What Is Hypothyroidism?

Hypothyroidism is a condition wherein the thyroid glands produces too little level of thyroid hormones, specifically thyroxin and triiodiothyrorine. Thyroid hormones are extremely significant as they perform on virtually every cell in the body, specifically for metabolism purposes. Therefore folks who have hypothyroidism tend to have a lowered process in the different systems of the body. Several of the symptoms of hypothyroidism are osteoperosis, decreased sweating, carpal tunnel syndrome, muscle cramps, depression, low heart rate (bradycardia), goiter, increased sensitivity to cold, fatigue, and many more.

An under active thyroid can be a result of iodine deficiency or contact with Iodine-131, a radioactive isotope of iodine that damages the thyroid. It can also be due to the genetic autoimmune disorder Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, where the body’s immune system assaults the thyroid gland. Another cause is lymphocytic thyroiditis, an inflammation of the thyroid gland that triggers an overproduction of thyroid hormones, followed by a stage of hypothyroidism. Furthermore, medications for hyperthyroidism can also lead to an under active thyroid.

There are also many types of hypothyroidism. At times the pituitary gland or the hypothalamus is incapable of inducing the thyroid gland to generate adequate thyroid hormones even though the thyroid gland itself is normal. This disorder is called secondary hypothyroidism and tertiary hypothyroidism, respectively. Meanwhile, subclinical hypothyroidism refers to the condition where there is a decreased serum TSH levels, indicating hypothyroidism, but have normal levels of thyroid hormones. Thyroid hormone deficiency can also happen during birth which is called congenital hypothyroidism. When left untreated, this can result in growth failure and mental retardation. Hypothyroidism is also a common ailment among domestic dogs.

The treatment method for this disease is a long term treatment of synthetic levothyroxine (T4). It is taken in once a day dosage, though it usually requires larger doses for children. Individuals with a history of heart problems and even those who are thought of being at high risk usually are not recommended for this medication as it could aggravate their heart problem. The medication should be frequently administered if the correct quantity of thyroid is taken. Too much thyroid treatment can be quite dangerous as it might result in heart palpitations, increased blood pressure, and can contribute to osteoporosis.