Hypothyroidism – Causes and Treatment
Wednesday, February 13th, 2008Hypothyroidism is a common endocrine disorder resulting from deficiency of thyroid hormone. It usually is a primary process in which the thyroid gland produces insufficient amounts of thyroid hormone. It can also be secondary, that is lack of thyroid hormone secretion due to the failure of either adequate thyrotropin (ie, thyroid-stimulating hormone [TSH]) secretion from the pituitary gland or thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) from the hypothalamus (secondary or tertiary hypothyroidism).
Symptoms of Hypothyroidism
The signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism vary widely, depending on the severity of the hormone deficiency. But in general, any problems you do have tend to develop slowly, often over a number of years.