Hyperthyroidism - Diagnosis
Our doctors will first study the patient’s complaints and note down the exact onset of symptoms, how long the symptoms have persisted and understand what difference they have made to the patient’s overall health. Diagnosing hyperthyroidism early helps with effective treatment.
TSH testing
While diagnosing hyperthyroidism, our doctors will take both the symptoms and results of the TSH test into account. TSH levels are always maintained within a range. A simple blood test can confirm the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism by checking the levels of TSH.
Complications
If hypothyroidism is not treated properly, the patient many experience different problems, such as the following:
- Goitre: constant stress on the thyroid gland to produce more hormones may cause the gland to become larger, a condition known as goitre. A large goitre can affect the patient’s appearance and may interfere with swallowing or breathing.
- Heart problems: hypothyroidism may also be associated with an increased risk of heart disease, primarily because of high levels of bad cholesterol. Hypothyroidism may increase the size of the patient’s heart or cause heart failure.
- Mental health issues: depression may occur due to hypothyroidism and become more severe over time. Hypothyroidism can also slow down the patient’s mental function.
- Peripheral neuropathy: long-term, uncontrolled hypothyroidism can cause damage to the nerves and produce a condition called neuropathy. Symptoms of neuropathy may include pain, numbness and tingling in the area affected by nerve damage.
- Infertility: low levels of the thyroid hormone can interfere with ovulation, which affects fertility.
- Birth defects: babies born to women with untreated thyroid disease may have a higher risk of birth defects than babies born to healthy mothers. These children are also more prone to serious intellectual and developmental problems.