Disease
Top 9 Misconceptions About Thyroid Diseases
Thyroid illness comes in a variety of forms, such as hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, thyroiditis, and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Your thyroid develops and manufactures hormones that are involved in several bodily processes. Let’s read the Top 9 misconceptions about thyroid diseases.
Twenty million Americans are said to suffer from thyroid illness. But the thyroid is a small, sometimes misunderstood gland that has a significant influence on health. In actuality, there are several myths surrounding thyroid problems.
According to the American Thyroid Association, approximately 20 million Americans have some form of thyroid cancer. As January is Thyroid Awareness Month, it is important to discuss this because 60% of those with thyroid disease are unaware of their condition.
Managing a thyroid problem can occasionally be difficult; it’s like trying to follow a changing target. In others, a straightforward medication manages the symptoms. Therefore, it is not surprising that many people are unsure of how to identify and manage thyroid illness.
What Is Thyroid?
The thyroid is a little gland located around the windpipe, close to the front of the neck (trachea). It’s shaped like a butterfly, but with a smaller centre, and has two wide wings that cross over the side of your throat. It is a gland, the thyroid. There are glands in your body that create and release chemicals to support different biological activities. A variety of crucial biological functions are helped by the hormones your thyroid generates.
If your thyroid isn’t working properly, your entire body could be impacted. If your body generates too much thyroid hormone, a condition known as hyperthyroidism may develop. When you have hypothyroidism, your body doesn’t create enough thyroid hormones. Both conditions are serious.
Let’s read the Top 9 misconceptions about thyroid diseases.
-
Thyroid Causes Weight Gain
Since your thyroid regulates your metabolic processes, which have an impact on how many calories you burn each day, you may hold it responsible for major weight gain. A slowed metabolism also results from hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), which slows down the pace at which your body turns food into energy. A sluggish metabolism is rather uncommon, though.
Additionally, it is just one element in a complicated web of hormonal interactions and neural connections. While a small percentage of people experience severe weight gain, the majority require attention to factors that influence weight, even when your thyroid function is normal.
-
Rapid Weight Loss Indicates Overactive Thyroid
On the other hand, weight loss is not usually a result of hyperthyroidism or Graves’ illness (overactive thyroid). Some persons who have an overactive thyroid may put on weight.
Other symptoms, including a rapid heartbeat, a high body temperature, and trouble sleeping, may be more noticeable.
-
Everyone Who Has Thyroid Issues Has Droopy Eyelids.
Factual statement: Bulging eyes are only one sign of thyroid eye illness, which is most frequently associated with hyperthyroidism and Graves’ disease (an autoimmune disease that attacks the thyroid). The bulging eyes of thyroid eye illness are only seen in a very small percentage of those without thyroid issues.
-
Thyroid Issues Only Affect Middle-Aged Or Older Women.
A thyroid issue can strike at any age, affecting both men and women equally. By the age of 60, one in five women experiences thyroid issues. Your fertility, pregnancy, or postpartum period may be impacted by thyroid disorders.
-
The Easiest Way To Diagnose Thyroid Issues Is To Look For Symptoms.
Fact: About 60% of thyroid illness sufferers are unaware of their condition. A blood test for thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and symptoms, including exhaustion, weight loss, joint and muscle discomfort, and neck swelling, help doctors diagnose thyroid illness as precisely as possible.
-
Your Symptoms Will Go Away Once You Start Taking Thyroid Medication.
Unfortunately, thyroid levels don’t return to normal right away. Before feeling better, some patients need to take their prescriptions for several months.
-
People With Thyroid Problems Will Always Need To Take Medicine.
The answer varies depending on what caused your ailment. Some women experience thyroid issues during or after giving birth. The thyroid could self-correct if the body’s hormone levels are balanced. Additionally, it is true that prescriptions might alter as people age. For instance, pregnant women with underactive thyroids may require more extra thyroid hormone.
-
Thyroid Diseases Usually Manifest Themselves In Middle-Aged Or Older People.
In actuality, thyroid disorders may affect anyone at any age. And although it’s true that an underactive thyroid typically manifests beyond age 50, hyperthyroidism (or an overactive thyroid) is more frequent in adults between the ages of 20 and 40.
-
Vegetables Should Not Be Consumed By Those Who Have A Thyroid Condition.
Truth: Having a negative reaction to purportedly “goitrogenic meals” is practically unheard of for anyone, thyroid issue or not. Instead, nutrient-rich veggies like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and spinach are abundant in disease-fighting compounds that might aid to safeguard and nourish your thyroid (along with other organs and glands).
Conclusion:
You have now dispelled misconceptions about thyroid diseases. When you believe you have a thyroid disorder. Ask your doctor to examine your thyroid levels, especially if you’ve seen changes in your bowel habits, sleep patterns, or body weight. Even mild anxiety or despair may be a sign of thyroid disease. Simple blood tests can be used to identify the aetiology of these symptoms.