When should I have my thyroid examined by a thyroid specialist?

If you suffer from unexplained symptoms, you should first have the function of the thyroid gland checked by a blood test. This is because the symptoms are varied and not so easy to assign to a thyroid disease. The thyroid gland is a vital hormonal gland. It is in front of the larynx and is shaped like a butterfly. The gland plays a very important role in metabolism, growth, psyche, and maturation of the body and helps regulate numerous bodily functions. For this purpose, it constantly releases a certain number of thyroid hormones into the blood. The reason for an unfulfilled desire to have children can also be a disturbed thyroid function, as it is very important for hormone balance. Thyroid diseases are usually hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism.

The hypofunction

Hypothyroidism triggers the following symptoms:

· Weight gain, despite unchanged lifestyle and eating habits

· Fatigue, lassitude, feeling of weakness

· Weakness of concentration

· Water retention in the legs and around the eyes

· Hair loss

· Cold feeling

· Dry skin

· Mood swings or depressive moods

· Clogging

· Cycle disorders

· Slowed heartbeat

Often, hypothyroidism is triggered by Hashimoto's disease, which is an autoimmune disease and chronic inflammation of the thyroid gland that preferentially affects women.

The hyperfunction

Hyperthyroidism can also cause a variety of symptoms:

· Excessive sweating

· Heart palpitations and high blood pressure

· Weight loss, increased appetite

· Nervousness and irritability

· (Muscle) weakness, fatigue

· Hair loss

· Cycle disorders

As with hypofunction, hyperfunction is often triggered by a disease. This can be Graves' disease. In this case, the body produces antibodies that cause the thyroid gland to produce too many hormones. As a result, the metabolism runs at full speed and many processes in the body are unnecessarily accelerated, for example the heartbeat. If left untreated, this can also lead to serious cardiac arrhythmias.

Nodules in the thyroid gland

Another typical disease of the thyroid gland are nodules. These develop slowly over the years and are more than 90% benign. An indication for thyroid nodules could be that affected persons perceive their throat as "thicker", there is a feeling of pressure in the throat, or it feels as if a dumpling is stuck as well as difficulty swallowing. In rare cases, these nodules or nodes can develop into thyroid cancer. After successful treatment of thyroid cancer, treatment in the hands of an experienced thyroid doctor is very important to maintain the quality of life and to ensure optimal follow-up care.

See a thyroid doctor

Always have your thyroid levels checked during routine examinations, e.g. by your family doctor (your doctor will usually do this as a routine check already). If you should be pregnant or become pregnant and / or there is an unfulfilled desire to have a child, have your thyroid gland checked in detail. Have your symptoms been evaluated by a thyroid doctor. Your thyroid specialist Dr. Haug in Vienna will be happy to be your competent contact.