Thyroid FAQ

What is the Thyroid Gland?

• The thyroid gland is the small, butterfly-shaped gland found just below the Adam's apple.
• The thyroid gland produces hormones that influence essentially every organ, tissue and cell in the body. In short, if the thyroid doesn't work properly, neither do you.
• If left untreated, thyroid disease can cause elevated cholesterol levels and subsequent heart disease, infertility, muscle weakness, osteoporosis and, in extreme cases, coma or death.

Who Has Thyroid Disease?

• 27 million Americans have overactive or underactive thyroid glands but more than half remain undiagnosed.
• More than eight out of 10 patients with thyroid disease are women.
• Women are five to eight times more likely than men to suffer from hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid).
• Fifteen to 20 percent of people with diabetes and their siblings or parents are likely to develop thyroid disease (compared to 4.5 percent of the general population).

Hypothyroidism and Pregnancy

• Nearly one out of 50 women in the United States is diagnosed with hypothyroidism during pregnancy.
• Six out of every 100 miscarriages are associated with thyroid hormone deficiencies during pregnancy.
• Five percent to 18 percent of women are diagnosed with postpartum thyroiditis.
• Approximately 25 percent of women will develop permanent hypothyroidism.

Thyroid Disease & Children

• One out of every five thousand babies born in the United States has hypothyroidism.
• Undiagnosed hypothyroid children may experience slowed growth rate.
• Additional symptoms include sluggishness, pallor, dry and itchy scalp, increased sensitivity to cold and constipation.

Hypothyroidism & Aging

• Incidence of hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) increases with age.
• By age 60, as many as 17 percent of women and 9 percent of men have an underactive thyroid.

Common Symptoms of Hyperthyroidism

• Heat intolerance, sweating
• Weight loss
• Alterations in appetite
• Frequent bowel movements
• Changes in vision
• Fatigue and muscle weakness
• Menstrual disturbance
• Impaired fertility
• Mental disturbances
• Sleep disturbances
• Tremors
• Thyroid enlargement

Common Symptoms of Hypothyroidism

• Fatigue
• Forgetfulness
• Depression
• Heavy menses
• Dry, coarse hair
• Mood swings
• Weight gain
• Hoarse voice
• Dry, coarse skin
• Constipation