Need to check your thyroid? Maybe not

As medical science advances, we have more tests and biomarkers available to help identify illnesses. Yet overdiagnosis and overtreatment that may occur following abnormal results can cause dangerous adverse effects and costly consequences. Hypothyroidism — a lower than normal range of thyroid hormones — may be the poster child for this problem because it is such a common condition. What is hypothyroidism? At the front of your neck lies the thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland that makes the hormone T4. When released into the bloodstream, T4 converts to T3, the most active form of thyroid hormone. Having sufficient levels of these hormones is important because the thyroid regulates body temperature, metabolism, blood pressure, and heart rate. Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid is underactive (not working optimally). It affects as many as five in 100 people. Symptoms of hypothyroidism include fatigue, cold intolerance, constipation, dry skin, hair loss, muscle weakness, weight gain, and fertility problems. In my primary care practice, I’m finding that more and more of my patients are reporting feeling tired and concerned about whether they have hypothyroidism. Some patients request many different thyroid blood tests to diagnose and treat hypothyroidism. But are these tests really necessary? How is hypothyroidism diagnosed? Most major medical associations recommended diagnosing hypothyroidism through a blood test using a simple two-step approach. First, we check the leve...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Autoimmune diseases Fatigue Tests and procedures Thyroid Disorders Source Type: blogs