| The thyroid gland is a small gland, normally weighing | | | | *You can not tolerate cold temperatures like those |
| less than an ounce, located in the front of the neck. | | | | around you |
| The function of the thyroid gland is to take iodine, | | | | Each person can tend to have any number of these |
| found in foods, and convert it into the thyroid | | | | symptoms. They may vary with the severity of the |
| hormones: thyroxine, (T4) and triiodothyronine, (T3). | | | | thyroid hormone deficiency, and also the length of time |
| Thyroid cells are the only cells in the body which are | | | | the body has been without the proper amount of |
| able to absorb iodine. These cells combine iodine and | | | | thyroid hormone. You may have one of these |
| the amino acid tyrosine to make T3 and T4. T3 and | | | | symptoms as your main concern, while someone else |
| T4 are then released into the blood stream and are | | | | will not have that symptom at all, and may be suffering |
| transported throughout the body where they control | | | | from an entirely different problem. Most people will |
| metabolism. | | | | have a combination of several symptoms. |
| The symptoms of hypothyroidism tend to show the | | | | Occasionally, some people have no symptoms at all, or |
| slowing down of the physical process that results from | | | | the symptoms are so subtle they are not noticed at all. |
| insufficient thyroid hormone. Some of the common | | | | Thyroid nodules, or thyroid tumors, are solid lumps |
| symptoms may include: | | | | within the thyroid gland. The majority of thyroid tumors |
| *Abnormal menstrual cycles | | | | are non-cancerous. Your tumor may not be |
| *Coarse, dry hair | | | | discovered until your doctor detects it during a routine |
| *Constipation | | | | exam. Your doctor may then send you to have an |
| *Decreased libido | | | | ultrasound done on your thyroid, to determine the |
| *Difficulty losing weight | | | | characteristics of the nodule. After that time if a final |
| *Dry, rough, pale skin | | | | determination cannot be made, you will be scheduled |
| *Fatigue | | | | for a fine needle aspiration biopsy. During this |
| *Fluid retention | | | | procedure, thyroid cells will be withdrawn, and sent to a |
| *Hair loss | | | | lab to be analyzed to determined if the tumor is |
| *Irritability | | | | cancerous. If no final determination can be made with |
| *Low blood pressure | | | | that, you will be scheduled for a thyroidectomy, the |
| *Memory loss | | | | surgical removal of part of the thyroid. After the |
| *Muscle cramps and muscle aches | | | | removal, you will be put on a thyroid hormone, as the |
| *Slow reflexes | | | | remaining part of the thyroid will not be able to produce |
| *Weakness | | | | enough thyroid hormone. |
| *Weight gain or increased difficulty losing weight | | | | |