Thyroid disease is more common than the average person may realize. A report in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology journal indicates that thyroid diseases affect about 200 million people worldwide. According to the American Thyroid Association, up to 60 percent of people with thyroid disease are unaware of their condition. Learning to spot the warning signs of various thyroid conditions could compel them to seek potentially life-saving treatment.

Spotting hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism is a condition marked by an underactive thyroid. The role of the thyroid is to produce thyroid hormones that are secreted into the blood and then carried to tissue throughout the body. Thyroid hormones perform important functions, helping the body use energy and ensuring organs, including the heart, function properly. When individuals are hypothyroid, their blood does not contain enough thyroid hormones. The ATA says spotting hypothyroidism can be difficult because it is not always associated with the same characteristic symptoms. Also, symptoms of hypothyroidism are often found in people with other diseases. However, some warning signs include weight gain or difficulty losing weight, constipation, fatigue, dry skin, thinning hair, hoarse feeling in the throat, sensitivity to cold, muscle weakness, and joint pain.

Spotting hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism occurs when there is an excess of thyroid hormones in the blood which speed up every process in the body. Symptoms include nervousness, irritability, increased sweating, heart-racing, hand tremors, anxiety, difficulty sleeping, brittle hair, and muscle weakness, particularly in the upper arms and thighs. Women are more likely than men to develop hyperthyroidism, and may experience a lighter menstrual flow and less frequent menstrual periods. 

Thyroid disease is more common than many people may realize. Individuals experiencing symptoms associated with thyroid disease are urged to contact their physicians immediately.