Signs of thyroid disease in women

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

Diseases of the thyroid gland are common in women, they can manifest themselves with different symptoms, and treatment can only be prescribed by the attending physician after a full examination. According to statistics, thyroid diseases are quite common, they are in third place among the most common ailments.

If this organ fails, then the normal functioning of the whole organism as a whole is disrupted. Diseases of the thyroid gland cause malfunctions in the nervous system, and also have a negative effect on reproductive function and the heart.

Possible types of diseases

In medical practice, there are various diseases that lead to dysfunction of the thyroid gland in women. Such ailments include:

1. Euthyroidism … With such a disease, changes begin to occur in the tissues of the organ, which in no way affect the production of the necessary hormones. The gland continues to function fully, and the changes occurring in it do not in any way affect the work of other organs.
2. Hypothyroidism … In this case, there is a lack of some hormones in the woman's body, which ultimately lead to metabolic disorders, and also slow down the process of energy production.
3. Hyperthyroidism … This disease leads to the fact that the thyroid gland produces too many hormones, which ultimately poison the body.
4. Autoimmune diseases … The disease develops against the background of the previous disease, since the immune system produces a large number of antibodies, and they have a destructive effect on the cells of the organ.
5. Tumors … This should include malignant tumors that disrupt the thyroid gland.

Diseases of the thyroid gland are mainly susceptible to women after forty years, the symptoms of the disease can manifest themselves in different ways, therefore, only a doctor can prescribe treatment after an examination.

The main causes of diseases

The thyroid gland can stop functioning normally due to a number of diseases. These ailments can be caused by certain factors, for example:

• the patient has a hereditary predisposition to the disease;
• there was a sharp failure in the work of immunity;
• the woman is taking certain types of medications;
• there were violations in the functioning of the endocrine system;
• diseases of a chronic and infectious nature;
• the patient is often exposed to emotional and psychological overload;
• the body is constantly under stress;
• a woman does not eat well, her diet is not balanced;
• an insufficient amount of trace elements and vitamins enters the body;
• ecological situation.

All these factors can cause the onset of the development of the disease, as a result, the functions of the thyroid gland are impaired, and it stops working normally, causing a number of problems.

When an organ is disrupted, the amount of hormones secreted increases or decreases, which leads to certain problems. Gradually, the thyroid gland wears out, resulting in swelling and dangerous diseases.

External changes

The most common changes include a sharp increase in weight, which occurred without specific reasons and a change in diet. It is the change in body weight that can indicate problems with the thyroid gland.

The amount of hormones decreases, which leads to their lack, and this causes a decrease in appetite and a sharp increase in body weight. If there is an excess of hormones, this can lead to a sharp loss of body weight, this usually occurs if the amount of thyroxine exceeds normal levels.

Regardless of how hormones are secreted, changes occur in the tissues of the thyroid gland, which causes the development of swelling in the neck, which can be of different sizes.

If the goiter is too large, it begins to interfere with the patient's normal breathing, since it does not allow air to fully move along the trachea.

As a result, some unpleasant symptoms may occur:

• a person feels a lack of oxygen;
• dizziness occurs;
• changes in voice may appear;
• a woman is tormented by a dry cough for no reason;
• more often there is a sore throat that is not associated with a cold.

Additional signs of an external nature:

• with a lack of hormones: edema occurs, the skin becomes dry, nail diseases can develop, hair falls out a lot;
• with an excess of hormones: the skin of the face becomes pale, bulging may develop in severe cases, lacrimation occurs, accompanied by swelling of the eyelids.

Disruption of the heart muscle

Diseases of the thyroid gland in women can negatively affect the heart, which causes a number of symptoms, in this case, treatment must be started immediately, as it is very dangerous. If the amount of hormones is at a low level, it leads to a decrease in blood pressure and also a decrease in the number of heart beats.

When the amount of hormones rises, it does the opposite for the heart. In each of these cases, a woman develops an arrhythmia, the pulse begins to go off scale beyond the 140 beats mark, and this may be the first symptom of a malfunction of the thyroid gland.

Reproductive system disorders

It is the thyroid gland that secretes certain types of hormones that allow a woman to fully conceive and bear a child. If any violations occur in the organ, this causes:

• the development of infertility;
• lack of ovulation;
• decreased sex drive;
• violation of the menstrual cycle;
• the amount of discharge increases or decreases significantly;
• milk production may occur, even if the woman has not given birth;
• the child develops serious defects during gestation;
• miscarriages occur at different times.

Additional signs

With a disease of the endocrine system, the patient may experience other symptoms that lead to a worsening of the condition.

Lack of hormones:

• decrease in normal body temperature;
• chills occur;
• the patient suffers from chronic constipation;
• there is severe muscle pain;
• sometimes there is numbness in the limbs.

Excessive hormones:

• body temperature rises;
• sweating becomes more profuse;
• muscle weakness is often present;
• diarrhea may develop;
• there is tremor of the limbs;
• there are disturbances in the work of the visual apparatus.

All these symptoms can talk about thyroid diseases in women, if the signs began to appear often, it is necessary to start treatment on time, and for this they must undergo an examination.

Treatment options

To treat a disease, you must first establish its type and form, and only then begin therapy. In one case, it is enough for a woman to drink a course of drugs, in another, she has to use a surgical method of treatment. The most suitable treatment option can be selected by an endocrinologist, or the patient is sent to an oncologist if a malignant tumor has formed in the thyroid region.

Hypothyroidism treatment

This disease of the thyroid gland in women is usually diagnosed late, as the symptoms do not manifest themselves immediately. Treatment in this case is carried out with the help of hormonal drugs that are prescribed to the patient. Since the disease usually becomes chronic, the organ is severely damaged and cannot restore its functions. For this reason, hormone therapy will have to be used throughout life.

Hyperthyroidism treatment

Therapy for such a disease can last up to two years. The attending physician prescribes a course of drugs.

If there are side effects on medications, such as heart palpitations, the woman is additionally prescribed the use of medications that block the negative effects of hormones on the body.

Goiter treatment

The most radical method of treatment in this case will be surgery. The doctor removes either the affected area of the thyroid gland or the entire organ. In this case, the patient will have to constantly take hormonal drugs throughout her life. Radioactive iodine is also used, although this therapy option does not give a 100% result.