Can Braiding My Babies Hair Make His Thyroids Get Bigger

On this page:

• What is hypothyroidism?
• How common is hypothyroidism?
• Who is more likely to develop hypothyroidism?
• Is hypothyroidism during pregnancy a problem?
• What are the complications of hypothyroidism?
• What are the symptoms of hypothyroidism?
• What causes hypothyroidism?
• How exercise doctors diagnose hypothyroidism?
• How practice doctors treat hypothyroidism?
• How does eating, nutrition, and nutrition touch on hypothyroidism?
• Clinical Trials for Hypothyroidism

What is hypothyroidism?

Hypothyroidism, too called underactive thyroid, is when the thyroid gland doesn't make plenty thyroid hormones to meet your torso's needs. The thyroid is a small-scale, butterfly-shaped gland in the front of your neck. Thyroid hormones command the manner your body uses energy, so they affect nearly every organ in your body, fifty-fifty the way your heart beats. Without enough thyroid hormones, many of your body's functions slow down.

The thyroid is a small gland in your neck that makes thyroid hormones.

How common is hypothyroidism?

About 5 out of 100 Americans ages 12 years and older have hypothyroidism, although nigh cases are mild or accept few obvious symptoms.ⁱ

Who is more likely to develop hypothyroidism?

Women are much more likely than men to develop hypothyroidism. The disease is also more common among people older than age 60.ⁱ

You are more than likely to take hypothyroidism if you

• had a thyroid problem before, such every bit a goiter
• had surgery or radioactive iodine to correct a thyroid problem
• received radiation treatment to the thyroid, neck, or breast
• have a family history of thyroid disease
• were pregnant in the by half dozen months
• have Turner syndrome, a genetic disorder that affects women

Your thyroid is also more likely to be underactive if you have other health problems, including

• Celiac disease
• Sjögren's syndrome, a illness that causes dry eyes and mouth
• pernicious anemia, a status caused by a vitamin B12 deficiency
• type 1 or type 2 diabetes
• rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease that affects the joints
• lupus, a chronic autoimmune inflammatory condition

Is hypothyroidism during pregnancy a trouble?

Left untreated, hypothyroidism during pregnancy can impact both mother and baby. However, thyroid medicines tin help prevent problems and are prophylactic to take during pregnancy. Many women taking thyroid hormone medicine demand a college dose during pregnancy, and then contact your doc right away if you find out yous're pregnant.

What are the complications of hypothyroidism?

Hypothyroidism can contribute to high cholesterol. If you accept loftier cholesterol, you should get tested for hypothyroidism. Rarely, astringent untreated hypothyroidism may pb to myxedema coma, an extreme form of hypothyroidism in which the body'due south functions wearisome to a life-threatening point. Myxedema coma requires immediate medical treatment.

What are the symptoms of hypothyroidism?

Hypothyroidism has many symptoms that can vary from person to person. Some common symptoms of hypothyroidism include

• fatigue
• weight gain
• trouble tolerating common cold
• joint and muscle pain
• dry out pare or dry, thinning hair
• heavy or irregular menstrual periods or fertility problems
• slowed centre rate
• depression

Dry, thinning pilus is one of many symptoms that might signal hypothyroidism.

Because hypothyroidism develops slowly, you may not notice symptoms of the disease for months or even years.

Many of these symptoms, peculiarly fatigue and weight gain, are common and do non necessarily hateful you have a thyroid problem.

What causes hypothyroidism?

Hypothyroidism has several causes, including

• Hashimoto's disease
• thyroiditis, or inflammation of the thyroid
• congenital hypothyroidism, or hypothyroidism that is present at nativity
• surgical removal of part or all of the thyroid
• radiation handling of the thyroid
• some medicines

Less oftentimes, hypothyroidism is caused by too much or too little iodine in the diet or by disorders of the pituitary gland or hypothalamus.¹ Iodine deficiency, however, is extremely rare in the The states.

Hashimoto's disease

Hashimoto'due south disease, an autoimmune disorder, is the well-nigh mutual cause of hypothyroidism. With this affliction, your immune system attacks the thyroid. The thyroid becomes inflamed and can't make plenty thyroid hormones.

Thyroiditis

Thyroiditis, an inflammation of your thyroid, causes stored thyroid hormone to leak out of your thyroid gland. At start, the leakage increases your blood'southward hormone levels, leading to thyrotoxicosis, a condition in which thyroid hormone levels are also high. The thyrotoxicosis may last for many months. After that, your thyroid may become underactive and, over fourth dimension, the condition may go permanent, requiring thyroid hormone replacement.

Three types of thyroiditis tin can crusade thyrotoxicosis followed by hypothyroidism.ⁱⁱ

• Subacute thyroiditis involves a painfully inflamed and enlarged thyroid.
• Postpartum thyroiditis develops later on a adult female gives birth.
• Silent thyroiditis is painless, even though your thyroid may be enlarged. Experts call up it is probably an autoimmune condition.

