The early warning signs of thyroid disease
Did you know some symptoms of thyroid disease surface earlier than others? The earlier thyroid disease is detected, the easier it is to get your symptoms back under control.
Let’s take a look at the early warning signs of thyroid disease to watch out for.
Early warning signs of thyroid disease you need to know
Fatigue
In my clinical experience, low energy levels and fatigue are often some of the earliest warning signs of thyroid disease. As the thyroid is controlling the function of almost every cell in the body, changes to its function can quickly drain your energy.
If you have low thyroid levels, you will likely feel sluggish, unrefreshed even after sleeping, and struggle to do even the usual daily tasks. If you have high thyroid levels, you’re more likely to feel ‘wired but tired’ and suffer from poor sleep or even insomnia.
Unexplained weight changes
Have you noticed that your weight is creeping up slowly, even though your diet and lifestyle are the same? Or perhaps you’ve dropped a few kilos without realising it?
There are countless factors that can influence your body weight. And if you’re female, then hormones can also cause you to gain or lose a few kilos quite quickly! But unexplained weight changes are often an early sign of thyroid disease.
If your weight has crept up, you are likely looking at Hashimoto’s or hypothyroidism. If it has dropped, you could be looking at Graves’ or hyperthyroidism. Thyroid cancer can also lead to weight loss, weight gain, or both.
Heart rate changes
As your thyroid is in charge of your metabolism, your heart rate is sensitive to your thyroid hormone levels. So if your levels are too high or too low, you’ll notice a change in your heart rate.
Feel your heart racing, fluttering and consistently sitting at over 90 beats per minute? You’re looking at hyperthyroidism.
Have a heart rate that is consistently under 60 beats per minute, along with some dizziness or fatigue? The likely cause is hypothyroidism.
Temperature sensitivity
Are you intolerant to heat, or struggle whenever it gets cold? The inability to adapt to either hot or cold temperatures is another big red flag for the thyroid.
If cold is your worst enemy, you’re looking at an underactive thyroid as a potential cause. If you can’t stand the heat, it’s most likely an overactive thyroid.
Strange sensations in the throat area
This one is not only reported by many of my clients, but it is also one I personally experienced before I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s!
You might experience:
A swollen throat
Hoarse voice
Tightness in the throat
What feels like reflux
General feeling of strange sensations/discomfort in the neck and throat area
This is common as the thyroid will become inflamed and swollen with thyroid conditions. You may even notice your thyroid looking visibly swollen (goitre) at the front of your neck, but this tends to happen later in the disease process.
Hair, skin and nail changes
Some of the first thyroid-related changes to the body show up on the surface - that is your hair, skin and nails. There are many potential signs that show up, so let’s have a look at common surface symptoms.
Hair:
Thinning or missing hair on the outer third of the eyebrows
Coarse, dry, dull skin that breaks easily
Soft, fine hair with a lot of shedding
Hair loss, thinning hair and bald patches
Skin:
Dry, pale, cool skin
Moist, velvety, warm skin
Cracked, scaly skin
Slow-healing wounds
Protruding eyes
Patches of scaly, discoloured skin
Flushed face and red palms
Increased/decreased sweating
Nails:
Thick, dry, brittle nails
Soft, shiny, easily crumbling nails
Peeling, crumbling or breaking easily
Lifting up away from the nailbed
Curved nails with swollen fingertips
Rashes and hives
This might seem a bit different from the other symptoms, but bear with me! Research actually shows that between 4.3-57.4% of people with autoimmune thyroid disease experience chronic hives. Rashes are also a common early symptom for both an overactive and underactive thyroid.
Are you facing thyroid issues?
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