Thyroid disorders in women: signs and symptoms

Posted By Suborna Fermi Posted on May 25, 2022

Thyroid gland is located in the front part of your larynx, which is a very crucial part in the endocrine system. Thyroid hormones are very essential for your body, it regulates body’s temperature, metabolism, growth and energy.

However, many health issues including hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism may occur due to over or under-use of the thyroid gland. According to some research, women are at a higher risk of developing thyroid disorders than men. Here are some of the main symptoms of thyroid disorders in women, discussed below.

Signs and symptoms:

• Fatigue: Feeling exhausted or tired is one of the major common symptoms of hypothyroidism. Thyroid hormones play an integral part in controlling energy. Elevated levels of thyroid hormones can make you feel anxious or tense. Contrarily, low thyroid levels can make you feel drained and lifeless.
• Weight gain: Unexplained weight gain is also another common symptom of hypothyroidism. Low thyroid hormones delay the metabolic rate. As a consequence of that, your body stores more calories from the foods as fat.
• Sensitivity to cold: In hypothyroidism, as the metabolic slows down which reduces the amount of heat you generate. This is why low thyroid levels can make you feel colder, and high thyroid levels can make you feel the opposite.
• Muscle and joint aches: As mentioned earlier, low thyroid hormones slows down metabolic rate, as a result your body breaks body tissues including muscles for energy.
• Constipation: According to some studies, constipation affects people with hypothyroidism more than the people with normal thyroid levels. Even their constipation might get worse than usual. If your constipation is getting worse and also you are experiencing hypothyroidism symptoms, then speak to a doctor.
• Irregular menstrual: Both irregular menstrual and heavy menstrual bleeding is associated with hypothyroidism. However, apart from thyroid issues, several reasons can cause heavy and abnormal menstrual bleeding.
• Dry skin and hair: Both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism generally causes thin skin and dry hair in women. Myxedema (a swollen red rash), which specifically occurs because of thyroid issues.
• Puffiness: Thyroid disorders can cause puffiness and irritation around eyes. Hypothyroidism might cause inflammation in the feet, ankle, knees, and hips due to fluid retention.

Those are a few of the symptoms related to thyroid disorders. If you experience any of these symptoms for a longer period of time, then you should immediately consult with your doctor and get Thyroid Profile Test done to check your thyroid level. Thyroid disorders are completely curable with inexpensive treatment.