Thyroid Tests
Thyroid Test Options
A thyroid test can answer a lot of questions about your health. The thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland, or hormone reservoir, located in your lower neck. If you have a thyroid disease or disorder, your thyroid is failing to perform its job of regulating your body’s functions, and you need a thyroid test to tell you how your thyroid gland is malfunctioning. Women should especially consider a thyroid test, since they are at seven times the risk of thyroid disease as compared to men.
What Are the Thyroid Gland Functions?
Primarily, the thyroid gland produces the hormones triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). These hormones regulate the speed at which the body converts oxygen and calories into energy. Your thyroid gland is your body’s metabolic metronome, setting the pace for your body’s activities.
Thyroid Test Recommendations
We recommend a thyroid test for anyone who:
- has a family member with thyroid disease,
- has been diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome
- is a woman in or near menopause,
- has recently given birth,
- has other pituitary or endocrine disease, or
- is experiencing symptoms of thyroid disease.
Thyroid disease symptoms cover quite a range, and if you suspect that you or a loved one is suffering from one of these disorders, you should consider a thyroid test or thyroid tests. Here are some thyroid disease symptoms:
- fatigue or depression,
- enlargement of the thyroid gland or discomfort in the neck area,
- weight change,
- pregnancy problems,
- always feeling too hot or too cold,
- heart rate or blood pressure irregularities,
- digestive problems like diarrhea and more frequent bowel movements and urination, and/or
- muscle and joint fatigue.
Of course, this is not a comprehensive thyroid disease symptom list, and we encourage people who have questions about thyroid disease to consult their doctor or simply order a thyroid test or a few select thyroid tests to get some answers.
THYROID TESTS
Thyroglobulin and Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody Test