Your thyroid is a gland in the neck that makes hormones that can change how fast your heart beats and how hot your body is. Many people go through life without thyroid problems but have overactive or underactive thyroids that don’t show up for years. When your thyroid is overactive, it can speed up your metabolism and make you lose weight quickly. Unfortunately, it can also cause your heartbeat to be irregular. Most of the time, this problem is alright, but it’s important to find out if you have hyperthyroidism because being careless can lead to bigger problems. Here are four typical signs that your thyroid is overactive.
Swelling In Neck
If you notice swelling in your neck, it could be due to an enlarged thyroid gland. Swelling can be a symptom of many things, including muscular inflammation. If you just noticed the swelling and it hasn’t gone away after a few days, you should see your doctor so they can look into it further. If the swelling doesn’t go away and is especially painful or tender, it may be due to something else.
Fatigue & Weakness
Again, fatigue can be brought on by many things; even a stressful week can take its toll. But it’s not normal if you always feel tired or worn out, no matter what you try (get enough sleep, drink coffee, eat right, etc.). Fatigue can occasionally be due to low B-12 or iron levels in the body, but it can also be due to an overactive thyroid. If you want to take a test at home before seeing a doctor, you can order a TSH blood test that you can do at home. This test can show you what your thyroid hormone levels are like.
Mood Swings & Irritability
Your mood is another sign that you might have an overactive thyroid. If you have mood swings or feel irritable, it could be because your thyroid is making hormones quickly change. This can lead to waves of changing emotions, which can be frustrating if you can’t find any other cause, like pregnancy or outside events that could make you feel stressed or unhappy. You might also feel anxious more often than usual.
Difficulty Sleeping
If you are having trouble sleeping, this is likely making you feel tired. This has to do with how your thyroid affects your metabolism, making it hard to get to sleep. Try to take note of your sleep cycle, how frequently you wake up at night, and how long it takes you to fall asleep if you’ve noticed that you’ve been feeling more tired recently.
These symptoms could be signs of other health problems, but if you have them all at once, you likely have hyperthyroidism. Well, if you believe this might be the case, you should make an appointment with the doctor to get more tests and the right treatment.
