As the human body ages, it becomes important to keep a sharp eye on your physical health. Signs and symptoms that you might have shoved off as nothing more than a cold in your 20s can now be signs of more serious medical conditions that can impact your daily life and greatly affect your overall health. Many medical conditions will present minor symptoms that take quite some time to develop into more serious symptoms. One of these medical conditions is Hashimoto’s Disease or chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis. Hashimoto’s disease most prominently affects middle-aged women, however, like all diseases, it has the ability to affect anyone of any age.
Hashimoto’s Disease is an occurrence in which the immune system attacks the thyroid, a small endocrine gland in your throat that influences aspects such as weight, metabolism, energy, heart function, bone health, and much more. Over time, this disease will cause a degradation of the thyroid gland which will ultimately result in a condition known as hypothyroidism, where the thyroid is underactive in producing the thyroid hormone.
Hashimoto’s disease can be very serious and can quickly cause lasting health effects. The key to ensuring your health is early diagnosis and treatment. And with some of the symptoms of Hashimoto’s being characterized as less serious, it’s that much more important to see your doctor if you are experiencing one or more of these seven typical signs and symptoms.
1. Dry Skin
The first and arguably the most discounted symptom that can come with this disease is having excessively dry skin. This often occurs due to a lack of sufficient hormones and nutrients that the thyroid supplies to the skin cells. With middle-aged women being a predominant procurer of this disease, this symptom often goes without concern as many women believe it to be the result of aging or other factors such as sun exposure.
Something to keep in mind with this and all of these symptoms is that they often seem to come out of nowhere. If your skin is chronically dry and you haven’t done anything else that would cause dry skin (take hot showers, spend a lot of time exposed to direct sunlight, etc.) you may want to consider that something is amiss. In addition, paleness or an obvious change in skin color that persists along with dryness can occur in many people with this disease.
Of course, experiencing only one symptom is rarely an indicator of serious disease, however, it should always be taken seriously. Don’t be afraid to make an appointment with your doctor, as having excessively dry skin is one of the prominent symptoms that sets Hashimoto’s Disease apart from others.
2. Hair Loss
Another common symptom of this disease is hair loss, also called alopecia. Most commonly it is the hair of the head that is notably lost, however, loss of hair can occur in other areas of the body as well. Similar to dry skin, this symptom is often discredited as “normal”, the result of aging, or even improper hair care.
Hair loss can be an indicator of many minor illnesses as well, but due to the thyroids inability to send nutrients and hormones to hair follicles, hair loss that seems to get worse over time is a primary indicator of something more serious. If you notice abnormal hair loss from your scalp or any other part of your body, you should make an appointment with your doctor.
3. Constipation
Constipation is when bowel movements are infrequent or difficult to pass. Being constipated is a very normal occurrence in people of all ages and can range from simple causes such a bowel blockage or a poor diet. One of the most predominant causes of constipation is due to the fact that the stool may become compacted and dried out. This takes place in Hashimoto’s Disease because, without proper thyroid function, the digestion enzymes that break down food and turn it into waste are greatly depleted.
Because of its prevalence in all people, constipation alone may not be of enough concern to suspect a serious illness. However, if you experience severe constipation or an inability to move your bowels, you should make sure to see your doctor right away.
4. Depression
Depression is certainly one of the more serious of the symptoms that can occur with this disease which makes it less difficult to identify compared to other symptoms. Depression is generally characterized as experiencing feelings of sadness and loss of interest in life. However, depressive disorders can present themselves and impact an individual in many different ways. Some of the other symptoms of depression include hopelessness, mood swings, general discontent, fatigue, loss of appetite, anxiety, insomnia, excessive crying, and thoughts or actions of suicide, to name a few.
Depression by itself is a mental illness that should be taken very seriously. Whether you are experiencing other symptoms of Hashimoto’s Disease or not, schedule an appointment with your doctor immediately if you think you are depressed.
5. Enlarged Thyroid
Since Hashimoto’s Disease results in the bodies attack of the thyroid gland, a standard reaction of the thyroid is to swell and enlarge. This generally results in an obvious and sometimes painful bulge that in the throat. The thyroid gland is located just under the protrusion of thyroid cartilage, often called the Adam’s apple, in the neck. You may also notice pain when swallowing or moving your head as it activates the muscles around the gland.
A simple way to assess your thyroid is to take one or two fingers and place it under your Adam’s apple applying light pressure. If you notice swelling or pain in that area, contact your doctor. Generally, this area of the throat doesn’t swell unless there is direct trauma or an illness involving the thyroid.
6. Fatigue
Fatigue related to Hashimoto’s Disease is generally very pronounced which allows one an evident concern for their health. The thyroid gland is primarily responsible for your metabolic process which is what gives you energy. When it is being attacked and therefore not working properly, the metabolic process in a person’s body may change drastically causing a prominent feeling of tiredness sometimes referred to as lethargy. This type of fatigue may come on suddenly or gradually but it may be less difficult to discern as it will likely impact your daily life.
If you notice an intense sense of tiredness that persists no matter the amount of sleep you get or the number of other actions you take, it’s time to contact your physician and make them aware of your fatigue.
7. Weight Gain
The last of these symptoms is a noticeable increase in body weight. It is standard for all people to fluctuate in weight day to day and even year to year as they age. Small changes in weight without a change in diet and or physical activity could range anywhere from one to five pounds in a day. Gaining or losing anything more than that in a daily or weekly period should be taken seriously. Again, this mainly occurs due to the decrease in metabolic function stemmed from an underactive thyroid gland.
Just like the rest of these symptoms, weight gain on its own may not be a concern. Consider changes in your diet, recent eating habits, or even a recent lack of physical activity in weight gain. However, this along with any other symptom should be taken seriously.
