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Thyroid Disease Symptoms

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Fatigue, depression and weight gain are three often overlooked, but yet quite common thyroid disease symptoms.  Most of us don’t pay much attention to our thyroid gland. Conventional medicine has really done a poor job of practically ignoring it and just “expecting” it to do its job.  The reality is that there are millions of people suffering daily from a number of thyroid disease symptoms, yet they have no idea what is causing these symptoms to occur.

Unfortunately the most commonly used tests to diagnose thyroid disease are not accurate to say the least.  Because of this, it’s extremely important that we spread awareness about the vast number of thyroid symptoms so that people can start addressing this very real and prevalent problem instead of being continuously treated for other non-related health problems..

I’ve already mentioned three of the most common symptoms – but let’s take a closer look at those since they are often mistakenly attributed to other conditions.

Common Thyroid Disease Symptoms # 1 – Fatigue

Fatigue is not only one of the early thyroid disease symptoms, but is also one of the most frustrating. Often it begins with just feeling a little more tired than usual in the afternoon, but can soon progress to the point that you feel exhausted most of the time no matter how much sleep you get.

Everyone enjoys a nap once in a while, but if it becomes a necessity just to get through your day, perhaps you should take a closer look at your symptoms and note any others that can be related to hypothyroidism. Oftentimes these energy lows turn into chronic patterns in your day-to-day life. If you notice that your energy fluctuations follow a daily pattern then this is a pretty good indication that your energy and sleep problems are in fact thyroid disease symptoms.

Common Thyroid Disease Symptoms # 2 – Weight Gain

thyroid disease symptomsWeight gain, or weight loss resistance, is one of the most well- known thyroid disease symptoms. Most people understand that thyroid hormones regulate metabolism and that when they are askew, it’s common to start putting on extra pounds. What is lesser known is the fact that dieting for such weight gain is usually fruitless.

The normal response to weight gain is to cut back on your eating.  However, with thyroid disease, it just doesn’t work that way. The less you eat, the slower your metabolism, and the slower your metabolism, the harder it is to lose weight. People often find themselves in a cycle of unsuccessful yo-yo dieting because they fail to understand the drastic influence that their thyroid has on their metabolism.

Common Thyroid Disease Symptoms # 3 – Depression

Depression comes as a surprise to many people who would never think of associating depression with their thyroid gland. However, science continues to shed light on the fact that depression is one of the most common symptoms. It really has to do with how your hormones influence your mood.

While we’ve covered the 3 most common symptoms, there are also a number of other symptoms that need to be mentioned.

Male Specific Thyroid Disease Symptoms

thyroid disease symptomsHypothyroidism can affect all of the body’s systems and can be especially affective at disrupting the male reproductive system.   Symptoms for men can include loss of libido, erectile dysfunction, and even infertility. Fortunately, once you follow the right hypothyroidism treatment protocol to correct the underlying hypothyroidism, these conditions are completely reversible.

There are other common thyroid disease symptoms that are more prevalent in men than women including hair loss or balding, heart disease, and elevated cholesterol just to name a few.

Female Specific Thyroid Disease Symptoms

Just like a man’s reproductive system is oftentimes affected by hypothyroidism, a woman’s reproductive organs are often affected as well. Symptoms range from irregular menstrual cycles to infertility.  It is not unusual for women to have painful cycles that are heavy and last longer than normal. Just like with men, once the underlying cause is addressed, these conditions are reversible.

General Thyroid Disease Symptoms Worth Noting

There are a large number of other thyroid disease symptoms that we’ve yet to cover. In fact, there isn’t enough space in this article to give them all due justice. Below, I’ve listed some additional general symptoms worth noting and that may help indicate whether or not you suffer from hypothyroidism:

Other Common Thyroid Disease Symptoms

  • Joint pain
  • Body stiffness
  • Constipation
  • Sensitivity to cold
  • Dry, itchy skin
  • High cholesterol levels
  • Unexplained aches and pains
  • Water retention
  • Thin, brittle nails
  • Prickling sensation on skin
  • Feel worse after exercise
  • Puffy or swollen eyelids
  • Swollen neck or goiter
  • Arthritis
  • ADD/ADHD
  • Though process feel slow
  • Memory problems
  • Tooth decay
  • Chronic gum infections
  • Sleep apnea/increased snoring
  • Insomnia
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Tongue swollen
  • Slurred speech
  • Bulging eyes

One of the first things that I do with my clients is to have them fill out a complete thyroid symptom checklist so that they can begin to realize just how far reaching their hypothyroidism really is. Most are dealing with a number of low thyroid symptoms that they never once thought could be related to their thyroid.

