The thyroid condition which is hypothyroidism can be related to that of a common thief that comes to your house in the middle of the night and takes away your precious belongings. This disorder can sometimes be present in one’s body for years without its victim noticing it. Seldom, this thyroid condition is easily mistaken for just a simple case of everyday depression.

There are two main factors that cause hypothyroidism to occur. The first of the two is that of previous thyroid gland inflammations. The second may be the effects of medical treatments that the patient underwent throughout the years.

In the first case, a previous inflammation of the thyroid gland can leave a large amount of the thyroid cells damaged, or in some cases render them dead thus limiting the producing power of the thyroid to come up with sufficient thyroid hormones. A common condition that can lead to thyroid inflammation is the occurrence of autoimmune disease. Autoimmune disease is the result of our own immune system recognizing our thyroid as foreign body thus attacking it.

The second case above explains the connection of previous medical treatments that a patient might have undergone. For example,  the removal of a part of the thyroid gland. Let’s say that if a chunk of your thyroid gland was removed or rendered useless, the thyroid producing cells may not be enough to meet the requirements of your body, thus the occurrence of hypothyroidism.

The subtle and gradual nature of hypothyroidism makes it a tad difficult for an ordinary person without any medical knowledge to notice. Although each individual may have varying symptoms, here are the most common low thyroid symptoms:

• Increased menstrual flow in women
• Confusion
• Sides of eyebrows thin or fall out
• Orange-colored soles and palms
• Slow pulse
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Coarse, dry, and thickened skin
• Sparse, coarse and dry hair
• Constipation
• Weight gain

As you can see hypothyroidism covers a wide range of symptoms which can disguise themselves as other diseases. If you suspect that you may have any of these hypothyroidism symptoms then you should consult your physician as they can provide a proper diagnosis.