Spotting the Warning Signs of a Thyroid Issue

Fatigue, difficulty losing weight, and anxiety are common symptoms that may develop from any number of causes. Though not always a serious medical issue, these symptoms can be warning signs of a thyroid issue.

At Medinet Family Care Clinic in Houston, our team specializes in diagnosing and treating thyroid problems. Whether you come in for an urgent care visit or your annual physical exam, we provide comprehensive care to find the root cause of your symptoms.

Here, we want to share with you some of the warning signs of a thyroid issue, so you can take the necessary steps to get the care you need. 

About your thyroid

Located in the front of your neck, your thyroid is part of your endocrine system. It’s primary job is to produce and release the thyroid hormones triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4).

These hormones regulate your body’s metabolism, turning the food you eat into energy and using it to run various body functions, such as your heartbeat, body temperature, and digestion. 

Illness, damage, or medication side effects may alter the performance of your thyroid gland and hormone production. If your thyroid doesn’t function properly, the result may be hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. Hypothyroidism is when your thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough hormones, and hyperthyroidism is when your gland produces too many.

Warning signs of hypothyroidism

In the early stages of hypothyroidism, you may notice few, if any, changes. It could be years before you recognize symptoms resulting from underproduction of your thyroid hormones.  

Warning signs of hypothyroidism include:

• Weight gain or difficulty losing weight
• Constipation
• Fatigue
• Dry skin
• Hair thinning
• Enlarged thyroid
• Hoarse feeling in your throat
• Sensitivity to the cold
• Muscle weakness
• Joint pain
• Slow heart rate

Fatigue and weight gain are the early symptoms of hypothyroidism, which many people dismiss as a normal part of the aging process. 

Warning signs of hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism means your thyroid is overproducing thyroid hormones. Many of the warning signs of hyperthyroidism are the opposite of hypothyroidism. Instead of weight gain and fatigue, overproduction of thyroid hormones causes weight loss, anxiety, and difficulty sleeping. 

Other warning signs of hyperthyroidism include:

• Heart palpitations
• Irritability and nervousness
• Increased sweating
• More frequent bowel movements
• Heat intolerance
• Hand and finger tremors
• Insomnia

However, with hyperthyroidism you may also experience muscle weakness, dry skin, and thinning hair, which are symptoms people with hypothyroidism can experience as well.

Diagnosing thyroid issues

When you come in for an exam, we ask detailed questions about your health concerns and symptoms. This information helps us better understand what’s going on, so we can run the right tests and get an accurate diagnosis.

If we suspect you have a thyroid issue, we run a blood test to check your thyroid hormone levels. The results of these tests help us determine if your thyroid is over- or underproducing thyroid hormones, which determines your treatment plan.

Thyroid issues are common, affecting up to 20 million Americans. Let us help you find the underlying cause of your worrisome symptoms. To learn more, book an appointment online or over the phone with Medinet Family Care Clinic today. We also offer televisit appointments.