Symptoms of Thyroid Problems in Women: Recognizing the Risks

Thyroid Issues in Women: Common Symptoms and Solutions

Thyroid issues are prevalent in women, often manifesting in ways that can be mistaken for other conditions. Two types of thyroids, hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, are mostly common and are usually managed with medication. In this blog, we will discuss thyroid symptoms and how they significantly impact women's bodies.

What is Thyroid Disease?

The thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland, is in the front of the neck. This produces hormones for many body functions such as metabolism, heart rate, digestive system, and weight management. When this gland fails to produce hormones or excretes too much, thyroid disease occurs leading to various symptoms caused by this condition.

The thyroid gland is part of the endocrine system and regulates many bodily functions. The primary job of this gland is to control the metabolism. Metabolic rate signifies how you consume food, which is converted into energy that our body cells require. If this gland fails to work, your entire system can be impacted.

Types of Thyroid Disease

Earlier, it was stated that two primary types of thyroids are hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. Following are the details of the conditions caused by hypothyroidism:

Hashimoto's Disease: A lifelong autoimmune condition that impacts the thyroid gland leading to less thyroid hormone production. This is the most common case prevalent in countries high in using iodized salt.
Iodine Deficiency: The thyroid gland needs iodine to produce the adequate amount of thyroid hormone our body requires. When there is a lack of minerals in our diet, it can lead to hypothyroidism. Such a condition finally leads to goitre.
Congenital Hypothyroidism: In rare cases, newborn babies are born with underactive thyroid. This is the rarest case where out of 4000 babies, one can have such congenital hypothyroidism.

Here are the conditions caused by hyperthyroidism:

Grave's Disease: A chronic autoimmune disease that leads to maximum thyroid production, is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism.
Thyroid Nodules: Any abnormal growth in the thyroid gland is known as thyroid nodules. If, in any case, it functions abnormally, it can lead to hyperthyroidism.
Iodine Over-Usage: Excessive levels of iodine in someone's body can cause the thyroid gland to produce more hormones than needed. This could even happen because of certain medication consumption.

Following are the conditions that both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism often include:

Thyroiditis: This causes inflammation in the thyroid gland leading to the influx of hyperthyroidism for a temporary period and hypothyroidism which can be chronic.
Postpartum Thyroiditis: This condition affects women after their pregnancy. Only 5% of women can experience this condition right in the year they have given birth. This condition first causes hyperthyroidism, leading to hypothyroidism.

Symptoms of Thyroid in Female

Thyroid symptoms in females are divided into two groups. One is having hyperthyroidism which means that the thyroid gland is overactive. The other is suffering from an underactive thyroid gland. The most common symptom of hyperthyroidism is to speed up the metabolic rate whereas hyperthyroidism undermines the metabolism.

Symptoms of hyperthyroidism in females include:

Tachycardia
Sleep obstruction
Weight loss
Sensitive to heat
Sweaty skin
Unexplained nervousness
Lack of periods

Symptoms of hypothyroidism include:

Heart rate slower than usual
Chronic fatigue
Dry skin and hair
Depressed mood
Menorrhagia
Sensitive to cold

However, both of these conditions can lead to an enlarged thyroid gland known as goitre. Such a condition is very common with hyperthyroidism.

Causes of Thyroid Problems in Women

Thyroid symptoms have been more common in women and the common cause of such condition is delayed period. Thyroid can also delay or speed up the puberty process. Thyroid problems can regulate the menstruation flow. Depending on the type, women can experience a heavy or light flow.

The major issue women face is infertility. If the thyroid gland is underactive, women have a higher chance of developing ovarian cysts. Pregnant women with thyroid disorders face numerous complications, such as morning sickness, which is more common with hyperthyroidism. Women with hypothyroidism can experience a higher risk of premature labour, miscarriage, and other issues.

Risk Factors of Thyroid Problems

There are high chances of you developing thyroid disorder if you have the following:

AFAB (Assigned Female at Birth) are likely to have more chances of being impacted by thyroid disorder than AMAB (Assigned Male at Birth).
One may have a thyroid disorder in one's genetics.
Turner syndrome is another risk factor. This means that specific females have the rarest condition where they either do not have an X chromosome or have an extra.
People who are on medication high with iodine.
Women after the age of 60 are more vulnerable to such disorders.
One who has received radiation in their head or neck does have the chance of developing this disorder.

Diagnosis and Tests

To diagnose such a condition, your doctors might ask for the medical history and can suggest an examination based on that. Doctors check for any abnormal growth in the thyroid gland to see if it is enlarged or not. Some of the tests that doctors may conduct are mentioned below:

Blood tests: There are common types of blood tests to determine whether you have a thyroid condition or not. Such tests are TSH, T3, T4, and thyroid antibodies.
Imaging tests: Thyroid ultrasound helps medical practitioners to check whether the affected ones develop any nodules or any goitre. Nuclear medicine imaging is another way to determine the presence of a female swollen thyroid.

Management and Treatment

Thyroid symptoms solely depend on the thyroid type and its present condition. The purpose here is to get the thyroid level back to normal. Doctors may refer to the following treatment options if someone is down with hyperthyroidism:

Antithyroid drugs: These medications are meant to stop the thyroid gland from producing hormones.
Radioiodine Therapy: This therapy damages the cells of your thyroid gland leading to a lower level of thyroid hormone production.
Beta-blockers: Beta-blockers are used to treat symptoms of thyroid like rapid heart rate.
Surgery: The surgical process is applied at an advanced stage when doctors have no other way to decrease the rate of thyroid hormone production. They opt for this procedure to remove the thyroid and prescribe synthetic thyroid replacement pills.

Prevention of Symptoms of Thyroid in Women

Females are more prone to develop this condition than their male counterparts. There is no guaranteed way that one can prevent such a condition from developing. But making some subtle lifestyle changes can help one to stay immune to such conditions:

Women should be more careful of their diet. Consuming foods high in sugar and salt can be harmful, which later leads to the development of thyroid symptoms in females.
Regular exercising is the best way to stay fit and make your thyroid gland function properly.
Managing day-to-day stress is another way to stay guarded against such disorder.
Women should add probiotics to their diet to improve their digestive system. This lowers the risk of thyroid symptoms in females.

Conclusion

Being a woman, you are more likely to develop symptoms of thyroid. All you need to do is to stay cautious and check the thyroid level frequently. There might be changes in your neck where the gland resides. At such a juncture, consult with your healthcare provider and check your thyroid symptoms. Make sure you are having a healthy lifestyle and stay active every day to regulate the functioning of your glands properly.

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FAQ's

Which food should thyroid patients avoid?

Thyroid patients avoid consuming soybeans, tofu, soy milk, and any soy-based processed foods. Even women are asked not to eat any cruciferous vegetables if they have thyroid disorders.

How to control thyroid in females?

Women should follow the basic lifestyle choices to control their thyroid. They should opt for a healthy diet, exercise regularly, manage weight, and so forth.

What are the 19 signs of thyroid problems?

The 19 signs of thyroid problems include fatigue, weight gain, heat intolerance, hair loss, depression, frequent bowel movements, Arthralgia, cold sensitivity, dry skin, muscle weakness, irritability, goitre, shaking hands, insomnia, constipation, tachycardia, weight loss, puffy face, increased sweating, increased appetite, and myalgia.