4 Tips to Ease Your Recovery From Hernia Surgery
You waited as long as you could, but it’s time to have us surgically repair a hernia that’s been giving you some problems. To make sure your recovery goes smoothly, focus on these best practices.
Common Thyroid Disease Symptoms
Under normal circumstances, your thyroid quietly does it job, sending out hormones that regulate everything from your body temperature to your metabolism. But when something goes awry, the effects can be widespread, disturbing both your physical and mental health.
At Rockwall Surgical Specialists, our team of highly trained surgeons understands the effects that thyroid disease can have on your body and, more importantly, we’re able to remedy many of the problems that can affect your thyroid. But the first step is recognizing that there is a problem, which is why we’ve pulled together the following look at some of the more common thyroid disease symptoms.
Thyroid 101
First, let’s quickly review what role this gland plays in your body. Your thyroid gland is located at the front of the base of your neck and it’s shaped like a butterfly, with “wings” on either side.
Your thyroid produces several hormones, but the two most important are thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). These two hormones regulate, among other things, your:
- Body temperature
- Blood pressure
- Heart rate
- Metabolism
- Growth and development in children
As you can see by this list, it’s not an overstatement to say that your thyroid plays an important role in your overall health. So when disease strikes, the effects can be extensive.
When thyroid disease affects your hormone levels
Many symptoms can crop up because of thyroid disease, largely because the disease may affect your hormone levels. The two most common problems when it comes to thyroid hormone levels are:
Hypothyroidism
This is a condition in which your thyroid underproduces hormones, which can lead to:
- Fatigue
- Weight gain
- Dry skin and thinning hair
- Sensitivity to cold
- Weakness in your muscles
- Slow heart rate
- Puffy face
- Hoarseness
This list is by no means comprehensive, but it gives you an idea of the breadth and scope that an underproducing thyroid can have on your health.
Hyperthyroidism
On the other end of the spectrum are conditions that cause your thyroid to overproduce hormones, which can lead to:
- Weight loss
- Irritability
- Nervousness
- Excessive sweating
- Sensitivity to heat
- Irregular heartbeat
- An enlarged thyroid (goiter)
Again, this list is only representative of the effects of higher-than-normal T3 and T4 levels.
Other common thyroid disease symptoms
While the symptoms listed above occur because of irregular hormone levels, there are other symptoms that can develop when you have thyroid disease, including:
- A lump at the base of your neck
- Changes to your voice, such as hoarseness
- Difficulty swallowing
- Pain in your neck and throat (or a feeling of tightness)
- Swollen lymph nodes in your neck
These symptoms signal physical problems with your thyroid, which may stem from:
- Goiter
- Thyroid cancer
- Thyroid cysts
- Graves’ disease
The bottom line is that if you’re experiencing any physical symptoms in the area of your thyroid or symptoms of a hormone imbalance, it’s important that you come see us so we can get you on the road to the right treatment.
To learn more about thyroid disease, please contact one of our locations in Rowlett, Rockwall, Greenville, Forney, and Terrell, Texas, to set up a consultation.
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