Myxedema is a severe endocrine disease that is considered by doctors as a form of hypothyroidism. Usually, pathology occurs against the background of a slowdown in thyroid function. Often the disease manifests itself in women that suffer from hormonal imbalance. However, men are often exposed to myxedema of the thyroid gland. Let's look at the features of the course of the disease. We also highlight the causes and symptoms of myxedema, talk about the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
Causes
Myxedema - what is it? Slowing down the thyroid gland causes insufficient hormone production. Against the background of the phenomenon, severe malfunctions occur in the body. The pathological condition is called in clinical practice hypothyroidism. The severe form of the ailment presented is actually myxedema.
The progress of the disease leads to a violation of internal secretion or the complete disappearance of the production of the hormone thyroxine. Often this happens as a result of an infectious lesion of the body, in particular, with severe sore throat, syphilis. Brain injuries can provoke disruptions in the functioning of the endocrine system.
According to some experts, myxedema is a consequence of improperly performed therapy with exposure to a patient by x-ray radiation or the result of poorly performed surgical operations. This can potentially lead to a change in the functions of the secretory glands.
In rare cases, the habitat of a person becomes the cause of myxedema. The disease is often found in a significant part of the population in places where there is a lack of iodine in the food and water consumed. Non-compliance with hygiene also plays a role, for example, living in rooms with a high level of humidity in the surrounding area.
Symptomatology
Myxedema disease, a photo of the manifestations of which can be seen in our material, can be felt in the form of numerous negative phenomena from a number of organs and systems. This is explained by the fact that the hormones that are produced by the thyroid gland affect the general condition of the whole organism. However, there are specific symptoms of myxedema. Among them are:
- Swelling of the subcutaneous tissue. When pressed on the affected tissue, a depression is formed that is stable in nature.
- The appearance of masked facial features. The skin in the presented area becomes puffy, expressed bags form under the patient's eyes.
- Change in skin structure. Against the background of dystrophic changes, exfoliation of the dermis occurs. There is also an increased fragility of hair and nails.
- Damage to the vocal cords. The latter become inflamed and swollen. The voice of a person prone to the development of myxedema becomes hoarse or rude. With the progression of the disease, speech becomes more and more slurred.
Since myxedema is a form of hypothyroidism, symptoms such as increased drowsiness, decreased appetite, decreased overall tissue tone, motor dysfunctions, and joint pain can be added to the above symptoms.
Pretibial myxedema
A special kind of ailment is its pretibial form. Unlike the classical course of the disease, pathology is characterized by not decreased, but rather increased secretion of hormones produced by the thyroid gland. The result is the appearance of distinct roughness and keratinized areas on the skin surface. Often patients who suffer from a disease in this form complain of a feeling of severe itching, which leads to scratching of the skin and the appearance of wounds. What therapy is used for classical and pretibial myxedema? Treatment of the disease will be considered further in the material.
Myxedema in children
In babies, the disease is either early or congenital. In both cases, the pathology is characterized by delays in physical, sexual and mental development. The earlier failures in the functioning of the endocrine system are manifested, the more severe are the consequences of myxedema that develops in a child. Therefore, an extremely important point in childhood is the saturation of the body with iodine.
The most severe manifestation of the disease is cretinism. No less seriously on the quality of life of babies with this disease are stunted growth. The consequence of the above manifestations often becomes external deformities, noticeable lags in intellectual development compared with peers.
Diagnostic Methods
The diagnosis of myxedema is done by endocrinologists. To confirm the presence of the disease, researchers can resort to the following solutions:
- Comparison of patient complaints with characteristic symptoms.
- Palpation of inflamed skin, in which there are persistent depressions in the tissues.
- Studies of the level of hormones in the blood.
- Ultrasound diagnosis of the thyroid gland.
- Performing a biopsy puncture.
- Magnetic resonance imaging of the thyroid gland.
- Identification of complications that accompany myxedema.
Diet
With myxedema, the use of a special diet is of particular importance. A person who suffers from such an ailment is recommended to eat more foods with a high iodine content. First of all, we are talking about kelp, sea fish, walnuts. Regular salt must be replaced with iodized. Compliance with such a diet helps restore the functionality of the thyroid gland and relieve the main symptoms of myxedema.
Drug therapy
The main task in the fight against the development of pathology is the replenishment of the volume of hormones that are insufficiently produced by the thyroid gland. Doctors individually select pharmacological preparations for each patient, determine dosages and draw up a treatment regimen. Specialists are guided by the reasons that led to the formation of myxedema, the specifics of clinical manifestations, the general state of human health, and age-related features.
Often, in order to eliminate the unpleasant symptoms of the disease, medications such as Triiodothyronine and Thyroidin are prescribed. These funds are rich in iodine, which has a beneficial effect on the state of the thyroid gland. In addition, hormone therapy is prescribed, in particular, taking medications that contain glucocorticoids.
Alternative methods of treatment
The use of the following traditional medicine can potentially stop the symptoms of myxedema:
- A decoction based on chopped walnut, honey, garlic and dill seeds. An agent prepared using these ingredients helps to improve thyroid function. Take this medicine several times a day.
- Decoction of field chamomile, blueberry leaves, pine buds, haze and Irish lichen. The tool is prepared in a water bath. The composition is filtered through gauze or a fine sieve. The liquid must be cooled and taken periodically throughout the day.
- Decoction of honey, lemon peels and flax seeds. The components are boiled for several minutes over medium heat. The liquid is filtered and consumed several times a day.
- To maintain the functions of the thyroid gland, seaweed is widely used in folk medicine. Dried kelp is ground to a powdery state and taken a teaspoon once a day, previously added to food or stirring in water.
Who is at risk
As practice shows, most often myxedema develops in individuals who have poor heredity. We are talking about children whose parents suffered from diabetes mellitus, chronic thyroid diseases, and renal failure.
Attention should also be given to people who have undergone complex operations. The consequences of poorly performed surgical interventions can be malfunctions of the endocrine system.
The risk group includes people who abuse the unauthorized use of certain pharmacological drugs. In particular, myxedema can develop in people who take drugs with elevated levels of sodium and prolactin.
Prevention
Preventive measures that can prevent the development of myxedema include the following:
- Diagnosis of thyroid function regularly.
- Control over the amount of iodine entering the body.
- Periodic examination by an endocrinologist.
Myxedema Predictions
An ailment of symptoms is characteristic of an ailment. With the timely identification of the problem and the use of appropriate, adequate treatment, the course of the disease will not critically affect the quality of human life. In this case, myxedema will develop benignly. In fact, it will not be possible to completely get rid of the pathology. Therapy will have to be carried out throughout life.
If we talk about the development of myxedema at an early age, the forecasts here are not so favorable. With the timely recognition of pathology, the well-being of the child can be improved thanks to hormone replacement therapy. However, this will not completely eliminate the symptoms of the disease, which will certainly make themselves felt during adulthood.
Finally
So we examined the causes, symptoms and treatment of myxedema. Finally, it is worth noting that with such a serious disease of the endocrine system, you should not resort to independent therapy. Before using any pharmacological preparations or traditional medicine, it is imperative to consult a doctor. Only in this case, you can achieve a positive effect and avoid causing even greater harm to health.