Do you often experience fatigue, cold sensitivity, thinning hair, or uncontrollable weight gain? These are all symptoms of hypothyroidism. At Vine Family Medicine in Keller, Texas, family medicine specialists Ochuele Odumosu, MD, and Oluwaseun Odumosu, MD, diagnose and offer treatments for this condition to help you feel better and reduce the chance of troublesome complications. Call the office to schedule an evaluation or book online today. Telehealth visits are available.
Hypothyroidism is a common thyroid disorder in which your thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland in your neck, doesn’t produce sufficient amounts of thyroid hormone. That hormone is responsible for many bodily functions and keeps your metabolism going strong. Thyroid problems can negatively affect your heart rate, weight, mood, breathing, digestion, and more.
The good news is that getting the proper treatment for hypothyroidism reduces your risk of unpleasant symptoms and medical complications.
The common symptoms associated with hypothyroidism are:
A goiter is an enlarged thyroid gland that’s often noticeable in people with severe cases of hypothyroidism.
When left untreated, low thyroid hormone levels can increase your chance of cognitive impairment, heart problems, nerve problems, infertility, and congenital disabilities in babies born to women with untreated hypothyroidism.
The cause of hypothyroidism isn’t always known, but some of its risk factors include:
While adopting healthy habits and eating a well-balanced diet may reduce your chance of developing thyroid problems, many times, you can’t prevent them.
The Vine Family Medicine team diagnoses hypothyroidism by reviewing your medical history and symptoms. They also complete a physical exam and evaluate your thyroid gland. You often need blood tests and in some cases, an ultrasound to get a more in-depth view of your thyroid gland’s size and structure.
To treat hypothyroidism, your Vine Family Medicine provider may prescribe synthetic thyroid hormone pills you can take daily to increase low levels of thyroid hormone. It’s important to take your medicine exactly as directed by your specialist and have your thyroid levels checked periodically to ensure the treatment is effective.
Make sure you’re ingesting enough dietary iodine or take a multivitamin supplement containing iodine if asked to by your family medicine provider.
To find out if you have hypothyroidism or to receive treatment for this condition, call the Vine Family Medicine office or book an appointment online today.