Causes

Symptoms of hypothyroidism

Diagnostics

Hypothyroidism treatment

Hypothyroidism – disease, due to insufficient secretion of thyroid hormones.

Distinguish between primary, secondary and tertiary hypothyroidism.

Primary hypothyroidism develops when the thyroid gland is damaged and is accompanied by an increase in the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone – TTG.

Secondary hypothyroidism occurs when a special part of the brain is affected – hypothalamic-pituitary system – with insufficient release of thyroid-stimulating hormone and a subsequent decrease in thyroid function.

Tertiary hypothyroidism develops when the hypothalamus is affected.

Prevailing age at onset of hypothyroidism – older 40 years. Prevailing gender – female.

Causes

The causes of the disease depend on its form..

Primary hypothyroidism:

• attack by one's own immune system;
• treatment diffuse toxic goiter;
• iodine deficiency (in regions with a pronounced deficit);
• congenital disorders (most often – underdevelopment of the gland).

Secondary and tertiary hypothyroidism can be caused by any of the conditions, leading to insufficient function of the pituitary gland or hypothalamus (trauma, tumor, irradiation, operation, etc.)

Symptoms of hypothyroidism

The main signs of hypothyroidism are:

• weakness
• drowsiness
• fatigue
• slowing down of speech and thinking
• a constant feeling of cold due to a slowdown in metabolism
• puffiness of the face and swelling of the limbs, caused by the accumulation of mucous substance in the tissues
• change in voice and hearing impairment due to laryngeal edema, tongue and middle ear in severe cases
• weight gain, which reflects a decrease in the exchange rate, however, there is no significant increase, t. To. decreased appetite
• tendency to lower blood pressure
• nausea, flatulence, constipation
• hair loss, their dryness and brittleness, sometimes yellowness of the skin
• menstrual irregularities in women.

Symptoms of latent hypothyroidism have many “masks”.

Deficiency of thyroid hormones, mostly in women, leads to depressed mood, inexplicable melancholy and even severe depression.

Cognitive function decreases in hypothyroidism, memory and attention deteriorate, intelligence decreases (explicitly or hidden).

May develop insomnia, interrupted sleep, difficulty falling asleep and other sleep disorders, including increased sleepiness.

As the duration of unrecognized and untreated hypothyroidism increases, the syndrome develops intracranial hypertension. Frequent, and then permanent headache.

Latent hypothyroidism often occurs under the mask cervical or breast osteochondrosis.

Symptoms of this hypothyroidism are as follows.:

• tingling sensations disturb, burning, “goosebumps”,
• muscle pain in the upper limbs,
• weakness in the arms.

The most common are cardiac “masks” hypothyroidism: level up cholesterol in blood, increased blood pressure.

In women, latent hypothyroidism may manifest as menstrual dysfunction., mastopathy.

Swelling can also be “mask” latent hypothyroidism. Swelling of the eyelids or general edema of unknown origin is often the only or leading symptom of this disease..

Secondary immunodeficiency plays a significant role in the development of hypothyroidism., which can develop even with a slight decrease in thyroid function.

Anemia may be a sign of latent hypothyroidism., since thyroid hormones stimulate hematopoiesis.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of hypothyroidism is carried out by an endocrinologist based on laboratory and instrumental studies:

• decreased concentrations total T4 in serum;
• decreased absorption of radioactive iodine by the thyroid gland;
• increased concentration TTG in serum – the earliest and most sensitive sign of primary hypothyroidism;
• for secondary hypothyroidism, vice versa, characterized by a decrease in the concentration of TSH.

Hypothyroidism treatment

Proper nutrition plays an important role in the treatment of the disease..

The diet for hypothyroidism is built on the path of increasing the protein content and limiting fats and carbohydrates (mostly digestible: honey, jam, Sahara, flour products).

Attention! More on the Hypothyroidism Diet – in our special article: prohibited and permitted products, causes, on which to follow a diet.

Drug of choice in the treatment of hypothyroidism – levothyroxine sodium.

Treatment is carried out to normalize the level thyroid-stimulating hormone.

For adults, the average dose of levothyroxine sodium (L-thyroxine) – 1,6 μg / kg body weight per day. In different patients, the daily requirement ranges from 25 to 200 mcg / day.

Dose selection should be done gradually., starting from the minimum. The initial dose does not exceed 25-50 mcg / day.

The increase is carried out not earlier, than through 4-6 weeks, when the body adapts to the initial dose of the drug. To assess the adequacy of the ongoing substitution therapy, periodic monitoring of the level of TSH in the blood is necessary.

The body's need for thyroid hormones in the summer often decreases, what also needs to be considered.

Experience shows, that in men the average need for L-thyroxine is slightly higher, than women.

It is important to educate hypothyroid patients in self-management: monitor well-being, pulse, blood pressure, body weight, tolerability of thyroxine, keep a diary of observations. This will help to avoid the complications of hypothyroidism and the side effects of the hormones used..

With an early start of treatment, the prognosis is favorable..