If you’re feeling fatigued or experiencing unexpected changes in your weight, you may have a thyroid disease that’s impacting your metabolism and overall body function. The expert physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners at Humble Family Practice, with locations in Humble and Atascocita, Texas, diagnose thyroid disease and offer customized treatment to control your symptoms and improve your overall health and well-being.
Your thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland located at the front of your neck. While it may appear unassuming, this small gland produces the hormones that regulate your metabolism, energy levels, and other critical body functions.
Thyroid disease includes a variety of conditions including:
All these conditions affect the function of your thyroid, making it either over- or underactive. Over- and underactive thyroids cause very different symptoms:
If you experience any of these symptoms, especially if you have a family history of thyroid disease, make an appointment with the expert providers at Humble Family Practice. They offer comprehensive testing to identify the cause of your symptoms and customized treatment plans to alleviate your symptoms and improve your overall health.
If your physician suspects your symptoms are caused by a thyroid disorder, they order a comprehensive blood panel to check your thyroid hormone levels, including thyroxine and thyroid-stimulating hormone. Your results indicate whether your thyroid is functioning correctly as well as if it’s over- or underactive. Your doctor may also recommend a radioiodine uptake test or imaging tests such as a thyroid scan or ultrasound.
The expert providers at Humble Family Practice offer customized treatment plans, depending on the type of thyroid disease you have. For example, if your thyroid is underactive, they may prescribe a hormone replacement medication to provide your body with the chemicals it needs for optimal function. They also offer advice on how you can reduce your symptoms with diet, exercise, and other lifestyle modifications.
Treatments for an overactive thyroid are slightly different. Your doctor may prescribe medication to regulate your thyroid function. For example, antithyroid medications reduce the gland’s rate of hormone production. You might also take radioactive iodine, which shrinks your thyroid gland and limits the number of hormones it can produce. If you can’t take antithyroid medication, thyroid removal surgery is another option.
If you’re concerned about your thyroid or have a family history of thyroid disease, call Humble Family Practice or schedule an appointment online for attentive, customized care.
