Hypothyroidism occurs when the gland stops producing a proper amount of thyroxine, an essential hormone. People who develop the condition will need to attend it for their entire life if they are to control symptoms and avoid complications. By working with a Dallas thyroid doctor, a course of action can be designed that is best suited to the particular needs of the individual.
Millions of people have this very common condition though a larger percentage of them go undiagnosed. Hypothyroidism may develop in anyone regardless of age, gender or race, with it becoming more likely as one matures and women having a probability five times higher than men. The severe lack of the necessary hormone can cause body systems to respond more slowly.
Particular medications and a severe lack of iodine are just two of many things that can trigger the condition's onset. An autoimmune disorder called Hashimoto's disease is the cause that is most common. Indications of this are inflammation of the gland which interrupts and prevents it from making enough of the needed hormone.
Part of the reason so many people remain undiagnosed is because the symptoms are usually subtle and typically attributed to some other condition. Some of these include depression, constipation, fatigue, cold intolerance, hair loss, muscle cramps, swollen legs, dry skin and high cholesterol. As the situation worsens, the signs may become more prominent and correlate to a noticeable slowing of one's metabolism.
If a physician has any suspicion that their patient has hypothyroidism, they will use blood tests to verify it. While the results will tell if the condition is present, it will not always point to its underlying cause. To find that out, they may use additional diagnostic tools like antibody screenings, the individual's complete medical history, MRI's or body scans.
The simplest and most efficient method of addressing this issue is completely replacing the missing hormone. This is something that will need to continue for the person's entire life. If not left unattended, one is likely to develop severe problems involving their heart and lungs.
Millions of people have this very common condition though a larger percentage of them go undiagnosed. Hypothyroidism may develop in anyone regardless of age, gender or race, with it becoming more likely as one matures and women having a probability five times higher than men. The severe lack of the necessary hormone can cause body systems to respond more slowly.
Particular medications and a severe lack of iodine are just two of many things that can trigger the condition's onset. An autoimmune disorder called Hashimoto's disease is the cause that is most common. Indications of this are inflammation of the gland which interrupts and prevents it from making enough of the needed hormone.
Part of the reason so many people remain undiagnosed is because the symptoms are usually subtle and typically attributed to some other condition. Some of these include depression, constipation, fatigue, cold intolerance, hair loss, muscle cramps, swollen legs, dry skin and high cholesterol. As the situation worsens, the signs may become more prominent and correlate to a noticeable slowing of one's metabolism.
If a physician has any suspicion that their patient has hypothyroidism, they will use blood tests to verify it. While the results will tell if the condition is present, it will not always point to its underlying cause. To find that out, they may use additional diagnostic tools like antibody screenings, the individual's complete medical history, MRI's or body scans.
The simplest and most efficient method of addressing this issue is completely replacing the missing hormone. This is something that will need to continue for the person's entire life. If not left unattended, one is likely to develop severe problems involving their heart and lungs.
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If you are dealing with weight gain and chronic illness, click this link to visit a Dallas thyroid doctor. Discover what the HealthCore Center can do for you, when you visit our home on the Web today at http://www.healthcorecenter.com.
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