January is Thyroid Awareness Month – Here’s What You Should Know
Thyroid Awareness Month is here. What do you know about your thyroid? According to the American Thyroid Association, about 20 million men and women in the U.S. have a thyroid disease. About 40 percent know they have a problem. Could your mom or dad be one of the 60 percent who doesn’t know they have a thyroid disease?
What Does the Thyroid Do?
The thyroid gland is responsible for helping the body keep warm, use energy properly, and help with organ health. The hormones released by this gland helps regulate your respiratory rate, pulse, cholesterol levels, weight gain and loss, and muscle strength. That’s just a start.
When the thyroid fails to work properly, a person may become anxious or moody, deal with depression, deal with insomnia, become constipated, or experience many other symptoms depending on if hormone levels are too high or too low.
What Are the Common Thyroid Diseases?
Thyroid diseases are numerous. For adults, there are things like Grave’s Disease, different forms of thyroid cancer, goiters, and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism are very common and often linked to conditions like goiter or Grave’s disease.
Generally, the bigger issues are hyperthyroidism (hormone production is too high) and hypothyroidism (hormone production is too low). Blood tests are needed to determine if thyroid hormone levels are off.
-Hyperthyroidism affects about 1.2 percent of the men and women in the U.S. It’s more common in people with a family history of hyperthyroidism. It’s also more common in women over the age of 60. It should be treated as one of the symptoms is a rapid or irregular heart rhythm that can increase the risk of blood clots, heart attack, and stroke.
-Hypothyroidism is most common in men and women over the age of 60, though it can occur at any age. It affects about 4.6 percent of the population. It’s also most common in women. Typically, goiters (enlargement of the thyroid) or Hashimoto’s disease are key causes of hypothyroidism.
-Hashimoto’s disease affects approximately 1 out of every 20 Americas. It’s an autoimmune disorder that is most common in women over the age of 40. The key complain is hypothyroidism. Symptoms are mild at first, but they can progress to weight gain, depression, lethargy, feeling cold, memory issues, and a slower pulse. Left untreated, hypothyroidism can increase cholesterol levels.
What Can You Do?
If your mom or dad seems to have unexplained symptoms like weight gain or loss, anxiety, or an unusual pulse, talk to their doctor. The test for thyroid disease is simple.
If thyroid disease is discovered, make sure your parent follows through with the treatment. If taking medications on time is a problem, caregivers can provide medication reminders as one of the many services. Caregivers can also bring your mom or dad to medical appointments. Learn more by calling your local home care agency.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering elderly care in Geneva, AL, please contact the caring staff at Wiregrass HomeCare today. Call us at 334-539-5900.
Sources:
thyroid.org
niddk.nih.gov
niddk.nih.gov
niddk.nih.gov