How to check thyroid at home

The thyroid gland is a small organ in the human body that is responsible for the metabolism, produces hormones, and also participates in many other important processes. The endocrine gland is located on the neck in front of the trachea and under the larynx, consists of two lobes and an isthmus between them. Thyroid gland consists of more than half of iodine. That is why this organ suffers most from iodine deficiency. But how to recognize problems with thyroid? Of course, only a doctor can diagnose. However, you should go to the doctor if something is wrong with the body. How to understand when to refer to an endocrinologist, because the thyroid gland, as a rule, does not hurt and does not bother? Some features of your body can tell about the problems with the thyroid now.

Symptoms of thyroid disease

Here are some symptoms that indicate a malfunction of the endocrine gland.

1. If the thyroid gland produces an insufficient amount of necessary hormones, a person may feel constant fatigue, even after a night's sleep. The muscles are sluggish, the patient constantly wants to sleep, quickly gets tired.
2. A sudden change in weight can tell about problems with thyroid. If you have not changed the usual rules of nutrition, and kilograms are growing by leaps and bounds, you probably have a malfunction in the endocrine system. This is due to the fact that the thyroid gland, which is responsible for metabolic processes, does not work intensively enough, hence the decrease in metabolic rate. Do not postpone going to the doctor if the weight, despite physical exercises and diets, is standing or growing.
3. Low reproduction of hormones leads to the fact that a person does not receive enough serotonin, a hormone of joy and pleasure. That is why patients with thyroid problems experience apathy, nervousness, bad mood, tearfulness, depression, depression.Moreover, with increased thyroid activity, the person becomes aggressive, nervous and abrupt. And at low, on the contrary, apathetic and drowsy. Also, the patient's attention concentration decreases, intellectual indicators and memory deteriorate.
4. Increased appetite can also speak about malfunctions of the thyroid gland. But sometimes a person is not fattening, even if he eats a lot. On the contrary, against the background of a large amount of food eaten, it can be very thin and drained.
5. Patients with endocrine diseases often freeze at even the optimum temperature.
6. If iodine deficiency is severe, the endocrine gland is so enlarged that it can be felt. Often it squeezes the neighboring organs. In this case, a person may feel a "lump in the throat", pain, tickling, discomfort when swallowing, a change in the tone of voice. If this is not accompanied by colds, always consult a doctor.
7. A neglected degree of disease leads to infertility. When endocrine gland malfunctions in women, menstrual bleeding disappears, men suffer from impotence.
8. A serious malfunction of the endocrine gland is indicated by dry skin, hair loss, bulging eyes,rare flashes of eyelashes, constipation, muscle and joint pain, prolonged temperature rise for minor indicators (36.8-37.8).

If you have noticed at least a few of the listed symptoms in yourself, it is necessary to consult a doctor. In the meantime, you can diagnose the thyroid gland yourself.

How to check thyroid

Here are some effective ways to help you test the work of this vital body at home.

1. Iodine. This method will help you understand how much your body needs iodine. Make an iodine mesh on your wrist and leave it for a couple of hours. If during this time the pattern becomes almost imperceptible, it means that the skin has absorbed the missing element. You can still do so, spend on the inside of the forearm three strips - thin, medium thickness (2-3 mm) and thick centimeter thick. If in the morning there will be only two lanes, and the most subtle will be invisible - everything is in order. If there was only fat - a cause for concern. And if three bands are erased almost completely - be sure to show your doctor.
2. Water and mirror. You can check the size of the thyroid gland with water and a mirror. Stand in front of the mirror and start drinking water. At the same time look at the neck area. Normally, Adam moves smoothly, without sudden jumps. If between the throat and the dimple in the middle of the neck there is a bump (on one side or symmetrical), the thyroid gland is enlarged.
3. Palpation. Stand in front of the mirror and swallow saliva. Keep your fingers on the bottom of the throat. If the seal or lump is felt when swallowing, it means that the gland is enlarged. Sometimes the thyroid gland can even be painful. On palpation, the enlarged organ can move. Doctors with experience accurately determine the rate or pathological size of the thyroid gland. For a person who is far from medicine, this method may seem strange and uninformative. But for your own health is worth trying.
4. Pencil. As noted, disorders of the thyroid gland lead to hair loss. However, if hair loss from the head can be for various reasons, eyebrows suffer only because of the thyroid gland. The thinning of the eyebrows, the deterioration of the quality of the hairs are signs of a violation in the endocrine system.You can check it with a pencil. Put a pencil to the corner of the eye parallel to the nose. If a corner of the eyebrow looks out for a pencil - everything is fine. If not - iron, most likely, is not in order.
5. Tie. This method is suitable only for men who are accustomed to wear a tie and shirt, buttoned all the buttons. If suddenly the usual size of a tie and a collar of a shirt began to squeeze the neck and bring discomfort, it is safe to say that the thyroid gland is enlarged.

These simple ways will help you conduct a primary diagnosis and understand whether you need to see a doctor.

Why does the thyroid fail?

Often, the work of thyroid affects the level of sex hormones.An important factor is stress, nervous shocks, depression, emotional instability. If your work involves frequent overvoltages (both physical and nervous), this can also lead to a malfunction of the endocrine system. The thyroid gland also changes in size after radiation.

Enlarged thyroid gland, what to do

If you have an enlarged thyroid gland, you should first consult an endocrinologist. After inspection, if necessary, he will appoint a number of diagnostic measures. This is an analysis of certain hormones, thyroid gland ultrasound, complete blood count, cholesterol level in the blood. Only after a comprehensive examination, the reasons for any changes are ascertained, the diagnosis is made.

Treatment of diseases of the thyroid gland is often the reception of those hormones, the production of which has been slowed. It is very important to choose the optimal dose. Often, hormonal drugs are drunk courses on the scheme. In addition, with iodine deficiency you need to eat foods that are enriched with this trace element. These are seafood, sea and cauliflower, buckwheat, millet, potatoes, beets, carrots, tomatoes, various nuts, persimmon, plums, apples, grapes, natural dairy products - eggs, cottage cheese, cheese, milk.

Often, diseases of the endocrine system are diagnosed in obese people with overweight. Excess weight prevents to deal with the problem. Therefore, you need to follow the diet, move more, drink clean water. All this in combination with competent treatment will give results and the disease, along with those extra pounds, will finally dissolve. Be attentive to yourself and your body in order to recognize the problem in time!

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