Symptoms and treatment of subclinical hypothyroidism in women will be discussed in this article.
Increase in overall body weight, fatigue, skin deformities, hair loss - such signs can become ordinary for every woman. Many patients suffer from early subclinical hypothyroidism, a disease that can cause life-threatening symptoms.
Some experts still cannot unequivocally decide whether treatment is required in this case. Below we will analyze what constitutes subclinical hypothyroidism, the symptoms and therapy of this pathology, as well as the causes of the appearance.
What is subclinical hypothyroidism?
Such a disease as subclinical hypothyroidism is the initial stage of the formation of hypothyroidism, in which the functional features of the thyroid gland are affected. This is due to the slightan increase in the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in the body and at the same time being in the normal range of the hormonal level of the thyroid gland.
During subclinical hypothyroidism, the patient does not experience overt clinical signs. Up to eight percent of the total population are diagnosed with subclinical hypothyroidism. Moreover, women suffer from it much more often than the representatives of the stronger half, and this is most common with age. In menopause, this pathology often manifests itself.
When thyroid hormone production is low, TSH levels most often increase because the pituitary gland, which produces TSH, tends to force the thyroid gland to produce more hormones such as T 3 and 4. However, the doctor may still not prescribe treatment at all if The patient's TSH is still within normal limits, although she may experience unpleasant symptoms. In holistic or functional medicine, where the focus is on correcting imbalances before they cause disease, even a slight increase in TSH is seen as a female hormonal imbalance, so it is important and appropriate to start correcting the situation at this stage.
Symptoms of hypothyroidism in women are shown below.
Early signs of subclinical hypothyroidism
Because subclinical hypothyroidism is the initial stage of hypothyroidism, a woman may not even notice it or may mistake the symptoms forsigns of simple malaise. Subclinical hypothyroidism is characterized by the following features:
- feeling chilly and chilly;
- hypothermia, that is, a decrease in body temperature below normal limits;
- excretion of colostrum or milk from the nipples, i.e. galactorrhea;
- excessive fatigue and lethargy in general;
- decrease in libido, that is, a decrease in sexual desire;
- drowsiness and distraction;
- unaccustomed slowness;
- depression;
- loss of appetite;
- apathy;
- weight gain;
- decrease in mental activity and concentration;
- lack of desire to work and poor performance.
Later symptoms of hypothyroidism in women
If therapy for subclinical hypothyroidism is not started on time, new symptoms may soon appear:
- memory deterioration;
- infertility;
- high pressure inside the eyes;
- flatulence;
- constipation;
- preterm delivery in pregnant patients;
- hair defects (loss, brittleness and dryness);
- bradycardia, that is, a decrease in heart rate;
- muscle pain;
- swelling of the face and eyelids;
- bleeding from the vagina;
- menstrual cycle defects;
- epidermal dryness.
Causes of subclinical hypothyroidism and thyroid imbalance
What provokes the appearance of symptoms of subclinicalhypothyroidism in women? All hormonal glands in the human body are very sensitive and interconnected. When imbalances occur between glands in one system, such as the thyroid, ovaries, or adrenal glands, imbalances also appear in the other.
This may be due, for example, to the fact that adrenal cortisol is required for the production of triiodothyronine, the most active hormone in the thyroid gland, and its deficiency can cause hypothyroidism. However, in stressful situations, cortisol is produced in excess, so hormonal imbalance occurs. Maintaining a he althy adrenal gland is one of the most effective ways to keep your thyroid functioning at the right level.
Thyroiditis
Another common cause of an imbalance in the functioning of the thyroid gland is the presence of such an autoimmune type of pathology as thyroiditis. This disease is characterized by the fact that the immune system begins to produce antibodies against its own thyroid gland. If the patient is aware of a decrease in the functioning of the thyroid gland and she has either symptoms that indicate this, or hereditary cases of hypothyroidism, or an autoimmune disease, then experts advise testing the woman's blood for antithyroid antibodies. This diagnostic procedure for symptoms of hypothyroidism in women is non-standard, so you will most likely have to ask your doctor for a referral for such a test.
Excessive thyroid antibodies indicate that the patient has autoimmune thyroiditis, which is the most common cause of underactive thyroid in many developed countries. This disease, unfortunately, often develops into a clear pathology of the thyroid gland in the absence of appropriate treatment. On the positive side, in the vast majority of cases, the patient can slow down or even prevent this progression by identifying and eliminating inflammation, allergies, and infections, while also maintaining a he althy gastrointestinal tract. At the same time, you need to follow a diet that provides for the intake of the necessary nutrients, as well as exclude foods that can harm the body.
Other factors can also interfere with the production of thyroid hormones, such as elevated estrogen levels, the use of contraceptives, certain drugs, chronic diseases, and environmental toxins.
Symptoms and treatment of subclinical hypothyroidism in women are interrelated.
Fight disease
As the main method, which is designed to combat the symptoms of pathologies of the endocrine system, patients undergo hormone replacement therapy during menopause.
From the list of drugs that are used to eliminate the disease, the following can be distinguished:
- "Tireotom";
- Femoston;
- "Thyreoidin";
- "Triiodothyronine";
- Tireocomb.
Depending on how intensely the signs of the disease appear, obtained during the examination of the results of the analysis and the patient's condition, in principle, treatment is prescribed. These drugs have an identical mechanism of action. The duration of the therapeutic course can vary from one month to several years. In some cases, lifelong use of these drugs is required.
What else is there to treat symptoms of hypothyroidism in menopausal women?
Diet
Such a pathology often causes swelling and rapid weight gain. In this regard, patients with such a disease for a faster recovery must follow certain recommendations when compiling their diet:
- give up sweets and muffins;
- exclude fried and fatty foods from the usual diet;
- restrict fatty fish on the menu;
- reduce the amount of liquid you drink during the day to about 700-800 ml;
- refuse to take s alt.
As the main component in the diet with an antihypothyroid diet, there must be:
- broths made with white meat;
- a significant amount of fresh vegetables and fruits;
- poultry meat;
- seafood.
This will relieve the symptoms of hypothyroidism in women (photo of an inflamed thyroid gland below).
Preventive measuresand forecast
Hypothyroidism is a rather dangerous pathology that can cause serious defects in many functions of systems and organs.
It is very important to identify the symptoms of hypothyroidism in women in a timely manner, but this is especially important for children, since hormone deficiency leads to a lag in physical and mental development. For adult patients, it is dangerous because it can cause coma. If the disease was diagnosed early, then the consequences and complications will be minimal.
The pathology generally has a favorable prognosis. It can only be prevented when it is due to an iodine deficiency.
As a preventive measure, it is also necessary to conduct tests in pregnant women, thereby preventing numerous birth defects. The main thing is to recognize the symptoms in time.
Treatment of hypothyroidism in women with folk remedies
When natural ingredients with healing properties are used in the treatment of hypothyroidism, the main treatment is accelerated. Lemon peel and 30 g of flax seed are poured with water (1 cup), heated over a fire, a tablespoon of honey is added to them. Take internally as a tea.
The fruits of the wild apple tree are finely chopped, poured with boiling water and kept on fire for 10 minutes. Take by mouth.
Chop the shoots and internal partitions of the walnut, pour 100 g of vodka (1 cup) and insist for three weeks. 1 tsp add tinctures to a glass of warm water and take before meals in the evenings. potato juice,beets, carrots are consumed 0.5 cups three times a day.
