When your thyroid gland overproduces thyroid hormones, the problem can often be tricky to identify. Some of the side effects of hyperthyroidism can be very subtle, or the symptoms may be incorrectly attributed to another health issue.
This is one of the main reasons why 60% of people with thyroid disease are unaware of the issue.
At Rockwall Surgical Specialists, our team of highly skilled general surgeons aims to reduce this number by increasing awareness, which starts with recognizing the signs of a potential thyroid problem.
Here, we focus on one result of thyroid disease — an overactive thyroid gland, also known as hyperthyroidism — which affects about 1 in 100 people in the United States age 12 and older. Here are five of the more common signs that your thyroid is producing too many hormones.
Your thyroid hormones control how your cells convert energy, which is essentially your metabolism. If your thyroid is overproducing thyroid hormones, your metabolism can increase, which means your body uses more energy. The end result is that you can lose weight, even if you’re not trying.
Another area that your thyroid influences is your heart rate. If you have hyperthyroidism, your heart rate can increase. If you have moderate to severe hyperthyroidism, it may feel as though your heart is racing or hammering in your chest, which are heart palpitations.
Your thyroid gland governs your body temperature, so when there are too many thyroid hormones in your system, you may sweat — a lot. This excessive sweating is often accompanied by an intolerance to heat.
Another common side effect of hyperthyroidism is abnormal nervousness, jumpiness, anxiety, or irritability. You may also develop physical symptoms, such as tremors and shaking.
As you can imagine, with side effects that include rapid heart rate and nervousness, sleep can be difficult when you have an overactive thyroid gland.
This is by no means the end of the list when it comes to signs of an overactive thyroid gland, but we wanted to touch on common side effects that are easy to spot.
There are several thyroid diseases that can lead to hyperthyroidism, including:
Once the underlying problem is identified, your treatment options might include medications or surgery. If thyroid surgery is your best path forward, you’re in great hands here at Rockwall Surgical Specialists. We have extensive experience with nodule removal, as well as partial or complete removal of your thyroid gland.
When you need surgery for an overactive thyroid gland, please contact us at one of our locations — in Rockwall, Rowlett, Greenville, Terrell, and Forney, Texas.
