contain 99.9% thyroxine levels and 0.1% of triiodothyronine. T3 is the most biologically powerful hormone. It affects the metabolism of the cells in the body. The pituitary gland located in the brain regulates the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland, in turn regulates the pituitary gland to some extent, via the feedback effect of thyroid hormone.

Thyroid Disorders
When the thyroid gland fails to secrete the proper amount of hormones in the body, it leads to thyroid disorders. The normal thyroid levels in the body is about 0.3 to 3.3 TSH level, followed in US labs according to the revised standards in spring 2003. When the thyroid levels in the body decrease or increase from the normal thyroid level, various symptoms of thyroid problems are observed.

Hyperthyroidism
When the thyroid gland becomes overactive producing over doses of thyroid hormones into the blood, it leads to hyperthyroidism or overactive thyroid. Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) level below the normal range and T4 level above the normal range indicates hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism causes the body to use more energy than it should and thus, the cell metabolism rate increases. Graves' disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism mainly affects women of ages between 20 to 40 years.

Symptoms of Hyperthyroidism
Symptoms of thyroid gland problems in case of hyperthyroidism are as follows:

• Fatigue
  
• Weight loss, even though person may be eating more than usual
  
• Nervousness
  
• Rapid heart beat
  
• Increased sweating
  
• Hot and cold flushes
  
• Infrequent and scant periods
  
• Frequent bowel movements
  
• Tremors
  
• Intolerance to heat
  
• Sleep disorders
  
• Fast heartbeat
  
• Muscle weakness
  
• Enlarged thyroid gland
  
• Inflamed and swollen eyes
  
• Bulging eyes mostly seen in adults.

Hypothyroidism
When the thyroid gland produce hormones less than required, it leads to a condition called hypothyroidism or underactive thyroid. Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) level above the normal range and T4 level below the normal thyroid level indicates hypothyroidism. In hypothyroidism, the body uses lesser amount of energy than required. The rate of metabolism also slows down. This thyroid disorder is commonly observed in people suffering from Hashimoto's disease, a type of autoimmune disease.

Symptoms of Hypothyroidism
Symptoms of thyroid gland problems in case of hypothyroidism are as follows:

• Fatigue
  
• Weight gain, even though the person is eating less than normal
  
• Decreased appetite
  
• Heavy periods
  
• Constipation
  
• Muscle pain
  
• Puffiness around the eyes
  
• Brittle nails and hair loss
  
• Depression
  
• Sluggishness
  
• Dry skin
  
• Hoarse voice
  
• Intolerance to cold
  
• Poor memory and difficulty in concentration
  
• Teenagers may have slow growth in height and slow sexual development

If any symptoms of thyroid disorders are observed along with unexplained moodiness, then it is better to consult your doctor. The doctor may advice a TSH test to check for the thyroid levels. Thyroid disease is a life-long condition. Proper medical care and management can help subdue the symptoms of thyroid disorders and you can lead a healthy life.