I’ve actually made this checklist available to you when you sign up for my free reports and I strongly encourage you to get it and see for yourself. Plus, you’ll get a number of other resources to help you to start taking a much more active role in your health.

If you suffer from any of thyroid disease symptoms that I’ve listed here or even have the slightest inkling that you might be hypothyroid, then I highly recommend you conduct your own therapeutic trial to confirm your own diagnosis. This is a far better option than using any of the highly inaccurate tests used today.

Simply follow a proper hypothyroidism treatment protocol including the right hypothyroidism diet and track your thyroid function through the process. If your symptoms improve along with your measure of thyroid function then you can be fairly certain that your suspicions were correct.

Just keep in mind that the scope of these thyroid disease symptoms is quite vast and that the right treatment option can help you turn your life around and have you back to your old happy and healthy self in no time.

Hypothyroidism in Men

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Hypothyroidism in men is often overlooked due to the big misconception that thyroid problems are exclusive only to women.  It’s true that one doesn’t hear a lot about hypothyroidism in men, but it’s not because men aren’t susceptible. On the contrary, many men do suffer from hypothyroidism but unfortunately there is very little awareness and the condition is more often than not, misdiagnosed.

Because most doctors use weight as their main indicator as to the possible involvement of hypothyroidism, they all too often dismiss all of the other hypothyroidism symptoms that their patients present when their weight is not a problem.

Needless to say, there’s men need to do a much better job at recognizing the symptoms and addressing them with the appropriate hypothyroidism treatment.

If not addressed, a lack of thyroid hormone can eventually become a serious health problem which I’ll explain a second. This is why it is so important to have a good understanding of the symptoms of hypothyroidism in men and address the condition sooner than later. The longer you wait, the more difficult and longer the road to recovery.

Common Symptoms of Hypothyroidism in Men

I want to cover some of the more common symptoms of hypothyroidism in men. But do keep in mind that this is just a very short list and there are a lot of other symptoms beyond these. For a more complete list, be sure to check out this list of hypothyroidism symptoms.

And keep in mind that eating the right hypothyroidism diet is key in helping men to overcome hypothyroidism.

Here are just a few of the symptoms of that are important to note:

Fatigue and Hypothyroidism in Men

Fatigue is one of the first signs that your thyroid is either not producing enough thyroid hormone or that your thyroid hormone is not getting delivered to your cells properly.

Hypothyroidism in men, if not addressed, will eventually interfere with your ability do normal activities. Some men report that they feel sluggish or experience a decrease in mobility and reaction time. Many complain that they feel so tired at work that they are concerned about falling asleep on the job.

Many men write fatigue off as something that just occurs with age instead of realizing that it’s not normal and that there is something that you can do about it.

Oftentimes stress hormones can keep you going as long as you stay active but once you sit down and try to relax, the fatigue kicks in and you have a difficult time staying awake.

Weight Gain and Hypothyroidism in Men

hypothyroidism in menWeight gain is yet another symptom that most men completely write off as a byproduct of age. You may have been an avid athlete in your youth but today, your weight is beyond your control.

Your thyroid controls your metabolism so it does play an integral role in the number of calories you burn, but it goes beyond that. Hormonal imbalances that are a byproduct of hypothyroidism play a big role as well. Stress hormones in particular cause fat to accumulate around your midsection.

In any case, slow and unexplained weight gain or the inability to lose weight are both common symptoms of hypothyroidism in men.

Sexual Dysfunction and Hypothyroidism in Men

This is a big one that men typically don’t talk about. But given that the little blue pill is one of the largest grossing drugs every single year, it’s safe to say that many men are relying on a little extra help.

