Know Your Symptoms of Hypothyroidism

When you have hypothyroidism, you may not realize it at first. The symptoms come on slowly. Some of them, like fatigue, happen when you have other conditions, too. You may mistake them for signs of aging or stress. Hypothyroidism can make you feel tired and sensitive to cold. You might gain a few pounds, too. Low thyroid levels can also affect your mood and thinking. For example, you might have: Depression Memory problems Trouble thinking clearly You may have pain, stiffness, and swelling in your: Muscles Joints FaceChanges in your skin can happen, too. It can become: Cool and pale Dry and itchy Rough or scaly Yellow-looking, especially on the soles of your feet, palms, and the "laugh lines" of your face Your nails may turn brittle or grow slowly. Your hair might change, too. It could become brittle or coarse, or you could have hair loss. Sometimes you can get thinning or loss of eyebrow hair, especially on the outer third of your brows. Eye area Tongue A hoarse voice, slow speech, and hearing problems are also symptoms. So is constipation. Women may also have changes in their menstrual cycle. Changes in your skin can happen, too. It can become: Cool and pale Dry and itchy Rough or scaly Yellow-looking, especially on the soles of your feet, palms, and the "laugh lines" of your face Your nails may turn brittle or grow slowly. Your hair might change, too. It could become brittle or coarse, or you could have hair loss. Sometimes you can get thinning or loss of eyebrow hair, especially on the outer third of your brows. Although the condition usually affects adults, it can happen to kids, too. They have the same symptoms as grown-ups, but because thyroid hormones control growth, they frequently stop growing like they should. They may also reach puberty later. Adolescent girls could have problems with menstrual cycles, too. Kids with hypothyroidism can also have problems with schoolwork, thanks to memory problems and fatigue. No matter how old you are, if you're having symptoms, see your doctor. They can prescribe medicine that will boost your levels and get you back to feeling like your old self.