Total Thyroid Profile
The thyroid gland is a small butterfly shaped gland that sits in the throat on your vocal cords just under the Adam’s apple. This small gland has an incredible amount of responsibility – it affects every cell in your body, regulating cell metabolism. Like a thermostat the body needs a constant regulation of heat to perform its functions. How cells function depends on how warm or cold they are. When the thyroid is low (what is commonly called sluggish) it doesn’t produce enough active hormones, so your whole body system becomes inert.
The thyroid is the body’s metabolic thermostat, controlling body temperature, growth rate and energy use. It controls the rate at which the body uses food and effects the operation of almost all bodily processes and organs.
An under-functioning of the thyroid gland can result in a condition known as hypothyroidism, which is thought to be one of the most under-diagnosed condition in the world today, affecting children, adolescents and adults. This disorder can produce many diverse symptoms including fatigue, depression, constipation and weight gain as the thyroid regulates burning of calories and weight tends to increase as your thyroid function decreases.
The thyroid gland can also over-secrete thyroid hormones, resulting in hyperthyroidism with symptoms ranging from weight loss and palpitations to anxiety and diarrhoea.
Signs and symptoms of Hypothyroidism:
- Constipation
- Cold intolerance / low body temperature
- Depression
- Dry, coarse or thick skin
- Excessive fatigue
- Goitre – enlarged, swollen and lumpy thyroid
- Hair loss
- Headaches (including migraines)
- Infertility and impotence
- Low sex drive
- Menstrual/menopausal problems
- Unexplained weight gain or difficulty losing weight
Signs and symptoms of Hyperthyroidism:
- Anxiety
- Breathlessness
- Diarrhoea
- Hair loss
- Hyperactivity
- Insomnia
- Increased perspiration, intolerance to heat
- Menstrual irregularities
- Palpitations
- Protruding eyes
- Vitiligo
- Weight loss
How does the test work?
The Total Thyroid Screen measures the levels of all the different thyroid hormones in the blood. This includes free T3 and T4, Total T4 and Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). Thyroid antibodies are also evaluated, providing vital information necessary to detect underlying autoimmune conditions.
