Dealing with the symptoms of thyroid problems can be exhausting. You might feel faint or lightheaded regularly, you might experience heart palpitations from the simplest things (like standing up too quickly) or just generally feel as if your mind is in a constant haze. These can all make everyday life a bit of a challenge, especially when you’ve become used to a certain lifestyle. For example, how can you go hiking this weekend if you’ve been feeling sluggish and excessively tired all week at work?
Recent studies show that one in eight women will develop a thyroid condition at some point during their lifetime. And of the 25 million Americans currently diagnosed with serious thyroid problems, the majority of them are female, according to Women’s Health magazine. So why is it that women are so much more likely than men to have some kind of thyroid problem?
The answer, as it turns out, isn’t entirely known at this point. But based on decades of medical research and scientific advancements, we know enough about thyroid health to be able to accurately identify the risk factors and common symptoms well enough in advance. That’s why it’s worth keeping in mind…
Your Age
Though it can occur at any age, thyroid problems have been shown to strike more in women who are in their 40s and 50s, says Cancer.org. For men, it can be around the same time or much earlier. Again, there’s no specific set of circumstances under which thyroid issues tend to arise. It’s important that the older you get, the more you keep your appointments with your physician.
Your Genetics
Like plenty of other medical disorders, thyroid conditions are highly genetic and your risk of developing one is heightened if someone in your family has been diagnosed in the past. In order to see if you have any thyroid issues, visit your doctor, who will then administer what’s called a “THS test” to check your blood. From there, you can talk to your doctor about possible thyroid disease treatment options like medication or even surgery.
Your Cholesterol
Studies have linked high cholesterol levels with thyroid issues, and if left untreated, your high cholesterol may become resistant to medication to help lower it. That’s bad news for your overall health, so always talk with your doctor about your thyroid condition treatment options early on and have him or her check your cholesterol levels as well.
Your thyroid problems could be either related to over-activity or under-activity of your thyroid, the endocrine gland responsible for growth, development and regulation of bodily processes. In women especially, it’s important to have any warning signs looked at immediately to stay ahead of the damage the disease can cause in the future. At the first sign of dizziness, extreme fatigue or odd fluctuations in your body weight, talk to your doctor about thyroid issues at once.