Hormones that are produced by the thyroid gland are very important for the health of the body as a whole. They participate in the metabolism at all levels, control the functioning of all vital systems of the human body, are responsible for the formation of immunity and guarantee anti-stress resistance. With a persistent deficiency of thyroid hormones or due to a decrease in their biological effect on the organs and tissues of the human body, endocrine disease occurs-hypothyroidism. As a rule, this syndrome develops after 40 years. Recognize a failure in the endocrine system, which leads to the development of hypothyroidism is not easy.
The first symptoms of
Despite the fact that thyroid diseases are more common in women, hypothyroidism in men is quite common pathology in medical practice. It is important, after discovering the initial symptoms of the disease, immediately undergo an examination with an endocrinologist. If this is not done in a timely manner, then a person is subsequently threatened with serious complications, which in old age can even lead to death.
The first sign of the possible development of hypothyroidism in men is general fatigue and constant weakness. This leads to a person who constantly wants to sleep. Another clear initial symptom is weight gain on a background of decreased appetite. These signs indicate that you need to undergo mandatory examination from an endocrinologist.
In later stages of development, hypothyroidism in men may have other symptoms, namely:
- A general psychological state changes, which is expressed by worsening mood, apathy and frequent depression. Against this background, thinking processes are slowing down, and memory is deteriorating significantly. Deterioration of overall health leads to a decrease in working capacity.
- The appearance of a person changes due to puffiness of the face. In some cases, edema of the vocal cords develops, resulting in speech becoming a bit slow and vague. There may also be hearing problems.
- The blood pressure and body temperature decrease, which leads to the fact that chills often occur and dry skin is observed.
- The hair condition deteriorates, they become brittle and dry. Against this background, a strong loss of hair begins, which can lead to baldness.
- There are pains in the joints and heart. There may be a bradycardia, which is characterized by a slowing of the rhythms of the heart.
- There are malfunctions in the digestive system, which are often expressed by the occurrence of constipation.
With the development of hypothyroidism in men, there are various problems in the reproductive system, such as:
- Reducing sexual desire;
- Premature or delayed ejaculation;
- Erection impairment;
- Slowing of spermatozoa at their normal number in the initial stages of the disease;
- Reducing the number of spermatozoa at later stages of development.
Causes of pathology
The cause of hypothyroidism in men after the age of 40 is most often an inflammation of the thyroid gland, which is termed autoimmune thyroiditis in accordance with medical terminology. This pathology develops against the background of a decrease in immunity, which is associated with the production of specific antibodies in the human body.
But besides this hypothyroidism can be caused by other causes, among them it should be noted the following:
- Congenital pathologies that lead to a change in the size of the organ;
- Hereditary factor;
- Treatment of toxic goiter with radioactive iodine;
- Iodine deficiency, when it comes to the human body with food;
- Side effects of certain medications.
Types of hypothyroidism
Depending on the cause of the onset of the disease and the degree of hypothyroidism disorders, there may be:
- Primary. In this case, the syndrome is characterized by an increase in the thyroid-stimulating hormone( TSH) concentration and arises from a violation of the thyroid gland itself.
- Secondary. The disease develops due to damage to the pituitary gland.
- Tertiary. Pathology develops against the background of the hypothalamus function disorder.
Primary hypothyroidism is diagnosed in 95% of all cases. Pathology, most often, occurs against the background of inflammatory processes in the thyroid gland. Also, the frequent cause is the lack of iodine in the body due to various reasons. In medical practice, there are cases when it is not possible to establish precisely the cause of the development of primary hypothyroidism, in which case the disease is considered idiomatic.
Secondary and tertiary hypothyroidism are not diagnosed infrequently. Such pathologies are always associated with damage to the hypothalamic-pituitary system. The disease in this case can be provoked:
- Radiation therapy;
- Tumors of the brain;
- Surgical interventions;
- Brain Injury;
- Autoimmune diseases of various etiologies.
In a separate group, tissue hypothyroidism is distinguished. The disease is caused by tissue resistance to thyroid hormones or a violation of their transport function.
Diagnosis
It is necessary to contact an endocrinologist immediately if the first signs of the disease are found. The main method of diagnosis is the blood test for the content of thyroid hormones. During the study, the thyroid hormone T4( thyroxine) and T3( triiodothyronine) levels are determined, as well as the thyroid stimulating hormone( TSH) concentration. With the development of primary hypothyroidism, the data will show a reduced content of T4 and T3, as well as an elevated level of TSH.When the analysis shows a significantly reduced concentration of thyrotropic hormone, this indicates the development of secondary or tertiary hypothyroidism.
In order to confirm the diagnosis and establish the cause of the development of pathology, other studies are necessarily conducted:
- Blood tests for the presence of autoantibodies( AT-TG, AT-TPO) to tissues and thyroid cells. This analysis allows you to exclude or confirm thyroidin.
- Biochemical blood test. It helps to determine the level of cholesterol and lipid metabolism.
- of the thyroid gland. With it, nodes in the tissues and a change in the size of the organ are found.
- Scintigraphy of the thyroid gland. It allows you to clarify the location of the thyroid gland, to evaluate focal lesions and functional activity of the organ.
- Fine needle biopsy. The procedure is carried out if necessary to determine the malignant or benign nature of the seals in the tissues of the thyroid gland.
Treatment of
Treatment of hypothyroidism is based on the use of substitution therapy. It should be remembered that the course of treatment is always selected by the endocrinologist physician individually according to the results of the analyzes. Dosage of medications is prescribed depending on the severity of the disease and the patient's condition. In this case, the age of a person must be taken into account. Therapy depends in large part on the presence of side-effects and disorders. In most cases, complex treatment is required to stabilize the condition.
The patient should remember that in order to obtain a positive prognosis, it is necessary to strictly follow the doctor's recommendations and be sure to fulfill all the prescriptions. Otherwise, serious complications can develop and general health deterioration may occur.
Modern drugs that are used for replacement therapy are sold in a convenient package. Typically, the prescribed funds are taken once a day, but you should remember that they are appointed for life.
