Uncovering thyroid issues can be tricky — even when you're suffering from weight gain, cold sensitivity, deep fatigue or other well-known thyroid symptoms. But it’s even more difficult when you suspect something isn't quite right and your doctor says "you're fine."
The fact is, by the time many women are officially diagnosed with a thyroid disorder, they need to take prescription medication, sometimes for the rest of their life.
Identifying symptoms early can help you avoid medication. Here’s how.
How do you know if you have a hidden thyroid problem?
Here's the first clue to help you determine if you have a hidden thyroid issue: many women who suffer from common symptoms are also often experiencing lesser–known symptoms that can signal hypothyroidism, or sluggish thyroid. In rare cases, some of these lesser-known symptoms may be the only symptoms showing up.
5 lesser-known low thyroid symptoms
1. Skin symptoms
- Yellowing of palms and soles of the feet
- Hives
- Psoriasis (skin redness, itching, and flaking)
2. Skeletal and muscular symptoms
- Muscle aches or spasms
- Joint pain
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Psoriatic arthritis
3. Mental/emotional symptoms
- Mental dullness
- Deeper depression, melancholy feelings
4. Reproductive symptoms
- Infertility
- Menstrual irregularities
- Menstrual cramps
- Milky-white nipple discharge that isn't related to breast feeding
5. Digestive symptoms
- Constipation or hard bowel movements every two days at most
If you’ve been suffering from a common symptom like fatigue or unusual weight gain, and haven’t been able to pinpoint why — even with the help of your healthcare practitioner — uncovering some of the more unusual symptoms of hypothyroidism may help you pinpoint a thyroid issue.
5 common low thyroid symptoms
Thyroid issues and the symptoms they cause frequently start small and get worse as your metabolism continues to slow down. If you’re wondering whether you might have a thyroid issue, consider symptoms you've had for a while that you may have thought were caused by something else. These are some of the most common symptoms of low thyroid:
1. Severe fatigue/loss of energy
- High levels of fatigue
- Sleeping more than average
- Persisting lack of energy after rest
2. Weight gain/difficulty losing weight
- Unexplained weight gain
- Changes to body shape
3. Dry skin, brittle nails
- New wrinkles
- Dry or cracked skin patches
- Itchy rashes
- Split, weak or peeling fingernails
4. Hair issues
- Brittle hair or hair thinning
- Premature graying of the hair
- Loss of outer-third of eyebrows
5. More sensitivity to cold and lower body temperature
A natural thyroid solution for your symptoms
A whole-body approach can help naturally relieve symptoms of subclinical hypothyroid issues. This support helps maintain thyroid hormone production while supporting normal thyroid function and healthy thyroid cell metabolism. The phytotherapeutic T-Balance Plus can help relieve your symptoms and provide a boost in energy by restoring thyroid balance with an exclusive science-based formulation.
Published: November 14, 2013 - Last Updated: March 26, 2021
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