One of the distinct characteristics of thyroid is bulging eyes. In case of thyroid, the individual is likely to have dry eyes, has difficulty in moving the eyes, has double vision and is unable to tolerate bright lights.
An overactive thyroid basically means hyperthyroidism, which happens when the thyroid gland in the body overproduces thyroid hormones. It ends up increasing the body's metabolism thereby leading to sudden weight loss and other signs.
If left untreated, hyperthyroidism can lead to serious health issues such as irregular heartbeat, spiked blood pressure, related heart issues, infertility issues. Not only that, it can also cause sight related issues which can lead to double vision, eye ache and light sensitivity.
Bone health and hyperthyroidism
But what many people don't know is that it can have a disturbing effect on one's bone health. Let's understand why this happens. Overactive thyroid not only speeds up your metabolism but also increases the rate at which bone mineral density is lost. This increased rate can make it tough for the body to keep building new bones, leading to increased risk of osteoporosis. This obviously does not happen overnight and that's what makes the whole process of timely diagnosis important.
Osteoporosis is a silent disease which creeps up without showing any obvious signs. Something similar happens in case of bone density loss, which is often an outcome of thyroid problems. So basically people are clueless about their bone health until they face an injury. A minor fall can lead to severe fractures, and breaking of bones, which can be hard to handle. That's when often people start a series of tests to understand why it happened just to find out that they had an overactive thyroid.
Hyperthyroidism signs to note
Some typical signs of an overactive thyroid or hyperthyroidism, apart from weight loss are anxiety, restlessness, irritability, sensitivity to heat, palpitations, weakness, trembling of hands, sleep issues.
Sometimes people may develop a goiter, a swelling at the base of their neck as a result of hyperthyroidism. Thinning of skin and brittle hair are also some symptoms. It is said that
sometimes these signs are hard to identify among the elderly population, hence making regular health check ups all the more important.
If you notice these signs combined, book an appointment with your doctor and get it tested.
Diagnosis
To diagnose an overactive thyroid, you need a simple blood test that can assess your thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), which is responsible for the thyroid hormones in your body. This along with T4 and T3 test results can tell you if you have hyperthyroidism.
Doctors also prescribe people to supplement with calcium and Vitamin D3 along with other supplements like magnesium, zinc, copper and iron. But make sure that you let your doctor prescribe it.
Biotin may not give accurate test results
A lot of people are not aware that thyroid blood tests can give false results in those taking biotin. A lot of people take the supplement for good hair and nails. And a lot of times it's also found in multivitamins. So let your doctor know if you are taking biotin in some form to ensure that your results are assessed accordingly.
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