Underactive Thyroid Information and Treatment at RCMC Weight Loss Center.

What is Underactive Thyroid?

Having an underactive thyroid can cause a variety of health problems. The thyroid, a small butterfly-shaped gland, which located in the front lower part of the neck, is responsible for providing important hormones that regulate many of the body’s systems.

When there are not enough of these hormones in the bloodstream, you may experience any number of symptoms that can greatly reduce your quality of life. These symptoms, however, can be treated with thyroid replacement therapy.

Common Symptoms of an Underactive Thyroid:

Addressing the underlining problem will help to eliminate the unpleasant symptoms and get you back to the quality of life you deserve. Common symptoms that point to an underactive thyroid, which are often mistaken as caused by other ailments, include:

• Changes in the menstrual cycle not related to menopause
• Constipation
• Depression
• Dry skin and hair loss
• Dry skin
• Fatigue
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Weight gain and/or difficulties losing weight
• Swelling of the thyroid – also called a goiter
• Slowed heart rate
• Increased sensitivity to the cold

What Causes an Underactive Thyroid?

There are many things, both inside the body and externally, that can cause the thyroid to produce a low number of certain hormones, also known as hypothyroidism.

Often times, the root cause is from a viral infection or an autoimmune disorder known as Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, which causes the body to mistakenly attack and damage the thyroid.

• Certain medications, including radiation therapy for some cancers
• A diet low in iodine
• Pregnancy
• Pituitary glade damage or disorder
• Disorders of the hypothalamus
• Problems with the thyroid present at birth