Did you know that one in eight women will develop a thyroid problem during her lifetime? While you may think this statistic is surprising, what I find more surprising in my practice is that nearly 60% of those women will be completely unaware of their condition.
So, that got me thinking… do women know what hypothyroidism is, what the thyroid symptoms are or how to treat your hypothyroidism?
I’m here to provide knowledge and compassion when looking into your concerns and determining what I can do to better your health.
In this blog post, I will explain what hypothyroidism is, the symptoms that you can face and how we can treat it.
What is Hypothyroid?
You can think of the thyroid as the central gear in a sophisticated engine – If that gear breaks, the entire engine goes down with it. Every cell in the body has receptors for the thyroid hormone. These hormones are responsible for the most fundamental aspects of body function.
Hypothyroidism, also called underactive thyroid or low thyroid, is a disorder of the endocrine system in which the thyroid gland isn’t producing enough of the hormone.
Underactive Thyroid Symptoms
Symptoms will vary for underactive thyroid, depending on the severity of the hormone deficiency. Some people don’t even know they have thyroid problems because the symptoms can not come up in the early stages.
As your metabolism continues to slow, you may begin to notice the signs and symptoms of underactive thyroid. Here are some of the symptoms I often find when someone has hypothyroidism:
- Fatigue, tired or sluggish
- Increased sensitivity to cold – Especially in hands and feet
- Constipation
- Dry skin
- Weight gain
- Puffy face
- Hoarseness
- Muscle weakness
- Elevated blood cholesterol level
- Muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness
- Pain, stiffness or swelling in your joints
- Heavier than normal or irregular menstrual periods
- Thinning hair
- Slowed heart rate
- Depression
- Impaired memory
- Night sweats
If hypothyroidism isn’t treated, your symptoms can worsen over time. Constant stimulation of your thyroid gland in hopes of releasing more hormones could end with an enlarged thyroid. It’s important to note that hypothyroidism can become even more advanced, known as myxedema, which is rare but can be life-threatening.
Myxedema symptoms include low blood pressure, decreased breathing, decreased body temperature and unresponsiveness. In extreme cases, advanced hypothyroidism can become deadly.
Hypothyroidism treatment
While the symptoms list may seem overwhelming, the positive thing is that hypothyroidism can be treated. I have a seven-step approach to thyroid disorders that I’ve found major success with.
The first step is to diagnose the disorder. We’ll take a detailed look at your thyroid and see how it’s functioning. We will look to see if an immune condition is causing your thyroid issues. Then, we will investigate other areas including food allergies, digestive system imbalances, adrenal function, nutrient status, MTHFR genes, toxins and inflammation.
Once we’re able to diagnose the disorder, the hypothyroidism treatment will begin (if needed).
Treatment can include determining what the optimal dose and form of medication is for you. We understand that medication is necessary at times, but it’s also not the only option to consider.
We will work on your digestion and gut healing next. The appropriate medication is useless if the immune system is not addressed and thyroid-supportive nutrition provided.
It all works together!
After the healing, it’s time to focus on hormones. Hormone imbalances are often associated with thyroid problems because our immune system and hormone system are interconnected with our thyroid. To strengthen one, we must also strengthen and rebalance the other.
Once the strengthen has happened, on to detoxification and removing triggers. This includes viral infections, food allergies, gluten, heavy metals, chemicals, environmental estrogens and solvents.
Finally, it’s about defending, rebuilding and designing a recovery protocol. We will work together to rebuild your immune system to create a better balance for your thyroid recovery. Living with hypothyroid symptoms forever is not something anyone should have to deal with. With my help and this seven-step treatment plan, your thyroid can become healthy again and you can say goodbye to any hypothyroidism symptoms you’re experiencing.
Do you have Hypothyroidism?
I have created a thyroid self-assessment test on my website. Simply answer yes or no to 16 questions and tally up your score. The number of “yes” answers you have will determine your risk for hypothyroidism.
Once you complete the self-assessment, book a consultation with me. We can go over your results and discuss my seven-step treatment if it’s needed. Make an appointment online, or call 778-478-0048 to schedule an appointment at your earliest convenience.