There are certain risk factors for hypothyroidism. Women are much more likely than men to get hypothyroidism. Older people are also more likely to get it than young people. Therefore, anyone over 35 should be routinely tested for hypothyroidism, especially if there is a family history of the disorder. Women should be especially vigilant.

Children do not usually present with hypothyroidism. Newborns are checked for it at birth because hypothyroidism can cause retardation in babies. Even though children do not usually have hypothyroidism, it is important to make sure that they are checked by a doctor if they show signs of the disorder.

Pregnant women and women who have just had a baby are at an even higher risk for hypothyroidism. Most doctors keep an eye on women during these time periods to ensure that hypothyroidism is caught early if symptoms arise. However, it is important to ask your doctor for a hypothyroidism test if you have symptoms.

People with thyroid problems in their past are at a higher risk for hypothyroidism. People with diabetes, autoimmune disease, or anemia more often than not end up having hypothyroidism. Even people with premature gray hair have a higher chance of getting hypothyroidism.

Those who have iodine deficiency or take certain medicines are at risk for hypothyroidism. Those medicines include interferon, lithium, and amiodarone.

If you are at risk for hypothyroidism it is important to recognize the symptoms and get tested regularly. The symptoms of hypothyroidism include yellowing of the skin, slow movement, and feeling tired weak or depressed. Women also tend to show symptoms such as an unusually long, heavy, or irregular menstrual cycle.

The groups listed above are the most likely to get hypothyroidism. However, anyone can present with these same symptoms. Anyone who shows the symptoms of hypothyroidism needs to see their doctor as soon as possible to get checked.

Hypothyroidism is easily treated with medication. If you exhibit any of the symptoms mentioned above or if you are at risk you should talk to your doctor immediately about getting tested. The test is a simple blood test. If you are diagnosed with hypothyroidism, you can be treated with medication. Most people only have to take medicine for about a month before they feel much better. Some people do have to take medicine for the rest of their lives.

Hypothyroidism is a serious disorder with serious symptoms. It is important that you pay attention to the symptoms and seek medical help as soon as possible if you believe you have the condition. Hypothyroidism is much easier to treat with success if it is discovered early.

Because the symptoms often seem innocuous, many people ignore them. It is important to remember that you should check with your health care provider if you believe you have hypothyroidism. Unfortunately, some doctors misdiagnose hypothyroidism. This is because the symptoms that hypothyroidism presents are similar to the symptoms for depression and many other disorders. Make sure that you ask your doctor for a hypothyroidism blood test if you present with any of the symptoms mentioned above. Some symptoms to pay special attention to are weight gain, depression, yellowing of the skin and the inability to stand cold.

One way in which you can combat hypothyroidism is through your diet. The eBook below will teach you how to:

If you are feeling tired and exhausted constantly and have had enough then keep reading. What about weak muscles, sore and achy joints, lack of concentration and focus and complete loss of memory. You may feel like you’ve had enough or even that you’re going loopy but there is a chance that you could be suffering from hypothyroidism. I hear you asking hypo-who?? Hypothyroidism is a malfunction of the thyroid gland which most people don’t even know exists. It is also known as under active thyroid.

When your thyroid gland is not producing enough of a certain hormone it can have a huge effect on your life. It may not sound like a very important thing but in actual fact it is such a imperative part of making your body function well. It is not heard of as much as other disorders but is quite possibly just as common as some of the other things that we hear about more commonly. It’s often not picked up on and symptoms are also often put down to being caused by something else as lots of them are so general and different for everyone.

Other symptoms include having dry skin, hair and nails. Brittle nails that are snapping all the time, hair that is dry and brittle and flaky or peeling skin is an annoyance to say the least. It can also be quite painful along with dry eyes and mouth. Heavy menstural periods for girls and women is another symptom that can be overlooked quite easily, expecially for those women who do have irregular periods. If you do suspect that some of your symptoms are caused by hypothyroidism it is important to go to your doctor and get checked out.

He will usually ask a series of questions relating to your health, history and lifestyle. From this he will determine if you need a blood test to make sure that your symptoms are, in fact, caused by hypothyroidism. You shouldnt have to wait too long for the results and then once this is confirmed your doctor will put you onto some hormone replacements. These are usually monitered for the first few months to see how your body reacts to different levels. This is so that the doctor can get the levels just right and allow you to feel at your best. From there a check up once a year is usually enought just to make sure you’re feeling well and adjust your hormone intake if necessary.

So don’t feel like you need to suffer through some of these symptoms. Even if you only have one, it is worth making yourself well so you can function properly. If hypothyroidism is left untreated for a long time it can cause problems and make you feel worse and worse. It is important that you feel balanced and good within yourself so you don’t begin to lack in areas of your life, whether it’s lagging at work, dragging your feet trying to keep up with the kids, not having any time for your partner or losing confidence because of your physical appearence.

One way in which you can take control of hypothyroidism is through your diet. The eBook below will teach you how to:

Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland produces smaller amounts of thyroid hormones than needed for the thyroid to work properly. In order to understand this, you should first know what the thyroid gland is and what is does.

The thyroid gland is located in the front part of the neck and is the tool that monitors the metabolism in the body, keeping it functioning properly. If the thyroid gland messes up or does not produce enough hormones, it can put the entire body out of whack. Sometimes this is not found out as people feel their energy loss is due to over-work, aging and other factors. Hypothyroidism sets in before they realize it.

So what can cause hypothyroidism? There are several factors involved, one is malnutrition or not eating right. If a person does not get enough iodine from eating, he or she can develop hypothyroidism. Knowing what to eat as well as what not to eat is important when it comes to keeping the thyroid gland properly running.

Another factor that can cause an imbalance in the thyroid gland is stress. In today’s economy and with war rampant in several countries it is not at all surprising that hypothyroidism is on the rise with people enduring so much stress in their every day lives.

Still another factor is genetics. It is common for people to inherit certain DNA genetically-induced patterns that can lead to cancer or heart conditions. Hypothyroidism is no exception. If you have a parent or other blood-related family member suffering from hypothyroidism, chances are you could fall victim to it as well.

Since hypothyroidism and the thyroid gland deal with hormones then the next two factors should not be surprising, either. The first is during pregnancy as a woman’s hormones are way off kilter. You may have heard of Postpartum Depression? Well, this can come from the thyroid’s limited intake of iodine and therefore the metabolism in a woman’s body being messed up. The next factor regarding a woman’s hormones is when she enters menopause. This time in a woman’s life has her feeling like she is going insane at times but it is actually a physical change that is making her feel this way. One of the first parts of her body that is affected is her thyroid, therefore affecting her metabolism and spinning her body out of control.

It is no wonder that while hypothyroidism can affect both men and women that women suffer from it the most because they go through more hormonal changes than men do thanks to menstrual cycles, pregnancy and menopause. Perhaps it does not seem fair but in the end, if treated properly, she can learn to alleviate the symptoms of hypothyroidism and live a normal life.

If a person feels run down and out of energy or if he or she feels like there are mood swings that are not explained, then that person is encouraged to bring up the possible question of hypothyroidism with his or her physician. Having it checked when the symptoms begin can help to alleviate some of the hormonal problems associated with hypothyroidism.