Approximately one out of eight women are at risk of developing thyroid problems in their lifetime while 1.6 billion people are reportedly at risk of developing thyroid disorders.
If you have been experiencing unexplained weight gain, which happens to be one of the most common signs of an underactive thyroid gland, you might have what is known as hypothyroidism. Actresses Bea Alonzo and Ria Atayde recently revealed that they have hypothyroidism which makes it harder for them to lose weight.
The other symptoms of this thyroid disease are tiredness, constipation, dry skin and coarse hair, cold intolerance, forgetfulness, and menstrual irregularities. If you have any of these signs or symptoms, it might be time to get your thyroid checked.
Today is World Thyroid Day and it is celebrated worldwide to increase awareness and understanding of thyroid disorders, including their signs, causes, and treatments.
Butterfly-shaped gland
The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland in the front of your neck that produces hormones that affect nearly every organ in your body and control metabolism, weight, breathing, heart rate, and many other functions. Thus, thyroid issues can impact many aspects of your life.
Experts however point out that there are other thyroid diseases aside from hypothyroidism. Dr. Patricia Puno-Ramos, an endocrinologist from The Medical City Ortigas, said the most common thyroid diseases in the Philippines are goiter, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, and thyroid cancer.
Dr. Puno-Ramos explained that goiter is the general term for abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland, it can be non-toxic or toxic and it can be due to thyroid mass or nodules. Non-toxic goiter is the enlargement of thyroid gland with normal thyroid hormone levels while toxic goiter is an enlarged thyroid gland with increased thyroid hormone levels.
Goiter including those caused by thyroid mass or nodules can either be benign or cancerous. Symptoms may include a lump in the neck, feeling of tightness in the throat area, hoarseness of voice, difficulty swallowing, and neck vein swelling.
In contrast to unexplained weight gain, unexpected weight loss could be a sign that your thyroid hormones are too high, also known as hyperthyroidism. The condition is also often called overactive thyroid. Aside from weight loss, its symptoms may include rapid heart rate or palpitations, diarrhea, excessive sweating or heat intolerance, tremors, menstrual irregularities, bulging eyes, and sleep disturbances.
No signs and symptoms
Even if you are not experiencing any signs or symptoms of a thyroid disorder, you may still have it.
Dr. Puno-Ramos said thyroid diseases can also go unnoticed such as those with subcentimeter thyroid nodules or subclinical hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. Subclinical thyroid diseases usually do not present with the usual signs and symptoms of overactive or underactive thyroid and are often discovered only during thyroid hormone level determination through blood test.
Dr. Puno-Ramos cited the Philippine Thyroid Diseases Study (PhilTiDes 1) which stated that subclinical hyperthyroidism and subclinical hypothyroidism are the most common thyroid function abnormalities among Filipinos comprising 5.33% and 2.18% of the general population, respectively.
Moreover, thyroid nodules are not as easy to identify but catching one early on can help you detect and treat more serious conditions including thyroid cancer. Dr. Puno-Ramos said consult an endocrinologist or check with your doctor to know if you may need to be screened for a thyroid disorder.
Dr. Puno-Ramos enumerated the diagnostic exams for patients with thyroid problems that are available at The Medical City Endocrine, Diabetes and Thyroid Center (EDTC). These tests include the following – thyroid function tests (TSH, FT3/T3, FT4/T4), neck or thyroid ultrasound, thyroid scan, fine needle aspiration biopsy, and thyroid antibody testing.
