10 Diagnoses Commonly Caused by Hypothyroidism

September 7, 2022

Anything that is not your body’s normal condition is going to affect your body negatively sooner or later. Thyroid disease is one such condition. If your thyroid gland’s functioning isn’t normal, different thyroid diseases can occur, and one of them is hypothyroidism. If not treated on time, hypothyroidism can lead to the development of serious health conditions and can also prove fatal.

In this article, you’ll learn about hypothyroidism, the common diagnoses that can be symptoms of hypothyroidism, and how to deal with this condition to avoid serious consequences. Let’s begin with understanding hypothyroidism and its causes briefly!

What Is Hypothyroidism and Its Causes?

For healthy thyroid functioning, your body releases thyroid hormones. When the production of thyroid hormones is less than the required amount, the condition is known as hypothyroidism. Some most common causes of this thyroid disease are the following:

Who Has a Higher Risk of Developing Hypothyroidism?

Women have a higher risk of developing hypothyroidism than men. The frequency of this disease differs in different age groups too. For example, if you’re an older adult of 60 years or more, you’re more likely to be affected by this condition than younger individuals.

Some conditions can trigger hypothyroidism and these include:

10 Diagnosis Commonly Caused by Hypothyroidism

It’s common to see doctors prescribing medications for the following health conditions, which might be the symptoms of hypothyroidism. When hypothyroidism is misdiagnosed, patients take medications for a particular symptom which will do no good for treating the underactive thyroid gland. Here are 10 diagnoses commonly caused by hypothyroidism:

Studies show a strong connection between depression and hypothyroidism. These two conditions are related. If your thyroid functioning is low, you’ll suffer depression and vice versa.

Fibromyalgia is a Latin word that translates to muscle pain. There are many symptoms of fibromyalgia that are an indication of hypothyroidism, such as fatigue, muscle and joint pain, anxiety and irregular sleep.

Many studies serve as strong evidence that people suffering from thyroid dysfunction have a risk of developing different gastrointestinal issues. For example, constipation occurs when you have hypothyroidism because your digestion slows down.

One of the most prominent symptoms of hypothyroidism is chronic fatigue syndrome. You feel tired almost all the time, and it happens because metabolism slows down when your thyroid gland isn’t active. As a result, your energy levels drop, which causes constant fatigue.

Migraines are more common in people suffering from hypothyroidism. It happens because the slow metabolism in hypothyroidism can slow down circulation to your brain. Your body retains water and mucin and doesn’t allow these to reach your brain. As a result, your brain's blood vessels and tissues swell, which can cause severe migraines. Hypothyroidism patients might have to deal with migraines throughout their life.

Muscle and joint pain are common in hypothyroidism patients due to fluid retention. The accumulation of fluid leads to the swelling of muscles, which then press nerves, leading to joint and muscle pain.

Your brain needs a continuous supply of energy for normal functioning. When you have hypothyroidism, energy levels drop due to slow metabolism, which directly affects your brain’s activity. As a result, you’ll struggle with remembering things, maintaining focus and clarity.

Thyroid hormones are essential for regulating the production and release of serotonin. When your body has low levels of serotonin, anxiety and depression increase. Long-term hypothyroidism can lead to severe anxiety and panic attacks.

Liver removes the excess amount of cholesterol from the body to prevent heart disease and other health issues. Studies establish a link between the liver’s ability to remove cholesterol from plasma and thyroid hormone during hypothyroidism. When the levels of thyroid hormone aren’t normal or the thyroid gland is inactive, cholesterol levels rise in your plasma.

Hypothyroidism has a direct effect on the quality of your sleep. If your body isn’t producing sufficient thyroid hormones, you have a high risk of suffering insomnia or poor sleep.

What Should You Do Next?

If you have any of the above conditions, don’t ignore them and get yourself tested for hypothyroidism. You can combat this thyroid disease better if it is diagnosed early. Now, if you have any of the conditions mentioned above, it’s not confirmed that you have hypothyroidism. You should have the medical tests to confirm it. The tests doctors perform to diagnose hypothyroidism are:

These tests will confirm if you have hypothyroidism or not. If the tests show a negative result, then your symptoms might be due to some other disease.

Why Your Doctor Didn’t Diagnose You With Hypothyroidism

Wondering why your doctor didn’t diagnose you with hypothyroidism even if you have the symptoms mentioned in this article? Then, you’re not alone because many people face this issue. This happens due to the wide lab range of the TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone). Due to the wide range, most people get the results of their tests in the normal range even when they have this condition.

If you face a similar scenario, don’t rely on one doctor. Instead, go to another doctor and tell them about your symptoms and ensure that they carefully check your family history, evaluate your situation and pay attention to your symptoms to have the correct diagnosis.

Bottom Line

Thyroid disease is a serious health issue that can prove deadly if not diagnosed and treated. Hypothyroidism is a type of thyroid disease that can lead to many health issues that serve as symptoms. These include insomnia, anxiety, fatigue, memory loss, muscle and joint pain, migraine, etc. Don't delay hypothyroidism diagnostic tests if you have any of these symptoms. Then consult one or more doctors to treat this disease before it worsens!

Tammy J. Colter is an OH staff writer and has proudly served the ObesityHelp community since 1999, helping members and professionals alike. Tammy wears many hats at ObesityHelp, she works as an author, editor, and account manager. Read more articles by Tammy!

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