Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is a medical condition. If a person has hypothyroidism, their thyroid gland does not make enough hormones. It can be caused by many factors, but it is more common when a person has insufficient iodine. Severe hypothyroidism in infants can result in cretinism. Symptoms of hypothyroidism include the following: tiredness, headaches, weight gain, dry skin, constipation, and poor concentration.
| Hypothyroidism | |
|---|---|
| Classification and external resources | |
 Hypothroidism is when the thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormone. | |
| ICD-10 | E03.9 |
| ICD-9 | 244.9 |
| DiseasesDB | 6558 |
| MedlinePlus | 000353 |
| eMedicine | med/1145 |
| MeSH | D007037 |
| Symptoms | Signs |
|---|---|
| Fatigue | Dry, coarse skin |
| Feeling cold | Cool extremities |
| Poor memory and concentration | Myxedema (mucopolysaccharide deposits in the skin) |
| Constipation | Hair loss |
| Weight gain with poor appetite | Slow pulse rate |
| Shortness of breath | Swelling of the limbs |
| Hoarse voice | Delayed relaxation of tendon reflexes |
| Heavy periods (and later light periods) | Carpal tunnel syndrome |
| Abnormal sensation | Pleural effusion, ascites, pericardial effusion |
| Poor hearing |
Hypothyroidism Media
Diagram of the hypothalamic–pituitary–thyroid axis. The hypothalamus secretes TRH (green), which stimulates the production of TSH (red) by the pituitary gland. This, in turn, stimulates the production of thyroxine by the thyroid (blue). Thyroxine levels decrease TRH and TSH production by a negative feedback process.
A 3-month-old infant with untreated congenital hypothyroidism showing myxedematous facies, a big tongue, and skin mottling
Characteristic changes in the facial skin of a Labrador Retriever with hypothyroidism