Congenital hypothyroidism

Some babies are born with a thyroid that is not fully developed or does non work properly. If untreated, built hypothyroidism can pb to intellectual disability and growth failure—when a baby doesn't grow every bit expected. Early treatment tin prevent these problems. That's why near newborns in the United States are tested for hypothyroidism.

Surgical removal of office or all of the thyroid

When surgeons remove office of the thyroid, the remaining part may produce normal amounts of thyroid hormone. Just some people who have this surgery may develop hypothyroidism. Removing the entire thyroid always results in hypothyroidism.

Surgeons may remove part or all of the thyroid as a treatment for

• hyperthyroidism
• a large goiter
• thyroid nodules, which are noncancerous tumors or lumps in the thyroid that can produce too much thyroid hormone
• pocket-sized thyroid cancers

Radiation treatment of the thyroid

Radioactive iodine, a common treatment for hyperthyroidism, gradually destroys thyroid cells. If you receive radioactive iodine treatment, you probably will eventually develop hypothyroidism. Doctors also treat people who have head or neck cancers with external radiation therapy, which tin besides damage the thyroid if it is included in the treatment.

Medicines

Some medicines tin can interfere with thyroid hormone production and atomic number 82 to hypothyroidism, including certain

• center medicines
• bipolar disorder medicines
• cancer medicines

Several recently adult cancer medicines, in detail, can either touch on the thyroid directly or affect it indirectly past dissentious the pituitary gland.

How do doctors diagnose hypothyroidism?

Your dr. will accept your medical history and perform a physical test. A hypothyroidism diagnosis tin't exist based on symptoms alone because many of its symptoms are the same as those of other diseases.^ane That'due south why your doctor may apply several thyroid blood tests and imaging tests to confirm the diagnosis and detect its crusade.

Because hypothyroidism can cause fertility problems, women who take problem getting pregnant often get tested for thyroid problems.

A blood exam might confirm a diagnosis of hypothyroidism.

How do doctors care for hypothyroidism?

Hypothyroidism is treated by replacing the hormones that your own thyroid can no longer make. You will take levothyroxine, a thyroid hormone medicine identical to a hormone a salubrious thyroid makes.³ Usually prescribed in pill form, this medicine is as well bachelor as a liquid and as a soft gel capsule. These newer formulas may help people with digestive bug to absorb the thyroid hormone. Your doctor may recommend taking the medicine in the morning earlier eating.

Your md will give y'all a blood test well-nigh 6 to 8 weeks after you lot begin taking the medicine, adjusting your dose if needed. Each time your dose is adjusted, you'll have another blood test. Once you lot've reached a dose that'southward working for you, your doctor volition probably repeat the claret test in 6 months and then once a year.

Your hypothyroidism most likely can be completely controlled with thyroid hormone medicine, as long as you take the recommended dose every bit instructed. Never stop taking your medicine without talking with your doctor first. Taking likewise much thyroid hormone medicine can crusade serious problems, such every bit atrial fibrillation or osteoporosis.¹

How does eating, nutrition, and nutrition affect hypothyroidism?

Your thyroid uses iodine to make thyroid hormones. Notwithstanding, if you have Hashimoto's disease or other types of autoimmune thyroid disorders, y'all may be sensitive to iodine'south harmful side furnishings. Eating foods that have large amounts of iodine—such as kelp, dulse, or other kinds of seaweed—may cause or worsen hypothyroidism. Taking iodine supplements tin have the same effect.

Talk with members of your health care squad

• about what foods to limit or avoid
• if yous take iodine supplements
• near any cough syrups y'all accept because they may contain iodine

If you lot are significant, you demand more than iodine because the babe gets iodine from your diet. Talk with your doctor nearly how much iodine yous need.

Clinical Trials for Hypothyroidism

The NIDDK conducts and supports clinical trials in many diseases and conditions, including endocrine diseases. The trials await to detect new means to prevent, observe, or care for affliction and amend quality of life.

What are clinical trials for hypothyroidism?

Clinical trials—and other types of clinical studies—are role of medical research and involve people like you. When you volunteer to have role in a clinical study, you help doctors and researchers learn more nigh disease and improve health care for people in the futurity.

Researchers are studying many aspects of hypothyroidism, such every bit

• understanding how the disease progresses, its clinical presentation, and genetics
• investigating how constructive and safe levothyroxine is for people with chronic kidney disease

Find out if clinical studies are right for you.

Watch a video of NIDDK Managing director Dr. Griffin P. Rodgers explaining the importance of participating in clinical trials.

What clinical studies for hypothyroidism are looking for participants?

You can view a filtered list of clinical studies on hypothyroidism that are open up and recruiting at www.ClinicalTrials.gov. You tin expand or narrow the listing to include clinical studies from industry, universities, and individuals; yet, the National Institutes of Health does not review these studies and cannot ensure they are safe. Always talk with your wellness care provider before you participate in a clinical study.

References

Can Braiding My Babies Hair Make His Thyroids Get Bigger

Source: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/endocrine-diseases/hypothyroidism