The thyroid is a specific gland that secrets T3 and T4 hormones. However, the secretion of T3 and T4 depends on the TSH or the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, secreted by the pituitary gland. An imbalance of T3 and T4 hormones is accountable for thyroid disease.
From a broader perspective, the thyroid can be categorized into two classes – hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. Before getting to the details of the symptoms of thyroid in female, let us decode what these classes are and how they affect females.
Thyroid in Females: Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism
The thyroid gland secrets iodine that plays a vital role in regulating body weight, breathing, and heartbeat and also helps digest food. T3 has 3 iodine atoms and T4 has 4 iodine atoms which stimulate the production of other hormones to keep body functions up and running. Another secretion of the thyroid gland apart from T3 and T4 is calcitonin. Calcitonin controls the level of calcium and phosphate in the bloodstream.
In the case of hypothyroidism, the thyroid gland stays incumbent i.e. it does not produce enough hormones to let the body function properly. On the other hand, the overflow of hormone production by the thyroid gland causes hyperthyroidism. Both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism have their own set of unique symptoms that will be discussed shortly.
Females fall victim to the thyroid more often than males due to their vulnerability during puberty. When the menstruation cycle in a woman changes, she becomes susceptible to contracting thyroid issues. Particularly, attaining puberty at an abnormally early or late stage could cause multiple health conditions and thyroid disease is one of them. It has also been observed that hypothyroidism could obstruct ovulation and trigger early menopause.
Without further ado, let us now get into the details of symptoms of thyroid in female.
Symptoms of Thyroid in Female
As we have already mentioned, the thyroid can be broadly categorized into two types. Each type has its own unique set of symptoms. Let us begin with hypothyroidism symptoms.
Symptoms of Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is often referred to as underactive thyroid gland disease. It is the most prevalent type of thyroid found in women. The common symptoms of hypothyroidism are:
- Excessive sensitivity towards catching a cold
- Unusual and inexplicable weight gain
- Prolonged constipation
- Muscle weakness with mild to severe joint pain
- Fatigue
- Decreased heartbeat
- Dry skin and hair
- Puffy face
- Hoarse voice
These are the predominant symptoms of hypothyroidism in females. However, there are a few other symptoms such as depression, more than usual menstruation bleeding and lack of sweat.
Symptoms of Hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism on the contrary is the overproduction of T3 and T4 hormones that have a separate set of symptoms in females. The most common symptoms of hyperthyroidism are:
- Abnormal loss of weight
- Irregular and rapid heartbeat
- A sensation of tremble in hands and fingers
- Profuse sweating
- Feeling hot even in an optimum environment
- Diarrhoea with abnormal bowel movements
- An inexplicable craving for food
- Fewer menstrual cycles than normal
Hyperthyroidism is often referred to as Grave’s Disease. Grave’s Disease causes problems in the immune system. Especially, it hampers the production of platelets. This, in turn, deteriorates the overall immunity of females.
Thyroid Cancer Symptoms
Thyroid cancer is a rare and extreme health condition in females. The symptoms of thyroid cancer include:
- Lumps and swelling in the neck region, mostly painless
- Sore throat with difficulty in swallowing
- Inexplicable hoarseness deteriorates over time.
Symptoms of thyroid in female could be varied as discussed in the course of this article. Symptoms are warning signs and if you observe any of these symptoms, kindly get in touch with a veteran healthcare practitioner and commence treatment at the earliest. Learn more about thyroid in female to avoid extreme conditions.
