What organs does the thyroid affect?

What does the thyroid gland do? The thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate the body's metabolic rate controlling heart, muscle and digestive function, brain development and bone maintenance.

How does the thyroid affect other body systems?

Thyroid hormones influence the force and speed of your heartbeat, your blood pressure, and your cholesterol levels. Because of this, thyroid dysfunction can cause problems that can worsen heart health. Hypothyroidism can affect the heart and circulatory system in several ways.

What problems does thyroid causes?

Over time, untreated hypothyroidism can cause a number of health problems, such as obesity, joint pain, infertility and heart disease.

What are early warning signs of thyroid problems?

Is a thyroid problem serious?

If your body makes too much thyroid hormone, you can develop a condition called hyperthyroidism. If your body makes too little thyroid hormone, it's called hypothyroidism. Both conditions are serious and need to be treated by your healthcare provider.

Endocrinology | Target Organs of the Thyroid

Can thyroid problems affect digestive system?

Digestive symptoms of an underactive thyroid can include dyspepsia (chest pain), low stomach acid, poor absorption, constipation, gallstones, anemia and bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine. The thyroid gland can have a significant impact on the gastrointestinal system.

Can thyroid problems affect your heart?

Thyroid hormone has direct effects on heart function, blood vessels and cholesterol levels. In hypothyroidism, symptoms may include slowing of the heart rate, constriction of the blood vessels and increased blood pressure, retention of fluid and edema and an increase in cholesterol levels.

Does thyroid affect breathing?

Too little thyroid hormone weakens the muscles you use to breathe and makes your lungs work less efficiently. As a result, you may feel short of breath or have trouble exercising. Hypothyroidism also makes it more likely to develop sleep apnea, which are pauses in breathing that happen while you sleep.

Can thyroid cause back pain?

The Spine-Thyroid Connection

The inflammation and swelling in thyroid problems like Hashimoto's can push one of the nearby vertebrae out of place, causing a subluxation in your cervical spine. Long-term uncontrolled hypothyroidism can affect your spine in other ways.

Can thyroid cause pain in chest?

Thyroid disease.

Hyperthyroid and hypothyroid states are potential causes of chest pain. In hyperthyroidism, the heart rate is elevated, even at rest, leading to chest pain. In patients with hypothyroidism, the heart rate will be very slow, and heart function will be impaired. This can cause pain during exertion.

Can thyroid cause inflammation in the body?

Thyroiditis is swelling (inflammation) of the thyroid gland. It causes either unusually high or low levels of thyroid hormones in the blood. The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in the neck.

Can thyroid cause belly fat?

Weight gain

Even mild cases of hypothyroidism may increase the risk of weight gain and obesity. People with the condition often report having a puffy face as well as excess weight around the stomach or other areas of the body.

Does thyroid cause acid reflux?

The acid reflux-thyroid connection

Although there isn't a direct link between acid reflux and thyroid disease, this relationship can be seen in those with an underactive thyroid. This is especially true if it's due to Hashimoto disease, which is an autoimmune disease where the thyroid tissue is destroyed.

Can thyroid cause throat clearing?

Frequent coughing and a need to keep clearing your throat. Another symptom of thyroid nodules is a chronic cough, a cough that just won't seem to go away. Like the nodules that cause swallowing symptoms, thyroid nodules that cause the patient to cough are almost always on the back side of the thyroid.

Can thyroid problems cause gastritis?

One such autoimmune disorder that occasionally occurs in patients with autoimmune thyroid disease is autoimmune gastritis, a chronic inflammatory condition in which parietal cells of the stomach are destroyed by antibodies. Patients with autoimmune gastritis have problems with iron and vitamin B12 absorption.

Can thyroid cause headaches?

You may experience headaches as a byproduct of the symptoms of thyroid disease. For example, extended sleep issues that occur with the autoimmune disorder of hyperthyroidism can result in headaches and thyroid fatigue [4]. Constant fatigue and muscle weakness can also contribute to headaches.

Can thyroid cause dizziness balance problems?

Yes, dizziness is a symptom of a thyroid problem. Thyroid diseases³ or thyroid abnormalities sometimes manifest as dizziness. A high heart rate, shortness of breath, and lightheadedness are all possible symptoms of hyperthyroidism.

Will I lose weight once I start taking thyroid medication?

October 16, 2013 — Decreased thyroid function, or hypothyroidism, is commonly associated with weight gain. But contrary to popular belief, effective treatment with levothyroxine (LT4) to restore normal thyroid hormone levels is not associated with clinically significant weight loss in most people.

What does a thyroid storm feel like?

Symptoms of thyroid storm include: Feeling extremely irritable or grumpy. High systolic blood pressure, low diastolic blood pressure, and fast heartbeat. Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Can thyroid cause neck and shoulder pain?

Specifically, hypothyroidism may lead to: Muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness, especially in the shoulders and hips. Joint pain and stiffness.

Can Covid affect the thyroid?

Although more research is needed, these studies suggest that COVID-19 associated with systemic immune activation may possibly cause thyroid inflammation and result in hyperthyroidism or thyroiditis.

What virus can cause thyroiditis?

Mumps virus, influenza virus, and other respiratory viruses have been found to cause subacute thyroiditis. The most prominent feature of subacute thyroiditis is gradual or sudden onset of pain in the region of the thyroid gland. Painful enlargement of the thyroid gland may persist for weeks or months.

Does your thyroid affect your sleep?

When your thyroid produces too little or too much thyroid hormone, it throws off your body's metabolism, which can affect your sleep. Too much hormone production causes an overactive thyroid, or hyperthyroidism. This can lead to anxiety, rapid heart rate and insomnia.

Can thyroid affect oxygen levels?

In summary, this study indicates that thyroid hormone has no direct effect on skeletal muscle oxygenation, blood flow, and blood lactate during dynamic forearm exercise, suggesting no significant changes in muscle oxygen delivery or metabolism.

Does thyroid make your heart beat fast?

Excess thyroid hormone also causes the heart to beat harder and faster and may trigger abnormal heart rhythms. One is atrial fibrillation, a disorganized rhythm in the heart's upper chambers. A related symptom is palpitations, a sudden awareness of your heartbeat.