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Over 27 million Americans have overactive or underactive thyroid glands, but more than half remain undiagnosed. To recognize Thyroid Awareness Month in January, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE), in cooperation with the American Thyroid Association (ATA), will highlight the importance of the TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) and Free T4 tests, simple blood tests that measures the appropriateness of the thyroid gland’s hormone production. It is very important for patients with thyroid imbalance to know their TSH and Free T4 numbers. The optimal TSH range is 0.3 to 3.0 mIU/L. Patients should talk to their doctors about their Free T4 numbers since laboratory ranges can vary.
The thyroid gland is a small, butterfly-shaped gland found just below the Adam’s apple. It makes thyroid hormones, which are chemicals that affect the function of many of the body’s organs including the heart, brain, liver, kidneys and skin. If your thyroid is not working properly, neither are you!
American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists http://www.aace.com
Who Has Thyroid Disease?
- Approximately 1 out of every 8 women will develop a thyroid disorder in her lifetime.
- Women are 5 to 8 times more likely than men to suffer from a thyroid condition.
- The elderly are also more likely to suffer from hypothyroidism. By age 60, as many as 17 percent of women have an underactive thyroid.
- Five to 8 percent of women develop thyroid abnormalities post-partum.
- More than 8 out of 10 patients with thyroid disease are women.
- Fifteen to 20 percent of people with diabetes and their siblings or parents are likely to develop thyroid disease (compared to 4.5 percent of the general population).
- Nearly 1 out of every 50 women who become pregnant in the U.S. is diagnosed with hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) during pregnancy.
- Six out of every 100 miscarriages are associated with thyroid hormone deficiency during pregnancy.
The incidence of hypothyroidism increases with age. By age 60, as many as 17 percent of women and 9 percent of men have an underactive thyroid.
Thyroid Through the Ages: The Senior Years (Aging)
For some older people, the golden years of life are not what they expected, due to the onset of symptoms such as fatigue, depression, forgetfulness, insomnia, and changes in appetite and weight. Most seniors erroneously assume that these feelings are a natural part of aging, when in fact these may be signs of an underlying thyroid condition. Seniors who report symptoms to their doctors may be misdiagnosed with depression or even mild dementia. Aging, in the absence of disease, should not automatically be associated with the above symptoms. Since incidence of thyroid disease increases with age, and almost 20 percent of women over the age of sixty have form of thyroid disease, TSH testing is particularly important for this age group
Critical to your metabolism, thyroid function affects your energy level, heart rate, weight control, plus more. The thyroid-stimulating hormone is produced in the pituitary gland and serves to stimulate the production of thyroid hormones. The TSH helps identify an overactive or underachieve thyroid state.
Thyroid Gland: The Body’s Regulator
- It is central to the proper functioning of the body, regulating its metabolism and organ function. The thyroid produces hormones that influence essentially every organ, tissue and cell in the body.
What Are The Genetic Links In Thyroid Disease?
- Fifty percent of thyroid disease patients’ offspring will inherit the thyroid disease gene.
Fifteen to 20 percent of diabetics and their siblings or parents are at a greater risk of presenting with thyroid disease compared to 4.5 percent of the general population.
Thyroid Fact Sheet – Source: www.aace.com
This comprehensive evaluation of your thyroid hormone levels includes:
T-3 Uptake
T4
T7
TSH
Since thyroid disease and menopause share common symptoms such as fatigue, depression, sleep disturbances and mood swings, the two conditions are often confused, and thyroid disease goes undetected.
Left untreated, thyroid disease can lead to elevated cholesterol levels, which may lead to heart disease. There also is an increased risk for osteoporosis, depression and infertility.
- With millions of American women continuing to suffer needlessly from undetected thyroid disease, AACE is urging all American women to:
- Ask their physician to perform a simple blood test called a TSH test to diagnose whether thyroid disease is the underlying problem.
- Conduct a routine self-exam called the “Thyroid Neck Check” to detect an enlarged thyroid, which may indicate a thyroid disorder.
Take the “Neck Check” to help determine whether or not you have an enlarged thyroid gland, which may require further examination or testing by an endocrinologist with a highly sensitive TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) test.
All you will need is:
A glass of water
A hand-held mirror
1. Hold the mirror in your hand, focusing on the area of your neck just below the Adam’s apple and immediately above the collarbone. Your thyroid gland is located in this area of your neck.
2. While focusing on this area in the mirror, tip your head back.
3. Take a drink of water and swallow.
4. As you swallow, look at your neck. Check for any bulges or a protrusion in this area when you swallow. Reminder: Don’t confuse the Adam’s apple with the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is located further down on your neck, closer to the collarbone. You may want to repeat this process several times.
If you do see any bulges or protrusions in this area, see your physician immediately. You may have an enlarged thyroid gland or a thyroid nodule and should be checked to determine whether cancer is present or if treatment for thyroid disease is needed.
What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Thyroid Disease?
|
Hypothyroidism (Underactive) |
Hyperthyroidism (Overactive) |
| Fatigue | Irritability/nervousness |
| Mood swings | Muscle weakness/tremors |
| Forgetfulness | Irregular menstrual periods |
| Weight gain | Weight loss |
| Dry, coarse skin and hair | Sleep disturbances |
| Enlarged thyroid (goiter) | Enlarged thyroid (goiter) |
| Depression | Depression |
| Hoarse voice | Vision problems or eye irritation |
| Intolerance to cold | Heat intolerance |
| Difficulty swallowing | |
| Heavy menstrual periods |
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American Thyroid Association (ATA)
ATA Patient Education Web Brochures
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – A one page document on each topic with answers to frequently asked questions (FAQ) about Thyroid disorders. Go to the FAQ List.
