As a woman, you should get to know your thyroid gland. After all, about 1 in 8 women will have a thyroid problem in her lifetime.
A common troublemaker
Your thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in your neck. It makes hormones that help regulate your metabolism, body temperature, heart rate, digestion and more.
Common thyroid problems include:
Hyperthyroidism—when the thyroid makes too much hormone. This can rev up your body’s metabolism, which may cause:
- Weight loss without trying.
- A fast heartbeat.
- Trouble sleeping.
- Anxiety or irritability.
- Sweating or sensitivity to heat.
Hypothyroidism—when the thyroid doesn’t make enough hormones. Hypothyroidism causes many of the body’s functions to slow down. You could feel sluggish and experience symptoms such as:
- Feeling cold when others don’t.
- Weight gain.
- Dry skin.
- Thinning hair.
- A depressed mood.
Tell your doctor if you have symptoms of a thyroid problem. They can often be treated with medications.
An untreated thyroid issue can disrupt your daily life. And, for women, it can raise the risk of:
- Osteoporosis, a bone-thinning disease.
- Heart disease.
- Irregular or heavy periods.
- Problems getting pregnant.
- Health problems during pregnancy.
Tests for thyroid disease
Most women aren’t routinely checked for thyroid disease, but you may want to get checked—especially if you notice possible symptoms, have a family history of thyroid issues or have other risk factors.
Tests that can help find thyroid problems include:
- A thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) test, which measures how much TSH is in your blood. TSH is made by your pituitary gland. It tells your thyroid how much hormone to make.
- A free T4 (thyroxine) test, which checks levels of thyroxine, the main hormone produced by the thyroid.
A month of women’s wellness screenings
This May, we’re celebrating Women’s Health Month by offering a discounted health screening package. It’s a chance to check on your thyroid and get a baseline assessment of your well-being.
For $100, you’ll get seven screening tests:
- Thyroid stimulating hormone, which shows if you have too much or too little hormone.
- Free T4, which measures the level of free T4 hormone.
- Complete blood count, which measures different parts of your blood.
- Lipid panel, which measures your blood cholesterol levels and requires an eight-hour fast.
- Comprehensive metabolic panel, a blood test that checks kidney and liver function, blood sugar and your body’s overall chemical balance.
- Vitamin D evaluation, important for overall health.
- EKG (electrocardiogram), which helps check on your heart health.
You don’t need an appointment for these screenings, offered Monday through Friday, from 8AM-5:30PM. Just register at our lab on our main hospital campus at 1107 US Highway 395 N, Gardnerville, NV 89410.
