Under normal circumstances, your thyroid quietly does it job, sending out hormones that regulate everything from your body temperature to your metabolism. But when something goes awry, the effects can be widespread, disturbing both your physical and mental health.
At Rockwall Surgical Specialists, our team of highly trained surgeons understands the effects that thyroid disease can have on your body and, more importantly, we’re able to remedy many of the problems that can affect your thyroid. But the first step is recognizing that there is a problem, which is why we’ve pulled together the following look at some of the more common thyroid disease symptoms.
First, let’s quickly review what role this gland plays in your body. Your thyroid gland is located at the front of the base of your neck and it’s shaped like a butterfly, with “wings” on either side.
Your thyroid produces several hormones, but the two most important are thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). These two hormones regulate, among other things, your:
As you can see by this list, it’s not an overstatement to say that your thyroid plays an important role in your overall health. So when disease strikes, the effects can be extensive.
Many symptoms can crop up because of thyroid disease, largely because the disease may affect your hormone levels. The two most common problems when it comes to thyroid hormone levels are:
This is a condition in which your thyroid underproduces hormones, which can lead to:
This list is by no means comprehensive, but it gives you an idea of the breadth and scope that an underproducing thyroid can have on your health.
On the other end of the spectrum are conditions that cause your thyroid to overproduce hormones, which can lead to:
Again, this list is only representative of the effects of higher-than-normal T3 and T4 levels.
While the symptoms listed above occur because of irregular hormone levels, there are other symptoms that can develop when you have thyroid disease, including:
These symptoms signal physical problems with your thyroid, which may stem from:
The bottom line is that if you’re experiencing any physical symptoms in the area of your thyroid or symptoms of a hormone imbalance, it’s important that you come see us so we can get you on the road to the right treatment.
To learn more about thyroid disease, please contact one of our locations in Rowlett, Rockwall, Greenville, Forney, and Terrell, Texas, to set up a consultation.
