The Relationship between the Thyroid Gland and Menopause

By Jenny H. | Updated: Jun 18, 2020

Pituitary gland

Menopause is a huge transitional period in every woman's life, and often poses more questions than it answers for those seeking solutions. A hormonal imbalance is the main cause of menopausal symptoms, which can range from hot flashes to depression. As well as estrogen and progesterone, the production of thyroxine - a hormone secreted by the thyroid gland is also disturbed. Keeping check of your hormones is necessary throughout your life, but it is even more important during menopause. Read on to learn more about this intricate relationship.

Thyroid Gland and Menopause

Your thyroid gland is an endocrine gland found in the neck. Its uses include making proteins, metabolizing food, and storing and using body energy, so it's not surprising that problems can occur when its functioning is disrupted.

As with everything that comes with menopause, thyroid problems are often a result of the shift in hormones. If your thyroid and adrenal glands are functioning properly then difficulties during menopause shouldn't occur.

However, sometimes women suffer from thyroid disease and this can be mistaken for menopause. The term “thyroid disease” covers a range of disorders, but the most common are hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism - an overactive or underactive thyroid. Read on to be able to distinguish between the symptoms of thyroid disease and menopause.

Differences between Thyroid Disease and Menopause

Both thyroid disease and menopause have many common, sometimes identical, features. This can lead to confusion as women think that the symptoms from which they are suffering are simply menopausal. Many women with menopausal symptoms that are not resolved with treatment may in fact be suffering from thyroid disease. Symptoms of thyroid disease that are different from menopausal symptoms include:

Neck pain is a symptom of thyroid disease
  • Visual problems
  • Neck pain
  • Loss of eyebrows and eyelashes
  • Fluctuating weight
  • Swelling

If your menopausal symptoms do not seem to dissipate with treatment, it may be that you are suffering from thyroid disease. If you think this might be the case, you should talk with your doctor about your symptoms and ask for a blood test to confirm the diagnosis, to be able to begin the treatment process.

More about the Thyroid Gland and Menopause

The thyroid can cause problems at all stages of life, but it often gets overlooked during menopause because they both have similar symptoms. Keeping check of your hormones through healthy lifestyle choices and herbal supplements is vital during menopause. Click on the following link for more information about hormones imbalance treatments.

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