Hypothyroidism is a serious medical condition that can be tricky to diagnose in men over 60. As men age, the symptoms of hypothyroidism are often mistaken for symptoms that many men of this age suffer from on a daily basis. The thyroid gland is responsible for many of the bodies functions, like regulating metabolism, and therefore many man over 60 experience both physical and mental symptoms.
What is Hypothyroidism?
Hypothyroidism occurs when there is an abnormally low amount of activity in the thyroid gland, a small gland on the front of a patient’s neck. A sluggish thyroid gland may cause a number of symptoms, including: muscle weakness, mental and physical fatigue, fluid retention, weight gain, hearing and vision difficulties, depression,
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Men are more prone to having underactive thyroid glands, and patients who have previously experienced a goiter, or swelling of the neck due to an enlarged thyroid gland, are more likely to exhibit symptoms of low thyroid function. Family history of hypothyroidism, as well as a history of radiotherapy to the neck, may cause an increased risk as well.
Recent studies also suggest that environmental toxins play a significant role in the cause of thyroid dysfunction. Some environmental factors include: adrenal issues, H.Pylori, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, side effects of certain medications, hormonal fluctuations, and even diseases such as Hashimoto’ Disease and thyroiditis (the two most common causes of hypothyroidism), diabetes, or rheumatoid arthritis, can have a negative impact on the thyroid functions of men over 60.
Treatment Options for Hypothyroidism:
Many doctors will stress the importance of prevention as the first treatment option. Men over 60 should pay special attention to the amount of processed foods they eat, avoid excessive stress, and avoid toxins from unfiltered drinking water and smoking. Men over 60 should also ask for a thyroid shield before any dental
Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, also called Hashimoto’s disease is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks the thyroid gland. It was named for the Japanese surgeon who discovered it in 1912 The thyroid is a small butterfly shaped gland in the front of the neck. The thyroid makes hormones called T3 and T4. These hormones regulate metabolism. The thyroid is controlled by hormones of the pituitary gland, which is also called the “master gland.” It is a pea-sized gland located in the base of the brain which, among others, makes thyroid stimulating hormone, or TSH. TSH stimulates the thyroid to make thyroid hormone. With Hashimoto’s disease, the thyroid cells are damaged resulting in the inability to make enough thyroid
Hashimoto thyroiditis is a common disease caused by hypothyroidism. The immune system cells attack the thyroid gland, causing inflammation and eventually destruction of the gland. This reduces the thyroids ability to make hormones. These hormones are known as thyroxine (T4) and tri-iodothyronine (T3) (Better health channel 2015).
Primary causes include iodine deficiency and the autoimmune disease named after Hashimoto (NIDDK, 2013). As stated earlier iodine deficiency occurs in countries that do not have iodine in their water supply. Hashimoto’s disease occurs when there is a problem with the immune system that causes white blood cells to accumulate on the thyroid gland that results in loss of thyroid function (NIDDK, 2013). Other causes of primary hypothyroidism include: thyroidectomy, thyroid ablation, inflammation of thyroid gland, not enough medication and some medications (NIDDK, 2013). Causes of secondary hypothyroidism include: pituitary cancer, Sheehan syndrome, injuries of the brain, brain cancer, radiation, administration of growth hormones, and brain hemorrhages (NIDDK, 2013). The numerous symptoms of hypothyroidism include: weight gain, decreased activity, fatigue, constipation, intolerance of cold conditions, pain in the muscles and joints, dry, course hair with or without hair loss, depression, problems with memory, bradycardia, problems in women with menstruation (NIDDK, 2013). People may experience any of these symptoms. People that have hypothyroidism for prolonged period of time have symptoms that may include: loss of taste, hoarse voice, edema, slow speech, thin eyebrows and thick skin (NIDDK, 2013). Diagnosis of this disease is not always easy because these
Hypothyroidism is not a disease itself, but is a condition that a disease state causes (Buckley & Schub, 2008). Many of the causes of hypothyroidism are related to autoimmune conditions, where the body attacks itself, rendering the thyroid useless (Raisbeck, 2009). In fact, this is the most common cause of hypothyroidism (Raisbeck, 2009). Second to autoimmune disease is overcorrection of hyperthyroidism by surgery or radiation treatment (Walker, 2009). Thyroidectomy is the third most-prevalent cause, usually for the treatment of cancer
The main cause of hyperthyroidism Graves’ disease which affects quite a few people in the general population. This disease is characterized as an autoimmune disorder. This means that the body makes antibodies known as thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin that bind and over activate the production of thyroid hormones [3]. So in essence the antibody mimics the thyroid stimulating hormone and when the negative feedback loop is in affect the antibody still binds to the thyroid and T3 and T4 are over produced [2].
Hashimoto Thyroiditis also known as Hashimoto’s disease named after Hakarum Hashimoto back in 1912, is an Autoimmune Lymphocytic infiltration of the thyroid gland by antithyroid autoantibodies. It is highly likely for a person to develop Hypothyroidism as a result of the autoantibodies attacking the thyroid and keeping the thyroid from producing the amount of hormones our bodies need. As stated in the Ear, Nose and Throat Journal “Approximately 5% of the general population has hypothyroidism, with Hashimoto thyroiditis the most common cause.”(2) The journal also goes on to say how women are affected disproportionately with a ratio of 10:1. While there is not a definite cause of Hashimoto’s it has been researched that majority of people who have the disease have a family member who also suffer from thyroid disease, suggesting that it could be genetic.
