Hypothyroidism: Tests
Too little thyroid hormone. Symptoms include weight gain, constipation, dry skin, and sensitivity to the cold. Also called underactive thyroid.
Part of: Hypothyroidism
About Thyroid Gland Tests
What is a palpation of the thyroid gland?
After talking with you, the examination the doctor usually does first will be a palpation: he or she will touch the neck with their hands, paying attention to what the thyroid gland feels like and whether it might have enlarged.
What do the results mean?
An enlarged thyroid — also called goiter or struma — can indicate a lack of iodine but with thyroid function still in normal range. Yet it can also be a sign of thyroid hyperfunction (too much thyroid hormone production), or of thyroid hypofunction (too little thyroid hormone production). Palpable nodules can also be a sign of a thyroid function problem. But neither enlargement nor nodules necessarily mean that the functioning of the thyroid gland is impaired.
Blood tests
What is a blood test for thyroid hormones?
The thyroid gland continually releases a certain amount of hormones into the blood. So… Read more about Hypothyroidism: Tests