4/11/24, 1:10 PM Hypothyroidism: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment & Medication

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism is a common condition where the thyroid doesn’t create and release
enough thyroid hormone into your bloodstream. This makes your metabolism slow
down. Also called underactive thyroid, hypothyroidism can make you feel tired, gain
weight and be unable to tolerate cold temperatures. The main treatment for
hypothyroidism is hormone replacement therapy.

Contents Overview Symptoms and Causes Diagnosis and Tests

Management and Treatment Prevention Living With

Overview
What is hypothyroidism?
Hypothyroidism is when there isn’t enough thyroid hormone in your bloodstream and
your metabolism slows down.

Hypothyroidism happens when your thyroid doesn’t create and release enough
thyroid hormone into your body. This makes your metabolism slow down, affecting
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your entire body. Also known as underactive thyroid disease, hypothyroidism is fairly
common.
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4/11/24, 1:10 PM Hypothyroidism: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment & Medication

When your thyroid levels are extremely low, this is called myxedema. A very serious
condition, myxedema can cause serious symptoms, including:

A low body temperature.

Anemia.

Heart failure.

Confusion.

Coma.

This severe type of hypothyroidism is life-threatening.

In general, hypothyroidism is a very treatable condition. It can be managed with

regular medications and follow-up appointments with your healthcare provider.

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How does my thyroid work?

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4/11/24, 1:10 PM Hypothyroidism: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment & Medication

The thyroid gland is a small, butterfly-shaped organ located in the front of your neck
just under the voice box (larynx). Picture the middle of the butterfly’s body centered
on your neck, with the wings hugging around your windpipe (trachea). The main job
of the thyroid is to control your metabolism. Metabolism is the process that your
body uses to transform food to energy your body uses to function. The thyroid
creates the hormones T4 and T3 to control your metabolism. These hormones work
throughout the body to tell the body’s cells how much energy to use. They control
your body temperature and heart rate.

When your thyroid works correctly, it’s constantly making hormones, releasing them
and then making new hormones to replace what’s been used. This keeps your
metabolism functioning and all of your body’s systems in check. The amount of
thyroid hormones in the bloodstream is controlled by the pituitary gland, which is
located in the center of the skull below the brain. When the pituitary gland senses
either a lack of thyroid hormone or too much, it adjusts its own hormone (thyroid
stimulating hormone, or TSH) and sends it to the thyroid to balance out the
amounts.

If the amount of thyroid hormones is too high (hyperthyroidism) or too low

(hypothyroidism), the entire body is impacted.

Who is affected by hypothyroidism?

Hypothyroidism can affect people of all ages, genders and ethnicities. It’s a common
condition, particularly among women over age 60. Women are generally more likely
to develop hypothyroidism after menopause than earlier in life.

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4/11/24, 1:10 PM Hypothyroidism: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment & Medication

What’s the difference between hypothyroidism and

hyperthyroidism?
In hypothyroidism, the thyroid doesn’t make enough thyroid hormone.

The difference between hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism is quantity. In

hypothyroidism, the thyroid makes very little thyroid hormone. On the flip side,
someone with hyperthyroidism has a thyroid that makes too much thyroid hormone.
Hyperthyroidism involves higher levels of thyroid hormones, which makes your
metabolism speed up. If you have hypothyroidism, your metabolism slows down.

Many things are the opposite between these two conditions. If you have
hypothyroidism, you may have a difficult time dealing with the cold. If you have
hyperthyroidism, you may not handle the heat. They are opposite extremes of
thyroid function. Ideally, you should be in the middle. Treatments for both of these
conditions work to get your thyroid function as close to that middle ground as
possible.

Symptoms and Causes

What causes hypothyroidism? Ad

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4/11/24, 1:10 PM Hypothyroidism: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment & Medication

Hypothyroidism can have a primary cause or a secondary cause. A primary cause is

a condition that directly impacts the thyroid and causes it to create low levels of
thyroid hormones. A secondary cause is something that causes the pituitary gland
to fail, which means it can’t send thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) to the thyroid to
balance out the thyroid hormones.

Primary causes of hypothyroidism are much more common. The most common of
these primary causes is an autoimmune condition called Hashimoto’s disease. Also
called Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, this condition is
hereditary (passed down through a family). In Hashimoto’s disease, the body’s
immune system attacks and damages the thyroid. This prevents the thyroid from
making and releasing enough thyroid hormone.

The other primary causes of hypothyroidism can include:

Thyroiditis (inflammation of the thyroid).

Treatment of hyperthyroidism (radiation and surgical removal of the thyroid).

Iodine deficiency (not having enough iodine — a mineral your thyroid uses to
make hormones – in your body).

Hereditary conditions (a medical condition passed down through your family).

In some cases, thyroiditis can happen after a pregnancy (postpartum thyroiditis) or

a viral illness.

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