Symptoms and treatment of subclinical hypothyroidism in women will be considered in this article.
An increase in total body weight, fatigue, skin deformations, hair loss - these signs can become ordinary for every woman. Many patients suffer from subclinical hypothyroidism in the initial stage, that is, a disease that can cause life-threatening symptoms.
Some experts still cannot unambiguously decide whether treatment is required in this case. Below, it will be analyzed what constitutes subclinical hypothyroidism, symptoms and therapy of this pathology, as well as the causes of the appearance.
What is subclinical hypothyroidism?
A disease such as subclinical hypothyroidism is the initial stage in the formation of hypothyroidism, in which the functional features of the thyroid gland are affected. This is due to a slight increase in the level of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in the body and at the same time being in the normal range of the hormonal level of the thyroid gland.
During subclinical hypothyroidism, the patient does not experience bright clinical signs. Up to eight percent of the total population have a diagnosis of subclinical hypothyroidism. Moreover, women suffer from it much more often than representatives of the stronger half, and this is most common with age. In menopause, this pathology often manifests itself.
With a decrease in the production of thyroid hormones, the degree of TSH most often increases, since the pituitary gland, which produces TSH, seeks to make the thyroid gland produce more hormones such as T 3 and 4. However, the doctor may still not prescribe treatment if the patient has TSH within normal limits, although it may also experience unpleasant symptoms. In holistic or functional medicine, where attention is focused on eliminating imbalances before they become the cause of the disease, even a slightly increased degree of TSH is considered to be a disruption of the female hormonal balance, therefore it is important and appropriate to begin to correct the situation already at this stage.
Symptoms of hypothyroidism in women are presented below.
Early signs of subclinical hypothyroidism
Since subclinical hypothyroidism is the initial stage of hypothyroidism, a woman may not even notice this or take the symptoms for signs of simple malaise. Subclinical hypothyroidism is characterized by the following features:
- feeling of chills and chills;
- hypothermia, that is, a decrease in body temperature below normal limits;
- secretion of colostrum or milk from the nipples, i.e. galactorrhea;
- excessive fatigue and lethargy in general;
- decreased libido, that is, a decrease in libido;
- drowsiness and distraction;
- unusual slowness;
- depression;
- loss of appetite;
- apathy;
- weight gain;
- decreased activity of the mind and concentration of attention;
- lack of desire to work and low efficiency.
Later symptoms of hypothyroidism in women
If subclinical hypothyroidism therapy does not start on time, then new symptoms may soon appear:
- memory impairment;
- infertility;
- high pressure inside the eyes;
- flatulence;
- constipation
- premature delivery in pregnant patients;
- hair defects (loss, brittleness and dryness);
- bradycardia, that is, a decrease in the frequency of contractions of the heart;
- muscle pain
- swelling of the face and eyelids;
- vaginal bleeding;
- menstrual defects;
- epidermal dryness.
Causes of subclinical hypothyroidism and thyroid imbalance
What triggers the onset of symptoms of subclinical hypothyroidism in women? All hormonal glands in the human body are very sensitive and interconnected. If there is an imbalance between the glands in one system, for example, in the thyroid gland, ovaries or adrenal glands, disorders also appear in the other.
This may be due, for example, to the fact that adrenal cortisol is required to produce triiodothyronine, the most active hormone in the thyroid gland, and its deficiency can cause hypothyroidism. However, in stressful situations, cortisol is produced in excess, therefore, hormonal imbalance occurs. Maintaining a healthy adrenal gland is one of the most effective methods of maintaining the thyroid gland at the right level.
Thyroiditis
Another common cause of an imbalance in the functioning of the thyroid gland is the presence of an autoimmune type of pathology such as thyroiditis. This disease is characterized by the fact that the immune system begins to produce antibodies against its own thyroid gland. If the patient knows about a decrease in the functioning of the thyroid gland and she has either symptoms that indicate this, or hereditary cases of hypothyroidism, or an autoimmune disease, then experts advise checking the woman’s blood for antithyroid antibodies. This diagnostic procedure for the symptoms of thyroid hypothyroidism in women is non-standard, therefore, most likely, you will have to ask your doctor to give directions for such a test.
Excessive amounts of antibodies in the thyroid gland indicate that the patient has autoimmune thyroiditis, which is the most common cause of decreased thyroid activity in many developed countries. This disease, unfortunately, often develops into a clear pathology of the thyroid gland in the absence of appropriate treatment. The positive point is that in the vast majority of cases the patient can slow down or even prevent such a progression by identifying and eliminating inflammation, allergies and infections, while also maintaining a healthy gastrointestinal tract. In this case, you must follow a diet that provides for the intake of the necessary nutrients, as well as exclude foods whose use can harm the body.
Other factors are also able to interfere with the production of thyroid hormones, for example, increased estrogen levels, the use of contraceptives, a number of drugs, chronic diseases, as well as toxins in the environment.
Symptoms and treatment of subclinical hypothyroidism in women are interrelated.
Disease control
As the main method, which is intended to combat the symptoms of pathologies of the endocrine system, hormone replacement therapy is performed in patients during menopause.
From the list of drugs that are used to eliminate the disease, the following can be distinguished:
- "Tireotom";
- "Femoston";
- "Thyroidin";
- "Triiodothyronine";
- Tireocomb.
Depending on how intensely the signs of the disease appear, obtained by examining the results of the analysis and the patient's condition, in principle, treatment is prescribed. These drugs have an identical mechanism of action. The duration of a therapeutic course can range from one month to several years. In some cases, the use of these drugs throughout life is required.
What else suggests treating the symptoms of hypothyroidism in menopausal women?
Diet
Such a pathology often causes edema and rapid weight gain. In this regard, patients with such a disease for faster recovery need to follow certain recommendations when drawing up their diet:
- refuse sweets and muffins;
- exclude fried and fatty dishes from the usual diet;
- limit fatty fish on the menu;
- reduce the amount of fluid drunk during the day to about 700-800 ml;
- refuse to take salt.
As the main component in the diet with an antihypothyroid diet, there must be:
- broths made on white meat;
- a significant amount of fresh vegetables and fruits;
- poultry meat;
- seafood.
This will alleviate the symptoms of hypothyroidism in women (photo of an inflamed thyroid gland below).
Preventive measures and prognosis
Hypothyroidism is a rather dangerous pathology that can cause serious defects in many functions of systems and organs.
It is very important to determine the symptoms of hypothyroidism in women in a timely manner, but this is especially significant for children, since hormone deficiency leads to a lag in physical and mental development. For adult patients, it is dangerous because it can cause coma. If the disease was diagnosed early, then the consequences and complications will be minimal.
The pathology as a whole has a favorable prognosis. It can only be prevented when it is due to iodine deficiency.
In the form of a preventive measure, there is also the need for tests in pregnant women, which prevents numerous congenital malformations. The main thing is to recognize the symptoms in time.
Treatment of hypothyroidism in women with folk remedies
When using natural components that have healing properties in the treatment of hypothyroidism, the main treatment is accelerated. Lemon peel and 30 g of flax seed are poured with water (1 cup), heated over a fire, a tablespoon of honey is added to them. Take orally like tea.
The fruits of the wild apple tree are finely chopped, poured with boiling water and kept on fire for 10 minutes. Take inside.
Grind the shoots and internal partitions of the walnut, pour 100 g of vodka (1 cup) and insist for three weeks. 1 tsp add tinctures to a glass of warm water and take before meals in the evenings. The juice from potatoes, beets, carrots is consumed in 0.5 cups three times a day.