Hyperthyroid is a disease that happens when your thyroid gland makes an increased amount of the hormone thyroxine than usual. When having Hyperthyroid your body’s metabolism will increase majorly.This causes many symptoms and signs such as a rapid heartbeat, nervousness, irritability, sweating, insomnia, sudden weight loss, hand tremors( Very big symptom), and the enlargement of the eyes and neck.There are a few different ways the doctor can find out if you have this disease. One of the ways is by your family medical history and a physical exam.
Out of all the different types of thyroiditis, Hashimoto’s disease (or chronic thyroiditis) is the most common. Thyroiditis is often a cause for hypothyroidism and goiter. Since Hashimoto’s disease is the most common form of thyroiditis, it is then concluded that it is also the most frequent cause of hypothyroidism and goiter. Those who have the highest chances of suffering from Hashimoto’s disease are middle-aged women who have a family history of thyroid dysfunctions. Some of the symptoms of chronic thyroiditis are enlarged neck, presence of goiter, constipation, mild weight gain, hair loss, and intolerance to colder temperatures.
Hypothyroidism as stated on the Web Md website “also called underactive thyroid disease, is a common disorder. With hypothyroidism, your thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormone”. As stated on Synthoroid.com website “Hypothyroidism is when the thyroid doesn’t make enough thyroid hormone called thyroxine, which causes the body’s system to slow down”. This condition will make you feel tried or fatigue. One may even think that this feeling of tiredness or
It can go undiagnosed for many years causing mental, emotional, and physical stress on individuals and the people around them. The cause of hypothyroidism is primarily due to insufficient TH production from the thyroid gland. This pathology of the thyroid gland can be a problem from birth or develop from iodine insufficiency, autoimmune disorders, or even iatrogenic interventions. The symptoms of hypothyroidism change from individual to individual. While some objective findings may be noticeable right away other subjective symptoms require the use of health assessment skills. Once a person has hypothyroidism they cannot be cured and if not treated hypothyroidism can eventually lead to death. However, proper use of hormone therapies allows many individuals who suffer from hypothyroidism to drastically diminish the symptoms and signs of the disorder and to live a healthy life with normal life expectancy. More research is needed to identify the appropriate guidelines for treatment of subclinical hypothyroidism and how these individuals can reach optimal health
There are two leading problems experienced by the thyroid; hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. These conditions lead to over production or an underactive thyroid gland respectively. Symptoms vary but
Chronic diseases such as hyperthyroidism can be debilitating if not managed well. Hyperthyroidism is an overactive thyroid gland that secrets too much hormones throughout the body causing many different clinical manifestations within all systems. The thyroid gland is located right underneath the larynx also known as the voice box, and straddling the windpipe.
V.G.’s current symptoms of fatigue, difficulty concentrating, a weight gain of 10 pounds and irregularity noted to her menstrual cycle along with lab findings of an elevate TSH and a decreased T4 level are consistent with hypothyroidism. The condition is more common in women and is associated with an increased risk of heart disease (Woo & Wynne, 2012). Individuals with hypothyroidism present with clinical findings which may include bradycardia, anemia, dyspnea, decreased appetite, constipation, weight gain, hyperlipidemia, dry skin, brittle hair, difficulty with reproduction, memory impairment, hearing loss and changes in vision (Woo & Wynne, 2012). These clinical manifestations are secondary to changes in metabolic demands and blood flow secondary to the thyroid hormone (Woo & Wynne, 2012). With this wide array of potential symptoms V.G.’s physical exam would involve a thorough head to toe exam carefully evaluating her current cardiovascular status including blood pressure, heart sounds, rhythm and rate with perfusion assessment to identify bradycardia and risks of heart failure. In addition, a careful examination of her neck would be
It can also be treated with surgery if needed to be removed, with radiation if it evolves into cancer, medications, different types of diets and radioactive iodine treatments. If the thyroid is overactive and in that case, would be Hyperthyroidism, a condition in which there is an overproduction of the hormone in the thyroid. Hyperthyroidism is a pathological syndrome in which tissue is exposed to excessive amounts of circulating thyroid hormone. The most common cause of this syndrome is Graves' disease, followed by toxic multinodular goiter, and solitary hyper functioning nodules. Autoimmune postpartum and subacute thyroiditis, tumors that secrete thyrotropin, and drug-induced thyroid dysfunction, are also important causes (Sharma, Aronow, Patel, Gandhi, Desai, 2011). Other than your sex or age, your risk for hypothyroidism is higher if you have a family history of the disease or any autoimmune
Through the hormones it produces, the thyroid gland influences almost all of the metabolic processes in your body. Thyroid disorders can range from a small, harmless goiter (enlarged gland) that needs no treatment to life-threatening cancer. The most common thyroid problems involve abnormal production of thyroid hormones. Too much thyroid hormone results in a condition known as hyperthyroidism. Insufficient hormone production leads to hypothyroidism. We choose goiter as our main thyroid disease to discuss in our