Hypothyroidism occurs when the gland stops producing a proper amount of thyroxine, an essential hormone. People who develop the condition will need to attend it for their entire life if they are to control symptoms and avoid complications. By working with a Dallas thyroid doctor, a course of action can be designed that is best suited to the particular needs of the individual.
This condition is quite common and millions of individuals may have hypothyroidism, a large portion of those are undiagnosed. Although people of all ages and genders can develop this health issue, women are five times more susceptible than men and a person is more likely to contract it as they mature. When the body produces the hormone in abnormally low amounts, the various systems start to slow down.
Several things may incite the onset of this condition including a severe iodine deficiency and certain medications. The most common cause by far is an autoimmune disorder called Hashimoto's disease. It causes high inflammation in the gland and prevents it from producing the necessary hormone in sufficient amounts.
Part of the reason so many people remain undiagnosed is because the symptoms are usually subtle and typically attributed to some other condition. Some of these include depression, constipation, fatigue, cold intolerance, hair loss, muscle cramps, swollen legs, dry skin and high cholesterol. As the situation worsens, the signs may become more prominent and correlate to a noticeable slowing of one's metabolism.
If a physician has any suspicion that their patient has hypothyroidism, they will use blood tests to verify it. While the results will tell if the condition is present, it will not always point to its underlying cause. To find that out, they may use additional diagnostic tools like antibody screenings, the individual's complete medical history, MRI's or body scans.
Complete hormone replacement is the easiest, steadiest and most efficient way to handle the problem. This method of care will have to be continued throughout the patient's lifetime. Very serious lung and heart issues may develop if one leaves their condition unattended.
This condition is quite common and millions of individuals may have hypothyroidism, a large portion of those are undiagnosed. Although people of all ages and genders can develop this health issue, women are five times more susceptible than men and a person is more likely to contract it as they mature. When the body produces the hormone in abnormally low amounts, the various systems start to slow down.
Several things may incite the onset of this condition including a severe iodine deficiency and certain medications. The most common cause by far is an autoimmune disorder called Hashimoto's disease. It causes high inflammation in the gland and prevents it from producing the necessary hormone in sufficient amounts.
Part of the reason so many people remain undiagnosed is because the symptoms are usually subtle and typically attributed to some other condition. Some of these include depression, constipation, fatigue, cold intolerance, hair loss, muscle cramps, swollen legs, dry skin and high cholesterol. As the situation worsens, the signs may become more prominent and correlate to a noticeable slowing of one's metabolism.
If a physician has any suspicion that their patient has hypothyroidism, they will use blood tests to verify it. While the results will tell if the condition is present, it will not always point to its underlying cause. To find that out, they may use additional diagnostic tools like antibody screenings, the individual's complete medical history, MRI's or body scans.
Complete hormone replacement is the easiest, steadiest and most efficient way to handle the problem. This method of care will have to be continued throughout the patient's lifetime. Very serious lung and heart issues may develop if one leaves their condition unattended.
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If you are dealing with weight gain and chronic illness, click this link to visit a Dallas thyroid doctor. Discover what the HealthCore Center can do for you, when you visit our home on the Web today at http://www.healthcorecenter.com.
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