What is hypothyroidism? How to take care of it?

The thyroid gland is the largest endocrine gland in the human body. It is equivalent to the second heart of the human body, providing the body with endless energy. So what is the cause of hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism? How to take care of it?

Hyperthyroidism underlying symptoms

(1) General symptoms: fear of cold, dry skin with little sweat, thick, yellow, cool hair, sparse, dry hair, brittle, cracked nails, fatigue, drowsiness, poor memory, intellectual impairment, slow reaction, mild anemia. Weight gain.

(2) Special facial features: The face is pale and yellowish, the face is swollen, the eyes are dull, the eyelids are loose and swollen, the expression is indifferent, the person speaks very little, and when he speaks, his voice is hoarse and his words are slurred.

(3) Cardiovascular system: Slow heart rate, weak heart sounds, generalized heart enlargement, often accompanied by pericardial effusion, myocardial fibrosis after long-term illness, mucinous glycoprotein (PAS staining positive) deposition and interstitial fibrosis, called hypothyroidism cardiomyopathy. Patients may have obvious lipid metabolism disorders, presenting hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia and hyperβ-lipoproteinemia, often accompanied by atherosclerosis, and the incidence of coronary heart disease is higher than that of the general population. However, due to the low metabolic rate of surrounding tissues, reduced cardiac output and reduced myocardial oxygen consumption, angina and heart failure rarely occur. Sometimes blood pressure is high, but it is more common in diastolic blood pressure. The electrocardiogram showed low voltage, inverted T wave, widened QRS wave, and prolonged PR interval.

Hypothyroidism Care

1. Have a regular daily routine and combine work and rest. Although patients eat and drink a lot, their digestion and absorption are poor and their bodies are relatively weak. Generally speaking, patients with mild symptoms should not stay up late, eat excessively, or engage in strenuous activities such as long-distance running, swimming, and mountain climbing; patients with severe symptoms should rest quietly or even rest in bed. In addition, since hyperthyroidism patients often have exophthalmos, which paralyzes the extraocular muscles, they are prone to visual fatigue and swelling of the eyeballs. Some patients feel swelling and pain in their eyeballs when reading books, newspapers, and especially when watching TV. Therefore, patients with this disease should read less books and newspapers, avoid watching TV, and reduce eye stimulation and visual fatigue.

2. Avoid adverse mental stimulation. Clinically, patients with hyperthyroidism often have their condition worsen. Tracing back to the cause, patients often have adverse stimulation before their condition worsens. For example, they quarrel with colleagues or family members over a small matter and cannot control themselves. Therefore, patients should learn to control their emotions. Family members and colleagues at work should understand the patients and create a better environment to avoid mental stimulation.

3. Control and avoid iodine-containing and irritating foods. If patients eat iodine-containing foods, it is easy to cause the thyroid tissue to harden, and the enlarged lumps will become stiff and difficult to dissolve, making the patient's condition difficult to recover. Therefore, hyperthyroid patients should not eat more iodine-rich foods such as marine fish and kelp. At the same time, patients with hyperthyroid heart disease should avoid irritating foods such as raw onions, raw garlic, chili peppers, and alcohol.

4. Prevent infection. Hyperthyroidism patients have low total white blood cell counts and low granulocyte counts, which can easily lead to infection. If an infection occurs, it can cause the controlled hyperthyroidism to relapse or worsen, and even cause a hyperthyroid crisis. Therefore, we must learn to prevent various infections, and once signs of infection are found, they should be controlled as soon as possible.