Hypothyroidism can impact a man’s reproductive organs and associated hormones. A study on the Prevalence of sexual symptoms in male Hypo- and Hyper-Thyroid Patients, released by the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism in December, 2005, indicated there is a definite connection between specific sexual problems and hypothyroidism in men.

Research indicated that 64.3 percent of men suffering from hypothyroidism had common sexual problems such as:

  • Delayed ejaculation
  • Erectile dysfunction
  • Infertility
  • Low sex drive
  • Premature ejaculation

The men were examined when their thyroid levels first revealed a problem with their thyroid and again two to four months after their thyroid levels returned to normal range.

Researchers found that men whose thyroid returned to normal function experienced prompt reversal of the symptoms of hypothyroidism in men.

Aches, Pains, and Hypothyroidism in Men

hypothyroidism in menHypothyroidism is also the cause of a lot of muscle aches, pains, cramps, tenderness, and stiffness as well as pain and swelling in the joints.

What have we learned from men so far? That most are going to ignore these symptoms and continue on with their restricted lives instead of dealing with the problem head on.

These aches and pains can be contributed to a number of causes. For starters, poor blood sugar handling is common cause for headaches and migraines, especially when the brain isn’t getting the nutrition it need to function properly.

There’s also the issue of calcium retention that occurs with hypothyroidism. When connective tissue retains calcium, it will begin to calcify the connective tissue leaving you stiff and uncomfortable.

Nutrient and mineral imbalances such as a magnesium deficiency which is also associated with hypothyroidism in men can also lead to aches, pains, and muscle cramps.

The increased estrogen associated with hypothyroidism can cause nerve swelling which can contribute to numbness and MS type pain symptoms.

High Cholesterol and Hypothyroidism in Men

It has been known since the 1940’s that cholesterol increases in direct proportion as thyroid function decreases. Yet today, doctors don’t seem to be aware of this very telling relationship.

In fact, during the 1940’s, doctors used cholesterol as a sign of hypothyroidism and would track it as an indicator that their hypothyroidism treatment plan was working. Your cholesterol will lower to normal levels at the same rate that your thyroid function returns to normal.

The medical community likes to use cholesterol as a risk indicator for heart disease but the truth is that it’s hypothyroidism and its negative effects on your body that lead to heart disease, not cholesterol itself.

Thyroid researcher and scientist Dr. Broda Barnes demonstrated this very phenomenon. In one of his research studies, he showed that by removing the thyroid gland and inducing hypothyroidism, heart disease developed. And by reversing the hypothyroidism, heart disease disappeared.

Even today, high cholesterol is becoming one of the more common hypothyroidism symptoms in women.

These are all common signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism in men that largely go undiagnosed or are diagnosed and improperly treated independent of hypothyroidism. By properly treating your hypothyroidism and taking it seriously, you can literally add years back to your life.

Symptoms of Thyroid Problems

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If your thyroid gland stops making enough thyroid hormone, or if it begins to make too much, chances are fairly certain that you will eventually develop symptoms of thyroid problems.

Unfortunately, in its very early stages, hypothyroidism is usually without noticeable symptoms. Occasionally, a patient may have very mild symptoms such as a feeling of general tiredness or just a lack of energy. These are often wrongfully attributed to other conditions. However, as the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels increase so do the symptoms of thyroid problems.

Because the disorder can progress to some serious and even life threatening conditions, it’s important that you have a good idea of what to look for when dealing with symptoms of thyroid problems.

There are several factors that can contribute to hypothyroidism. Some of these factors include estrogen dominance and liver dysfunction; however, it can just as easily be caused by increased stress.

Unfortunately, diagnosing hypothyroidism is not necessarily simple because not all tests for the disorder are accurate. In fact, many people are prone to receive a false negative result, when they would actually benefit greatly from the right hypothyroidism treatment. Because testing is not always reliable, it’s best to be personally aware of and take notice of any symptoms of thyroid problems to determine if you need further evaluation.

