Hormones & Thyroid Conditions

What is hypothyroidism and what are possible complications?

Your thyroid is a tiny gland found in the front of your neck. Its job is to make thyroid hormone, which controls how every organ in your body uses energy. Hypothyroidism occurs when the gland is not making enough thyroid hormone.

Possible complications of hypothyroidism include:

• Anemia
• Low body temperature
• Heart failure
• High cholesterol levels

What are the symptoms of hypothyroidism?

If you have hypothyroidism, you may experience the following symptoms:

• Fatigue
• Sensitivity to cold
• Hoarse voice
• Slow speech
• Droopy eyelids
• Facial swelling
• Weight gain
• Constipation
• Dry hair
• Coarse and thickened skin
• Hand tingling or pain
• Slow pulse
• Muscle cramps
• Joint pain
• Thinning of the sides of eyebrows
• Confusion
• Increased or irregular menstrual flow

Talk with your doctor if you are experiencing these symptoms.

What causes hypothyroidism and what are the risk factors?

Hypothyroidism may be caused by:

• Autoimmune disorders
• Treatment for an overactive thyroid gland
• Pregnancy
• Problems with your pituitary gland

Risk factors for hypothyroidism include:

• Being a woman
• Being older than age 60
• A history of thyroid problems or thyroid surgery
• Family history of thyroid problems
• Type 1 diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis
• Turner syndrome
• Pregnancy or birth within the last six months
• Iodine deficiency

How is hypothyroidism diagnosed and treated?

A blood test can measure the amount of thyroid hormone and thyroid-stimulating hormones in your blood. Other blood tests can look for antibodies that attack the thyroid gland. See your doctor if you are experiencing hypothyroidism symptoms and would like to be tested for hypothyroidism.

If you are diagnosed with hypothyroidism, your doctor may prescribe synthetic thyroxine, a hormone replacement therapy as a treatment.

What is hyperthyroidism?

Your thyroid is a tiny gland found in the front of your neck. Its job is to make thyroid hormone, which controls how every organ in your body uses energy. Hyperthyroidism is when your thyroid gland is too active, secreting too much thyroid hormone and making your metabolism work too fast.

Possible complications of hyperthyroidism include:

• Heart problems, such as an abnormal rhythm or heart failure
• Osteoporosis
• Pregnancy problems, such as miscarriage, early delivery, and preeclampsia or high blood pressure

What are the symptoms of hyperthyroidism?

People with hyperthyroidism may experience the following symptoms:

• Nervousness
• Irritability
• Excessive sweating
• Thinning of the skin
• Fine, brittle hair
• Weak muscles, especially in the upper arms and thighs
• Shaky hands
• Fast heartbeat
• High blood pressure
• More bowel movements than normal, diarrhea
• Weight loss
• Trouble dealing with the heat
• Problems sleeping
• Prominent eyes
• Sensitivity to bright light
• Confusion
• Irregular menstrual cycle
• Fatigue
• Larger than normal thyroid gland (goiter)
• Pain in the lower neck

Talk with your doctor if you are experiencing these symptoms.

What causes hyperthyroidism and what are the risk factors?

They following conditions may cause hyperthyroidism:

• Graves disease
• Toxic nodular goiter
• Virus attacking the thyroid (thyroiditis)
• Thyroid hormone medicine to treat an underactive thyroid
• Overconsumption of iodine
• Noncancerous pituitary tumor

Risk factors for hyperthyroidism include:

• Being a woman
• Being over 60
• A personal or family history of thyroid issues
• Type 1 diabetes
• Consumption of too much iodine-rich foods or medications that contain iodine
• Pregnancy or giving birth in the last six months

How is hyperthyroidism diagnosed and treated?

See your doctor if you are experiencing hyperthyroidism symptoms and would like to be tested for hypothyroidism. Hyperthyroidism is diagnosed by:

• Blood tests to measure the amount of thyroid hormone and thyroid stimulating hormone in your blood.
• Thyroid ultrasound to look for nodules, or growths.
• Thyroid scan using Hoag’s advanced imaging capabilities.

If you are diagnosed with hypothyroidism, your doctor may suggest the following treatment options:

• Medication to lower the level of thyroid hormones in the blood.
• Radioactive iodine to destroy the cells of your thyroid gland.
• Surgery to remove all or part of your thyroid.
• Beta blockers to stop the thyroid hormone’s effect on the body.
• Steroids to reduce inflammation that causes some forms of thyroiditis.

What is precocious puberty?

Precocious puberty is marked by breast development before age 8 or testes growth before age 9. About 1 in 5,000 to 10,000 children are affected by precocious puberty, jeopardizing their growth and mental health. If you are experiencing symptoms of precocious puberty, speak with your pediatrician.

What can cause precocious puberty?

Precocious puberty can be caused by:

• Genetics
• Hamartoma or other tumors in the brain glands or in the ovaries, testes or adrenal glands
• Head trauma and radiation or infections or malformations in the brain

What are the health risks of precocious puberty?

There are several health risks related to precocious puberty, including:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Eating disorders
• Substance use
• Vulnerability to sexual abuse and harassment

How is precocious puberty diagnosed and treated?

A pediatrician will order a blood test to check your hormone levels. If you are diagnosed with precocious puberty, a doctor may recommend medication to delay further development (puberty blocking drugs).