Understanding Hypothyroidism

Almost 5% of the American population over 12 years old suffers from hypothyroidism, a condition in which your thyroid hormone fails to produce enough thyroid hormones. The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located in the lower front of the neck.

Thyroid hormones govern a number of important bodily functions, including your metabolism, body temperature regulation, and organ function.

If your thyroid is sluggish, it doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormones, and your body processes start slowing down. You experience numerous symptoms such as feeling cold all the time and unexplained weight gain.

If you come to us at Nexclin Medicine with symptoms that suggest hypothyroidism, Dr. Cheema orders blood tests to check your levels. If you’re diagnosed with the condition, she offers management for hypothyroidism so you can feel well and live a full life.

Symptoms of hypothyroidism

If you have mild hypothyroidism, you may not even notice the symptoms. However, if your body continues to produce inadequate thyroid hormones, your systems slow down. You’ll feel cold, fatigued, and depressed or forgetful. You may experience constipation, weight gain, and dry skin.

These symptoms can suggest any number of problems, however, so they only way to know for sure that they’re linked to your thyroid level is through a blood test.

Diagnosis of hypothyroidism

Two blood tests are used to diagnose hypothyroidism. Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) is produced by the pituitary gland to stimulate your thyroid gland to produce the hormones T4 (thyroxine) and T3 (triiodothyronine). If you have abnormally high TSH levels, it means you have hypothyroidism. Your body is begging the thyroid to produce more of the active thyroid hormones because it’s deficient.

T4 and T3 are the active thyroid hormones that help control metabolism and other bodily functions. The body makes mostly T4, but T3 is the more active hormone of the two. A full thyroid panel can check these hormones and a few other parameters, if needed, to fully assess your thyroid function.

Treating hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism can’t be cured, so it’s usually a lifelong condition. Some patients do have viral thyroiditis or thyroiditis right after pregnancy that clears up on its own, but these are the exceptions.

Hypothyroidism can be managed, however, with replacement thyroid hormones. Bioidentical hormones are composed of natural ingredients that match the biochemical makeup of your natural hormone. Dr. Cheema customizes the dose for you to match your deficiencies. You don’t want too much thyroid hormone or you experience a slew of other symptoms, including a rapid heartbeat, nervousness, and irritability.

Hypothyroidism severity can change over time, and your case may get more or less severe. This is why regular testing is necessary to see if you’re at the right dosage of your medication. Dr. Cheema tests your thyroid hormones annually, at a minimum, to ensure your medication is working for you.

Hypothyroidism that’s well-managed doesn’t affect your quality of life or shorten your lifespan.

If you suffer from symptoms that suggest hypothyroidism, visit Nexclin Medicine for evaluation. We can help you rebalance your hormone levels so you feel like yourself again. Call the office in Roswell, Georgia, or schedule an appointment using the online tool.