Symptoms of Thyroid Problems and Your Weight

symptoms of thyroid problemsWhen we hear the word hypothyroidism, we usually associate it with the body’s rate of metabolism.  Most people assume that if they aren’t having a problem with weight loss or weight gain, then their thyroid gland is working properly.  But, weight loss or gain, while certainly a factor in dealing with the thyroid gland, is just one of dozens of symptoms of thyroid problems.

These can range from problems with the digestive system to the autoimmune system, and even the body’s heart and circulatory system. Let’s take a look at these crucial body systems to see the effects of hypothyroidism and what it can lead to if it goes untreated.

Hypothyroid Symptoms of the Digestive System

Digestive problems are so common that most people just assume they are going to have to deal with them at one time or another during their life.  While many of these symptoms can easily go unnoticed, or be attributed to another condition, many digestive disorders are really just symptoms of thyroid problems.

Keep in mind how important the digestive system is when it comes to turning the foods we consume into energy.  Without a healthy digestive system, we run the risk of not only doing damage to our body, but also we leave ourselves open developing deficiencies that further damage your thyroid and cause even more symptoms.

That’s why it’s so important to be aware of any problems we experience and determine if they are really symptoms of thyroid problems.

You will notice from this list of symptoms that the problems can be found all along the digestive track from the mouth and tongue, all the way through the body and bowels.

Watch for these symptoms of thyroid problems:

  • Loss of appetite
  • Food allergies
  • Food sensitivities
  • Swollen tongue
  • Ridges on the tongue
  • Dry mouth
  • Cravings for salt
  • Cravings for sweets
  • Bad breath
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Excessive gas
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
  • Liver and or gallbladder problems
  • Diabetes

Symptoms of Thyroid Problems Associated with Your Immune system

The immune system is the body’s best defense against disease and infection. Once the immune system is compromised by ongoing symptoms of thyroid problems, the body is open to any number of immune system diseases.

Keep in mind that the immune system is basically the army inside of our bodies that is well organized and trained to find and destroy any invaders.  It is especially crucial that the immune system be in good working condition in order for it to determine the difference between cells that are invading the body with an illness and the body’s own natural health cells.

If, for any reason, your immune system fails to function properly, the result can be that the body’s cells react against itself. This is what causes autoimmune disease. For this reason, it is important to be aware of any symptoms of thyroid problems which can affect your immune system.

Let’s take a look at some of the immune system symptoms of thyroid problems to be aware of:

  • Urinary tract infections (UTI) especially if they are recurring
  • Upper respiratory infections, especially if they are recurring
  • Fungal infections
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Asthma
  • Lupus
  • Candida Infections
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Any autoimmune disease
  • Cancer

Symptoms of Thyroid Problems Associated with Your Heart

One of the greatest concerns of hypothyroidism is its effect on the heart and in turn the circulatory system.  The disorder is sometimes associated with an increased risk of heart disease because of high levels of the bad cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein) LDL which often occurs in people with hypothyroidism. Statistics have recently indicated that even a mild form of hypothyroidism can cause an increase in total cholesterol levels.

Of major concern is that this can impair the circulation of blood through your heart.  The disorder has also been associated with an enlarged heart and in extreme cases, heart failure, which is why it is so important to know the symptoms of thyroid problems.

Some of these heart related symptoms include:

  • High cholesterolsymptoms of thyroid problems
  • High blood pressure
  • Low blood pressure
  • Slow or Weak pulse (less than 60 beats per minute (bpm)
  • Fast or racing pulse (more than 90 beats per minute (bpm)
  • Issues with clotting
  • Bleeding irregularities
  • Heart Disease
  • Enlarged Heart

Another important factor to keep in mind is that having relatives with any of the above symptoms of thyroid problems increases your risk for the condition as well. There are many factors involved such as the health of your mother at birth, your diet, stress levels, and others. And many of these factors are commonly shared among family.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean that all family members will develop any or all of the symptoms of thyroid problems. It just makes you more susceptible. So, even if you don’t suffer from many of the different signs of thyroid problems, it’s all the more reason to start eating the best hypothyroidism diet to help ensure that you keep it that way.