20 Red Flags of Thyroid Disease
aging
16 – Carpal tunnel disorder
When you have extra fluid in your body, it affects your nerves, especially those in your hands. The fluid presses on the soft tissue in your wrist, causing pain. Numbness and tingling are carpal tunnel syndrome. Treating your thyroid disorder will eliminate this problem.
ADVERTISEMENT
17 – High blood pressure
If you have an underactive thyroid, you may have high blood pressure. This is because the thyroid hormones aren’t working properly. This puts pressure on your heart as it works to move the blood through your body.
18 – Goiter
Goiter occurs when your thyroid gland swells. It’s caused by different things but could be because of a lack of iodine in your diet. Because your body doesn’t make iodine, you need to include it in your diet. Left untreated, especially in kids, iodine deficiency can lead to learning problems and hypothyroidism. To eliminate iodine deficiency, which was very common in the 1920s, iodized salt was introduced—this pretty much-eliminated goiter. But many parts of the world don’t have access to iodine in their foods. You can get iodine naturally from eating foods such as
- Beef liver
- Chicken
- Dairy foods
- Shellfish
- Seaweed
- Eggs
Don’t take iodine supplements unless you talk to your doctor first. Iodine won’t help if you have hypothyroidism. In fact, too much iodine can cause hypothyroidism.
ADVERTISEMENT
19 – Trouble sleeping
If you suffer from chronic insomnia, don’t overlook thyroid disease. This is another common symptom of a thyroid disorder that gets overlooked, especially in women. You may feel hyperactive and nervous, along with your insomnia. If you’re experiencing insomnia along with some of these other symptoms, take this as a red flag that you have a thyroid imbalance.
20 – Your family members have thyroid disease
Thyroid disease runs in families. If a parent, sibling, grandmother, or uncle has thyroid disease, it puts you genetically at risk. If you notice these symptoms, talk with your doctor and ask for blood work to confirm. It may take several attempts before they determine your diagnosis.
How can doctors treat thyroid disease?
Hypothyroidism can be treated easily with safe medication. Hyperthyroidism is harder to treat and regulate. Surgery to remove your overactive thyroid is often the best choice for a healthy life. After surgery, you may need to take medication as if you had hypothyroidism.
Final thoughts on identifying the red flags of thyroid disease
Thyroid disease often goes undiagnosed for a long time before you discover it. That’s because so many of the symptoms resemble other things going on in your body. If you notice these red flag symptoms, don’t ignore them. Get to the bottom of why you have these symptoms so you can get back to feeling your best.
