Thyroiditis refers to various groups of disorders that occur due to inflammation of the thyroid gland.

The thyroid gland produces important hormones that regulate how your body uses energy, makes protein, and controls other body processes. And if your thyroid gland is not working properly then it can cause problems in the functioning of other organs, including the brain, kidneys, and heart.

Thyroiditis can be caused by an autoimmune response or following certain infections, such as influenza, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and HIV. It may also occur after exposure to radiation or toxic chemicals.

Depending on the severity of your thyroid condition, there could be a number of signs and symptoms that might help one identify any abnormalities in the thyroid gland.

Symptoms Of Thyroiditis

Thyroiditis is actually caused by our own immune cells. The immune cells may start attacking the thyroid gland because of a virus or bacteria or toxins in your environment or because of processed food.

The damage caused by this autoimmune response leads to long-term problems with symptoms such as hypothyroidism, and this is where you are started on thyroid medications.

The symptoms of thyroiditis can range from mild to severe. Some people may not realize it, but here is a detailed description of a few of the most common signs or symptoms of thyroiditis that you should know in order to Identify any thyroid problems in the early stages. - Functional Medicine Doctor Houston

Fatigue

Thyroid fatigue is a common symptom of thyroiditis. The reason being the thyroid is a metabolic hormone. What this means is that the thyroid hormone affects energy production in your body through different mechanisms. And when your energy production is affected you feel fatigued.

In thyroid disorder, your body is not able to produce enough thyroid hormone. As your thyroid gland becomes inflamed from auto-immune or environmental factors, it struggles to keep up with its own demands for the thyroid hormones making it more difficult for the body to function normally.

Menstrual Irregularities

Changes in the normal menstrual cycle can happen due to irregular thyroid hormone production caused by thyroiditis.

Affected women may experience either shortening or lengthening their menstrual cycle which will lead to fertility problems.

Thyroiditis can also lead to amenorrhea (absence of menstrual cycle) which Is a condition in which a woman doesn't experience any menstrual cycle for a period of three or more months.

Changes in weight

Many people experience changes in their weight due to thyroiditis - sudden weight loss or weight gain.

Specially inability to lose weight is the biggest problem experienced by people with a thyroid disorder.

Again thyroid hormone controls how many calories you burn, and thus low thyroid hormone levels cause you to gain weight.

But the worst problem is that even after taking thyroid hormone medications, most of the females with thyroid do not lose weight. What is lacking in their plan is a proper food plan and also supplements that support their thyroid.

Weight gain is not just caused by thyroid problems, there may be other reasons too. But sudden changes in weight is the biggest indicator of thyroid dysfunction which needs to be attended to as soon as possible.

Hair Loss

Several females experience hair loss as a symptom of thyroiditis. The hair thinning and hair loss problem continues to get worse, and most of the traditional methods don't work. The reason being conventional medicine doesn't address the underlying cause of hair loss.

The hair loss can be due to many reasons associated with thyroid such as

-An overactive immune system attacking cells

-Low levels of thyroid hormones, which keeps hair follicles in good health

-Poor mitochondrial health, which is important to provide energy to all cells, including the hair follicles

By addressing these underlying root causes through functional medicine we can improve hair loss problems.

Enlargement of Thyroid Gland

The thyroid gland can become enlarged in people with a condition called Hashimoto’s, the most common form of thyroiditis. This enlargement is caused by inflammation and swelling that occurs when antibodies attack it. The size of the gland will fluctuate as the immune system changes over time.

This symptom may not be present in all types of thyroid disorders, but if you notice that your thyroid gland is enlarged, it could be a sign of an autoimmune disorder.

Heat sensitivity

Heat sensitivity is one other symptom of thyroiditis that is mostly ignored. This can make people feel excessively hot or cold in different temperatures, and they may need to frequently adjust their clothes for this reason.

The patients can have difficulty cooling off due to an overactive sweat gland. The body wouldn’t be able to regulate temperature by sweating because of the irregular production of thyroxine hormones.

Anxiety

Anxiety is an important symptom of thyroiditis. Several females who have thyroid disorder suffer from anxiety and are put on psychiatric medications to control it. Thyroid hormones can lead to an increase in the production or release of neurotransmitters, which control mood and anxiety levels in brain cells.

This can impact your overall mental wellbeing and mood, making you more irritable and anxious.

Brain fog

Brain fog can be described as a thick haze that limits the ability to focus and causes forgetfulness, difficulty speaking, or disorientation.

You may notice this condition when you are trying to read something but it seems like your eyes cannot make sense out of what they see on the page because your ability to think and focus becomes fizzy and not sharp.

When your thyroid hormone levels are low, the metabolism of your brain is affected, thus greatly impacting your memory span and ability to concentrate.

Skin issues

Thyroid dysfunction can manifest as skin rashes, dry patches of the skin, and scaling on the scalp.

The thyroid gland is responsible for a variety of hormones that regulate metabolism.

When this gland malfunctions due to an autoimmune disease or infection, it will cause hormonal imbalances in other organs such as the liver, pancreas, and brain which in turn result in drastic changes in your appearance especially on your skin.

Constipation and Bloating

Constipation Is another major problem that females with thyroid suffer from. A bloated stomach is also frequently seen with thyroid.

The reason being the thyroid hormone keeps our Gastrointestinal system in good health. And once you have low thyroid it affects the functioning of your GI system. It interferes with the digestion of food, and thus creates bloating. And by affecting the gut motility it leads to constipation.

Unlike conventional medicine, Functional Medicine helps you to improve your thyroid symptoms without taking any medications. Instead of prescribing a list of medicine for the symptom, the real cause of the problem will be analyzed and treatment will be customized to specifically address that.

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