Everyone has a thyroid gland. It is a butterfly-shaped gland that is in the neck. Its main job is to produce hormones that are essential for brain activity and metabolism. While the symptoms of a thyroid problem may be vague, there are some signs that an issue is present. If you begin to see any of the signs highlighted here, then you should consult with a family doctor or speak with a Thyroid Pharmacist. You will find below 6 Signs You May Have a Thyroid Problem!
Keep in mind, if you do suspect that you may suffer from a thyroid issue, you should consult with your doctor. There are a number of pills, treatments and other methods of treating this type of problem. When you consult with your doctor, you will also be able to discover how this problem may continue to affect you without treatment.
6 Signs You May Have a Thyroid Problem
1. Changes in Sleep
If you have never had any issues with sleeping, but all of the sudden find it difficult to sleep all night long, then it may be an indication of a thyroid problem. If your thyroid is overactive, it will pump out a certain type of hormone in excess, which will overstimulate your central nervous system and can lead to insomnia. Also, if you are still feeling tired after you sleep for an entire night, or you find yourself needing more sleep than you usually do, then you may have a thyroid that is underactive. This means that your body isn’t producing enough of these hormones.
If you don’t seek help or treatment for this problem, you may find yourself sleepy all the time, which can interfere with your work, school or even your personal relationships. A doctor can look into what is causing your sleep issues and provide the proper treatment based on your needs.
2. Anxiety that Seems to Come Out of No Where
If you have never had anxiety issues in the past, but have begun to feel anxious or unsettled all the time, then you may have a hyperactive thyroid. If your thyroid is producing too many hormones, it can result in you feeling anxious or jittery, but not related to any one specific thing. Because there is more brain stimulation, you get excited, but it is to the point where you aren’t feeling good about it.
While anxiety is not uncommon, especially with the extremely busy lives that most people live, it is important to remember, that if you begin feeling this all of the sudden or if it suddenly gets worse, there may be a thyroid problem occurring.
3. Changes in Your Bowel Habits
If you begin to experience frequent bouts of constipation, then it may be due to a thyroid that is underactive. The thyroid hormones play an important role in keeping your digestive system running properly. If you are not producing enough, then things may begin to get backed up. If you have a thyroid that is overactive, then it may have the opposite effect. You will begin to experience regular bowel movement, not cases of diarrhea, but you will find that you have to go to the bathroom more often because everything has been sped up.
4. Thinning Hair
If your hair is thinning, especially around your eyebrows, then this is a common indication of thyroid disease. An overactive or underactive thyroid will throw off the growth cycle of your hair. In most cases, when things are “normal” the majority of your hair is going to grow while the remainder rests. If your thyroid hormones are not in balance, then there is too much hair resting at the same time, which means that your hair is going to appear thinner.
Keep in mind, there are many causes of thinning hair. However, if you experience some of the other issues on this list, in addition to thinning hair, then there is a good chance that you are experiencing some type of thyroid issue. Again, this is a situation when you should have your doctor evaluate your condition and determine what the underlying cause actually is. When you do this, you will know for sure what the problem is and you can seek the treatment that is right for you.
5. You Sweat at Random Times
If you begin to sweat excessively, even when you are not exerting yourself, then it is a sign of a hyperactive thyroid. Another job of the thyroid is to regulate the energy production in your body. If the levels are higher than normal, it means that your metabolism has been increased, which can result in you feeling too warm and sweating more than usual.
This is a situation that can not only be uncomfortable, but also embarrassing. In most cases, you are going to want to find the underlying cause quickly so you can find the actual problem and seek treatment to have it taken care of.
6. Your Clothes Fit Tighter than Usual
If you begin to feel as though your jeans are much tighter than they usually are, but you have not changed your activity or eating habits, then your underactive thyroid gland may be the culprit. If there aren’t enough hormones present, then it will reduce your metabolism and your ability to burn calories. As a result, you may begin to experience weight gain.
The thyroid can be a complicated gland. As a result, you need to make sure that you know the signs of a problem. With the information here, you should know when it is time to visit your doctor and see about treatment for thyroid issues. If you fail to seek medical evaluation, you may continue to develop more and more of these issues. As the problems get worse, you may experience more problems and not be able to figure out what is going on. Your doctor can do a number of tests to determine the problem and if it is linked to the thyroid, provide the proper treatment.
I didn’t know any of these were symptoms of thyroid issues. Thanks for the enlightening article!
My pleasure! Thank you for reading the article!
I think I need to have my thyroid check, I only have one of the symptom, but you never know! My girlfriend was just diagnose and she feel so much better with medication.
Better to have it check for sure!
Oh wow – I did not know a lot of these symptoms! Thank you for this article.. Good to know!
My pleasure!
Wow, I can see myself in a few of those. I guess it is good I have scheduled a physical and can talk to the doc as there is a family history.
Both my mother and father had thyroid problems I know for a fact that with my mother it was under active. I don’t know what it was with my father as he was operated on before I was born. I remember my mother lying on the couch a lot and she’d always been highly active. They were both on pills for the rest of their life.
Wow I have all of these symptoms. We’re having trouble figuring out what’s wrong with me.
Maybe have the doctor check your thyroid. Best of luck in finding what is wrong with you.
I just got another TSH test from my doctor to confirm the results from the test I got from the walk-in clinic. I already experienced these signs before even knowing why I was experiencing them. It would be good to have more information available as many women and men, do not know that they have thyroid issues.
Totally agree! That’s why we shared this information with our readers. Thank you for commenting!
I have my regular physical check up next month and they usually check for this which is good because I have a couple of these symptoms.
Being sick isn’t fun, getting better is really good.
That’s a very bad problem. A doctor is needed to help that.
Thanks for posting this list of signs to look out for. Thyroid conditions can be caused by autoimmune diseases, such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. If you have a thyroid issue doctors can run blood tests to see if you have the antibodies for these.
My pleasure and thanks for the info!