The health of your thyroid affects and is affected by all other organs in the body. A problem with your thyroid system with affect different aspects of your body including brain chemistry, health of your heart, energy level and your weight, among others. The symptoms listed below help you establish whether your thyroid is functioning properly.
- Fatigue
Despite extending your sleeping hours to 8 or even 10, you have no energy to function. During the day, you are unable to work without taking constant naps. This could be an indication of hypothyroidism. Early signs are mild but they get worse over time. This will eventually affect your productivity.
- Struggling With Your Weight
Despite trying all diets and measures known to reduce or contain weight, nothing seems to be working. It is time to get checked. A dysfunctional thyroid causes slow metabolism and may lender all other body processes ineffective.
- Painful Joints And Muscles
Are you suddenly experiencing intense pain around your joints and muscles? The pain may be accompanied by stiffness and swelling. It affects your activity and may render you unable to perform your daily chores. This is a symptom of hypothyroidism.
- Swelling Around The Neck
The neck may swell uniformly such that it is inconspicuous or a large lump may appear on one section. This is accompanied by a gravelly voice. The condition is commonly known as neck goiter. It should however be noted that having neck goiter does not mean that your thyroid system has a problem.
- Changes On Your Hair And Skin
The first indicators of a thyroid problem are the skin and hair. The hair may begin to fall and get dry while the skill abnormally dry and scaly. Since the thyroid ensures supply of essential hormones to the skin, its inactivity affects the quality of your entire skin.
- Bowel Problems
Bowel movements are affected when the thyroid is affected. With reduced or non-existent movement, constipation is inevitable. Other people experience painful bowel movements. In extreme cases, hemorrhoids may be experienced.
- Irregular Menstrual Cycle
This is a preserve of women. Their menstrual cycle is thrown into disarray. Inactivity of the thyroid system cause the periods to be lighter and in some cases non-existent. With irregular periods, the mood becomes disrupted and fertility cycle unpredictable.
- Mood Swings
The symptoms are experienced by both men and women. The patient may also feel lethargic and general malaise. Moodiness is also accompanied by sluggishness and inability or lack of the motivation to concentrate.
- Carpal Tunnel
This is a tingling feeling around sections of your legs, arms, wrists and hands. In most cases, the symptoms appear where the problem has not been diagnosed. You treat carpal tunnel resulting from a thyroid problem in the same way you treat that resulting from injury or stress.
- Check Your Family History
Research indicates strong genetic ties to troublesome goiter and thyroid glands. This means that the condition may surface in your family at a certain point in life. This knowledge helps you take early precautionary measures.
