Underactive Thyroid Symptoms

The thyroid gland is one of the most vital endocrine glands in the body, and it is necessary to keep it functioning at suitable levels at all times. A condition of an underactive thyroid is also known as 'Hypothyroidism', and this can be very dangerous in the long run.

A person suffering from hypothyroidism suffers from a low rate of metabolism in his body, and this causes various other body systems and functions to slow down as well, as a direct result of low thyroid levels. The overall effect is that the individual feels extremely sluggish, and is prone to many other ailments and diseases. The thyroid gland, like all endocrine glands, secretes hormones into the bloodstream, and thus is an important component of sustaining a human body.

The thyroid gland is located near the windpipe in the neck, and it is about 2 cm wide. There are 2 hormones released by the thyroid gland - thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). Together these hormones regulate the rate of metabolism and energy burning in the body, and thus affect an individuals weight, sleep cycle, energy levels, digestive rate and many other functions.

Causes of Hypothyroidism
Before we look into the symptoms of underactive thyroid glands and a hypothyroidism symptoms checklist, let us look at a few factors that cause this condition to appear in the first place. It is important to know that age and gender also play a major part here. Due to this, older people are more prone to suffer from this condition, and also that women are more susceptible to hypothyroidism than men. Here are some potential causes.

• Autoimmune thyroiditis
• Congenital hypothyroidism
• Hypothalamus disorders
• Iodine deficiency
• Medications and treatments for hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid gland)

Symptoms and Signs of Underactive Thyroid
Hypothyroidism is something that takes place gradually and slowly in the body, so you may not notice some of these symptoms until much later. Since the condition causes a general slowing down in bodily functions and systems, the effects of thyroid gland problems take some time to actually start affecting our everyday lives. But once the effects do start revealing themselves clearly, it leaves one debilitated and tired with the slightest amount of expended energy. Here are some commonly seen symptoms.

• Perpetual tiredness and fatigue.
• Tendency to oversleep and a desire to sleep all the time.
• Getting adverse reactions to a change in external temperatures.
• Depression, anxiety and nervous attacks.
• A slowing down of the normal heart rate.
• Difficulty in concentrating and remembering things.
• Unnatural and sudden weight gain.
• Fertility problems and miscarriage for women.
• Irregular and heavy menstrual cycle for women.
• Dryness and paleness of skin.
• Nails turning brittle, and hair turning coarse.
• Hoarseness or creakiness in voice.
• Perpetual weakness and slow movement of muscles.
• Carpal tunnel syndrome and tendonitis problems.
• Rapidly changing cholesterol levels in the body.

All these signs and symptoms of underactive thyroid can easily be confused for some other condition as well, so a doctor will need to confirm that the cause is, in fact, hypothyroidism. Hence, diagnosis of this condition is essential.

If the aforementioned situations are not looked into, with detail and scrutiny, an individual could suffer some serious damage. Thus, these symptoms should not be taken lightly by any means. Change in lifestyle, underactive thyroid diet well supported by medical attention is necessary to overcome this condition.