Little-known overactive thyroid sign you might notice during a busy day at work
An overactive thyroid - also known as hyperthyroidism - is a condition that more commonly impacts women, with ten times as many cases being diagnosed in women than men. The thyroid is located in front of your windpipe, and it is responsible for producing certain hormones that regulate your temperate and heartbeat and help properly convert your food into energy. An overactive thyroid means that too many of these hormones are being produced, and if left untreated it can have serious implications for your health.
There is one little-known symptom of hyperthyroidism that could very easily be overlooked, but it is in fact one of the most common symptoms of the condition: feeling nervous, anxious, or irritable.
According to the NHS, hyperthyroidism can cause this symptom because the "excess levels of thyroid hormones can then speed up the body's metabolism" causing symptoms like irritability and anxiety, or an excess of nervousness.
During a busy day at work, you might notice yourself responding to the stress in a more extreme fashion, with these feelings of "nervousness, anxiety, and irritability" at the forefront. Whilst we all will likely experience these feelings sometimes if you notice yourself experiencing them regularly, or in settings that wouldn't normally produce this kind of reaction, it may be a good idea to book a visit to the GP.
An overactive thyroid is a pretty common hormonal condition, and it is most often caused by Graves disease - an autoimmune condition that stops your thyroid from functioning correctly. If you think you have some of the symptoms of an overactive thyroid, the NHS recommends making a note of them to bring with you to your appointment, and your GP will conduct a blood test to see if that is what the issue is.
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Other symptoms of hyperthyroidism include: feeling tired very often, muscle weakness, needing to urinate more than you normally would, struggling to sleep, and constantly feeling thirsty. You may also experience feeling itchy, heat sensitivity, diarrhoea, mood swings, losing interest in having sex, and hyperactivity - where you may struggle to be still "and have a lot of nervous energy".
There are also some physical signs to look out for that may indicate an overactive thyroid, including unintentional weight loss, thinning hair, swelling in your neck, your heartbeat becoming unusually fast or irregular, your nails becoming loose, an itchy rash that is raised, and finding yourself twitching or trembling.
Equally, if you notice you have been excessively sweating or feeling like your skin is hot, and that the palms of your hands have become red, these could be symptoms. Finally, issues with your eyesight can be a complication of hyperthyroidism and can manifest as problems with your vision, dryness and redness.
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