Understanding Thyroid And Its Causes With Dr Neha Shah
Dr. Neha Shah explains that thyroid disorders affect metabolism but are easily manageable with proper care.
In the new episode of Signs of Health, Dr. Neha Shah, MBBS PGDMH, LLB helps us understand about thyroid. The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of the neck, but it plays a powerful role in controlling the body’s energy, metabolism, and overall balance. Thyroid disorders are mainly of two types: hypothyroidism, where the gland is underactive and slows the body down, and hyperthyroidism, where it becomes overactive and speeds everything up.
In hypothyroidism, people often feel tired, sluggish, and unusually cold, may gain weight despite eating normally, and experience dry skin, hair fall, constipation, and low mood. In contrast, hyperthyroidism causes symptoms like anxiety, rapid heartbeat, weight loss despite increased appetite, sweating, tremors, and difficulty sleeping. These conditions can occur due to genetic factors, autoimmune issues where the body attacks its own thyroid, or imbalances in iodine intake, which is an essential nutrient for thyroid function.
Diagnosis is simple and involves blood tests such as TSH, T3, and T4. Treatment is usually effective and manageable with a daily medication taken on an empty stomach, along with regular monitoring. Alongside medical care, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is important—this includes eating a balanced diet with iodized salt, consuming adequate protein and nutrients, getting enough sleep, managing stress, and limiting processed foods.
Thyroid health is especially important during pregnancy, as it affects both the mother and the baby’s development, making regular check-ups essential. Despite common myths, thyroid disorders are not mental illnesses, can affect anyone regardless of age or gender, and do not prevent a person from living a normal, active life or having children.
