An estimated 20 million Americans are suffering from a form of thyroid disease, and sixty percent of them have no idea about their condition. Hypothyroidism accounts for up to ninety percent of thyroid imbalances. How can such a large percentage of people have a disease they are unaware of? There are a number of signs and symptoms related to hypothyroidism or under-active thyroid that can be associated with other conditions.

Hypothyroidism is a condition where the thyroid gland is not producing enough thyroid hormone (T4 thyroxine and T3 triiodothyronine). How well your thyroid gland functions are correlated to every system in your body, so when it’s not functioning properly it causes a variety of symptoms. There are five signs that indicate that you are dealing with hypothyroidism.

Extreme fatigue. After sleeping 8 to 10 hours of sleep a night you still show signs of being tired and need to take a nap daily.
Yellowish tint to the skin.
Changes in mood, such as high levels of anxiety or depression.
Dry or cracking skin and brittle nails.
Forgetfulness or poor concentration.

These five symptoms of hypothyroidism are a lot more common and noticeable among patients that other symptoms such as hoarseness, muscle aches, and weight gain. In general, how bad your symptoms are will depend on your age, how long you’ve had hypothyroidism, and the seriousness of your condition. Sometimes the symptoms can be so mild and happen gradually that they can go unnoticed for years. Undiagnosed thyroid disease can put patients at risk for serious conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and infertility. Women are five times more like to develop a thyroid problem than men.

If you or someone you know have noticde or shown signs of hypothyroidism, you need to get have the proper blood test completed by a doctor. To learn more about thyroid conditions and treatment options, contact Dr. Hagmeyer at Naperville institute for Neuro Metabolic Solutions today.