| 1 |
SYMPTOMS |
|
ADDITIONAL PATIENT RESOURCES
|
|
| What
are the symptoms of hypothyroidism?
Hypothyroidism refers to any condition in which the thyroid
gland produces too little thyroid hormone. Symptoms may include
feeling run down, slow, depressed, sluggish, cold, or tired and
having dry skin and hair, constipation, muscle cramps, or weight
gain. Women may have an increased menstrual flow. Some patients
have a swelling in the front of the neck due to thyroid enlargement
(a goiter). |
| 2 |
CAUSES |
| What
causes hypothyroidism?
In most cases, hypothyroidism is caused by a condition called Hashimoto’s
thyroiditis, in which a patient’s immune system attacks
and destroys the thyroid. Hypothyroidism can also be caused by treatment
of hyperthyroidism or by certain medications, and it may be present
from birth. The thyroid may temporarily become underactive after
pregnancy or if it is inflamed due to a viral infection. Finally,
a problem with the pituitary gland can cause hypothyroidism. |
| 3 |
DIAGNOSIS |
| How is the diagnosis
made?
A physical examination and laboratory tests that measure the amount
of thyroid hormone (thyroxine, or T4) and thyroidstimulating hormone
(TSH) in your blood are necessary. Measurement of antibodies in
the blood that attack the thyroid (antithyroid antibodies) may help
in diagnosing the cause of hypothyroidism. There is absolutely no
evidence that hypothyroidism can be detected solely by taking your
temperature. |
| 4 |
TREATMENT |
| How
is hypothyroidism treated?
- Synthetic thyroxine. Pure synthetic thyroxine (T4), taken once
daily by mouth, fully replaces the thyroid gland and successfully
treats the symptoms of hypothyroidism in most patients. Because
the potency of generic thyroxine has varied considerably in the
past, your physician may specify a brand name to treat your thyroid
problem. The current branded forms of synthetic T4 are Synthroid®,
Levoxyl®, Levothyroid®, and Unithroid® For the few
patients who do not feel completely normal taking T4 alone, the
combination of synthetic T4 and T3 (Cytomel®) may be of benefit.
- Desiccated animal thyroid. Desiccated (dried and powdered)
animal thyroid, now mainly obtained from pigs, was the most common
form of thyroid therapy before the individual active thyroid hormones
were discovered. Desiccated animal thyroid is rarely prescribed
today, and there is no evidence that desiccated thyroid has any
advantage over synthetic T4.
- Problems with too much or too little hormone. If you are not
taking enough thyroid hormone, some of the symptoms of hypothyroidism
may continue. If you take too much thyroid hormone, you may have
symptoms mimicking an overactive thyroid, including nervousness,
a racing heart, trouble sleeping, and shaking.
- Long-term follow-up and family members at risk. If you have
hypothyroidism, you need to continue to see your doctor for follow-up
at least once a year so that your thyroid hormone and TSH levels
can be checked and your dose adjusted. Because hypothyroidism
often runs in families, examinations of your family members may
reveal other individuals with thyroid problems.
|
| Hypothyroidism
FAQ for Saving and Printing (PDF File, 52KB) |
© 2005 American Thyroid Association. All rights reserved.
|
Print page
Email page
