The disease affects 1 to 6% of people up to the age of 60, and the incidence of this disorder increases with age. It occurs much more often in women than in men.Diagnosis of hypothyroidism is based mainly on:
1. Identification of characteristic symptoms of hypothyroidism by means of medical history and examination of the patient (sometimes crop, dry skin, hair loss, face and hand edema)
2. Blood tests - determination of TSH, FT4 and FT3 levels (free thyroid hormones not related to proteins)
DIAGNOSIS OF CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS OF THYROID DISEASEA picture of the advanced symptoms presented to the doctor during the interview:
I feel constantly tired and I do not feel like doing anything. In the morning I wake up sleepy, my muscles and bones ache, I have swelling under my eyes and I feel swollen. I try to eat dietally, but despite this I gain weight and I have constant problems with constipation. I do not have any strength at all and I would spend the whole day in bed ... [1,2]
In advanced disease
The pathomechanism of thyroid hormone deficiency causes a significant slowdown in metabolism. As a result, the processes of cellular respiration are disturbed - oxygen consumption and heat production in the body are reduced. Body temperature is reduced. Patients feel coldness, weakness, muscle aches and physical and psychological slowdown. Edema appears, especially on the face. The skin becomes dry and rough, hair thinning. There are annoying constipation. They become drowsy, apathetic and lethargic.
Clinical, or the expressive symptoms of advanced hypothyroidism are:
- release of metabolic processes
- freezing for no reason, hoarseness,
- tiredness feeling weak for no reason
- drowsiness, apathy, lethargy,
- skin changes - pale, hyperkeratotic (a sign of so-called dirty elbows),
- subcutaneous edema of the face, especially the eyelids,
- obesity without overeating and despite anorexia
- brittle hair, nails,
- face without mimicry
- impairment of physical and mental development in children
- sexual dysfunction (disorders and lack of menstruation, decreased libido)
- scant hair, delayed puberty in children
- difficulties in concentration and learning, memory disorders, depression.
The symptoms of older children can get masked!
In the elderly, the course of the disease is often oligosymptomatic, and the non-specific symptoms themselves, which is characteristic of many other conditions in advanced age. Such symptoms may be: trouble with memory, insomnia, feeling of weakness, mood deterioration or periodic depression, dry skin, etc. A group of these factors usually identified as so-called "aging" syndrome. Meanwhile, it should also be analyzed in terms of the so-called discrete hypothyroidism (subclinical). It is assumed that this type of disorder affects about 10-30% of the older population. [2]
Difficulties in diagnosing symptoms of hypothyroidism
In moderate severe hypothyroidism, the syndrome is not complete and typical - therefore it is difficult to diagnose. In particular, the initial symptoms of hypothyroidism are completely non-specific, that is, identical to the symptoms of many other deficient diseases such as anemia or depression.
Medical consultation of the article
Dr. med. Aleksandra Baumann-Antczak, endocrinologist
- contactMoreTHE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE THICKNESSDIAGNOSIS OF THYROID - DIAGNOSTIC TESTS
THYROID INHIBIT - HORMONAL TREATMENTLiterature
1. Thyroid disease in family practice; Dr hab. n. med.Marek Bolanowski Chair and Clinic of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Treatment of Isotopes AM in Wroclaw Head: prof. dr hab. n. med. Andrzej Milewicz; "THERAPY" No. 9, item 1 (183), SEPTEMBER 2006, page 64-66
2. Hypothyroidism in the practice of a family doctor; Author: Maria Magdalena Bujnowska-Fedak, Andrzej Steciwko; Source: "THERAPY" No. 2 (221), FEBRUARY 2009, page 58-62
3. Iodine Pregnancy in Urine and Newborn, Prof. hab. n. med. DANUTA PISAREK-MIEDZIŃSKA; "MY HEALTH" 1996
4. Thyroid disorders in women during pregnancy and their impact on fetus and newborn development - a common problem for obstetricians and pediatricians authors: dr n. Med Beata Kędracka, dr n. Med. Ewa Barg Chair and Clinic of Endocrinology of Developmental Age AM in Wroclaw 5 .HYTHONESHORMONES medicine med. Barbara Zalewska from the Osteoporosis Center for Osteoporosis; "Let us live longer" 4 April, 1999
6. Diagnosis of thyroid thyroid - DocEdu educational materials - prepared by teams of outstanding specialists in various fields of medicine and practicing family doctors from home and abroad. Project implemented with the financial support of the European Communities. Project Promoter: College of Family Physicians in Poland. http://www.docedu.klrwp.pl/inde10.php?kat=7
7. Iodine and thyroid - medicine. med. Ewa Pakuła - "I care for health" August 2002 (the article was updated on September 30, 2005 - http://www.grabieniec.pl/)
8. TREATMENT OF THYROID DISEASES; AUTOR S dr. n. med. Tadeusz Górowski "Żyjmy longer" 8 (August) 1998
9. THE MEANING OF IODIN IN A DIET; http://www.resmedica.pl; article mgr. Magdalena Makarewicz-Wujec and dr. n. med. Małgorzata Kozłowska-Wojciechowska from the Institute of Food and Nutrition
10. Internetweestheropedia - VIKIPIEDIA, http://luskiewnik.strefa.pl/biochemia/iodum. e.t.c.
11. Medical Encyclopedia of PWN
