Thyroid And Menopause

Hypothyroidism isn’t picky, it can strike at any age and can affect anyone. However, it’s favorite victim appears to be women since it occurs in approximately 1 in 50 women and only about 1 in 1,000 men. It typically occurs in adults and becomes more common as age increases.

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,

Digestion: Low thyroid diminishes the release of Gastrin, which determines the productivity of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, leading to poor protein digestion, sour belly and GERD.

However the main focus of this paper will be to discuss, inform, and elaborate data pertaining to hypothyroidism. As we stated in the above paragraph, Hypothyroidism is is considered to be when the thyroid doesn’t supply enough of the thyroid hormone. Hypothyroidism is very simple and most of the time noninvasive to treat. Without treatment this thyroid imbalance can become very detrimental to your heart and present issues concerning obesity, joint pain, and infertility. The signs and symptoms presented due to hypothyroidism can vary and depends on the severity of the hormone deficiency. With many they barely notice the symptoms of hypothyroidism which include fatigue and weight gain, or may just ignore them relating them to aging .Of coursed as you age your metabolism continues to slow down and they probably will experience more apparent signs and symptoms. If left untreated, the symptoms of hypothyroidism will for sure progress. Rarely, severe life threatening complications may result involving depression, heart failure, or even a coma. While there is a possibility that some will not experience any clinical features of hypothyroidism. But for those who do experience any of the signs and systems related to the disease may be suffering or encounter a slow metabolism causing “sudden or unintentional weight gain, fatigue, increased sensitivity to cold, constipation, dry skin, puffy face, hoarseness, muscle weakness , elevated blood cholesterol level, muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness, pain, stiffness or swelling in your joints, heavier than normal or irregular menstrual periods, thinning hair, slowed heart rate, depression, and impaired memory.” Although hypothyroidism is the most prominent among middle-aged and older women, everyone is at risk for

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.

Before understanding what hypothyroidism is it helps to know what the thyroid is and how it works. The thyroid is a gland in the lower front of the lower front of the neck just below the Adams apple. Think of it as the bodies thermostat. It impacts many parts of the body the muscles, bones, skin, heart, brain, liver, kidneys, digestive tract, and more. Millions of people have hypothyroidism and many or undiagnosed. Both women and men can develop hypothyroidism, but it is more common among women. In fact, women are five times more likely than men to suffer from hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism is a lifelong condition that can occur at any age. Your body gives you signals that something is wrong the way your body normal feels. This tells you the you need to go to see a doctor to explain your symptoms with him or her. This will give you a better or closer look to see what is causing this issue or change that you notice in your body. You will probably have to have test done to assist them in diagnosing your issue.

Thyroid disorders manifest in many forms. Some symptoms of an underactive thyroid gland include swelling in the thyroid area, tiredness, brain fog, constipation, weight gain, and sore muscles. Some symptoms of an overactive thyroid gland include anxiety, fast heart beat rate, diarrhea, weight loss, frequent perspiration, and increased risk of

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

Hypothyroidism can cause hair loss. Too little vitamin A can cause hair loss, and too much can do it also.

One of the most common causes of of hyperthyroidism is Graves’ Disease which causes the thyroid gland to produce too much thyroid hormone. Your metabolism will most likely accelerate. Some other causes are: toxic adenoma, Plummer’s disease, and thyroiditis. The two main hormones that the thyroid produces are: thyroxine (T-4) and triiodothyronine (T-3). They influence all the cells in your body by doing things like maintaining the rate that your body uses fats

The symptoms of Hypothyroidism: Swollen neck, brittle nails, coarse hair, hair loss, weight gain, intolerance to cold/heat, irregular menstrual, fatigue, depression, skin disorders, puffy face, constipation and numbness of limbs. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms you should consult with you physician about a diagnosis.

As we all know, the body goes through many changes as it ages. One of these changes is related to the thyroid gland and its functions. The thyroid gland in the elderly will atrophy causing changes in its hormone production. According to an article by Makin, V., 2015, “Thyroid disorders affect more than 10 percent of patients over the age of 80. About 1.3 percent of those over age 65 developed overt hyperthyroidism with suppressed pituitary thyrotropin (TSH) and elevated free T3/T4 levels, and about 2.1 percent develop subclinical hyperthyroidism (SH).” Even though thyroid disorders can be common among the elderly, it is still hard to diagnose and treat because of its uncharacteristic presentations and the presence of other conditions that the patient may have. The diagnosis of hyperthyroidism is often overlooked and is less common in the geriatric population than other thyroid conditions. To inquire about the diagnosis of Hyperthyroidism in the geriatric population a real case of a 70-year-old female patient was selected from the Internal Medicine department of the University of Miami. To further evaluate, patient history of abnormality, the physical assessment that led to the identification of the abnormality, examination technique used, and possible expected laboratory findings and interpretations will be discussed through this presentation.

The symptoms of hypothyroidism include weight gain, coarse, dry hair, hair loss, cold intolerance, constipation, irritability, memory loss, abnormal menstrual cycle, and decreased libido (University Michigan, N.D.). The symptoms of hyperthyroidism include hand tremors, mood swings, nervousness, anxiety, rapid heartbeat, irregular heartbeat, skin dryness, trouble sleeping, and weight loss. Fatigue and muscle weakness are some symptoms of both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism.

The thyroid secrets several hormones that regulate our metabolic rate, growth and development, and body temperature. Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland fails to produce enough hormones. An autoimmune disease called Hashimoto thyroiditis is a common cause on why people develop hypothyroidism in the United States. An autoimmune disease is when our immune system produces antibodies that attacks the thyroid gland (Domino, Baldor, Golding, & Stephens, 2018). Hypothyroidism can cause menstrual irregularities and in some cases, it can cause sever menorrhagia in 22% of women (Juve, Schadewald, Youngkin, & Davis, 2013). Other signs & symptoms include: fatigue, weight gain, constipation, increased sensitivity to cold, slower pulse, dry skin, deep and hoarse voice, brittle and dry hair, and may experience difficulties with concentration (Domino et al., 2018).

Thyroid disease is seen in three forms: under activity (hypothyroidism), over activity (hyperthyroidism) and swelling of the thyroid. Thyroid disease is one of the most common disorders of the endocrine system and is more common in women than men.