Rashes, Muscle Pain, Low Energy? Help your Thyroid NOW!

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Are you Getting Worried by the Increasing Thyroid Symptoms Altering your Daily Life?

Thyroid illness symptoms may be annoying and have a negative effect on your life in a variety of ways. Thyroid hormones like thyroxine (T4), as well as triiodothyronine (T3), are produced by your thyroid and assist regulate your metabolic processes as well as other activities such as heartbeat, cholesterol concentrations, menstruation, and much more.

Tiredness, weight gain or reduction, temperature sensitivity, hair loss, and other issues may have an emotional impact on you, compromising your relationships and decreasing your capacity to enjoy everyday life.However, there are methods you may do to feel a little better.

Understanding that signs of a thyroid issue are often mistaken with many other health concerns may help you explore other potential remedies to bring you happiness. Thyroid hormones have a significant role in growth, differentiation, and metabolism.

They are essential for the optimal functioning of almost all tissues and have an important impact on metabolism and consumption. For that reason, thyroid gland disease is one of the most common endocrine diseases that affects 5-10% of the general population, and hypothyroidism is more common than hyperthyroidism.

Hypothyroidism manifests by insufficient thyroid hormone secretion. This condition includes several congenital and acquired functional or structural abnormalities. The clinical presentation of hypothyroidism varies depending on the cause, duration and severity of hypothyroidism, but nearly all organs and systems can be affected by insufficient thyroid hormone secretion.

Although these symptoms seem minor compared to the other major issues caused by thyroid illness, they actually hinder the lifestyle of sufferers to the extent of resulting into major complications.

How can Thyroid Affect your Skin?

Skin issues and having thyroid disturbance go hand in hand! It is well known that thyroid hormone manifests itself in the form of many obvious signs and skin issues are one of them. The expression of thyroid hormone receptors has been shown to occur in several types of skin cells such as keratinocytes, dermal fibroblasts, and sebaceous gland cells.

So, we can say that you might witness issues ranging from dry/moist skin, pigmentation, texture changes to rashes, eczema, and other forms of allergies. Autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) is the most widespread organ specific autoimmune disorder, affecting approximately 5% of the population.

They include several pathological conditions, the most popular of which are Graves’ disorder (GD) and chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis (CRT). Autoimmune thyroid disease patients have abnormal cellular and humoral immune responses against the thyroid.

Hyperthyroidism and Graves' Disease Cause Two Unique Rashes

The skin of shins may have pretibial myxedema (localized lesions), commonly known as thyroid dermopathy. On the face may develop a raised rash.
An increase in the flow of cutaneous blood produces warmth and frequently happens in the cheeks, elbows, and palms. Smooth, damp, warmer and itching skin are symptoms of hyperthyroidism.
It is also assumed to cause hyperpigmentation in some cases. Use of topical aluminum salts like aluminum chloride and corticosteroids injections are mostly used to treat skin symptoms. Moreover, skin ointments that control rash are also commonly used.

Hypothyroidism, or lower thyroid hormone production may manifest itself in a variety of ways that can be stressful for those who struggle with the disease involving skin irritations and problems that can be both painful and humiliating.

Hypothyroidism Results in

Dry skin.
Reduced perspiration.
Coarse skin.
Swelling.
Redness and itching.

All these symptoms arise if the thyroid produces insufficient or no regulating hormones. The great news is that such symptoms related to skin can be handled by yourself!

The skin problems that afflict individuals having hypothyroidism are very often the same as those which influence the overall population. Typically, physicians suggest treating dry skin using the same techniques they use to treat other types of dry skin. The following are the recommendations for treating and maintaining dry skin caused by hypothyroidism:

Choosing the Correct Hydrating Moisturizer

Where to begin, uncertain? Experts suggest going straight for “scooping” moisturizers—those coming in a jar or bowl instead of a pump. It tends to be more hydrated than the ones from a pump.

Check the list of components, too. It is suggested you search for something like an ammonium-lactate or urea balm or lotion. Those are all keratolytics that contribute to dissolving the dead, upper skin surface. This removes the crusty ‘alligator skin’ and enables the moisturisers to enter the skin deeply and be better.

Go gentle: The less unpleasant, the finer when it refers to soaps or body washes. Use a gentle soap and use it just on the crotch and armpit. Soap is usually not necessary everywhere else and may be quite dry. Most antimicrobial soaps are very dry and are not usually necessary for most individuals. Look for soft scent free cleansers with emollients instead of hard body washing. Maintain it easy: Some of the finest moisturisers are the simplest as well. Patients with extremely dry skin are encouraged immediately after shower to apply natural oils like coconut oil or olive oil over the skin. Wait for a couple of minutes to penetrate and remove excess by using a towel. This helps to lock humidity with natural lipids while moisturising skin. Petroleum jelly that usually sticks in humidity longer than creamy moisturizers is another excellent easy alternative. Maintain brief showers:Too often or too much to shower or bathe can not only dry your skin quicker but also increases the risk of various skin issues. The broken skin is a breeding place for bacteria producing illness and the more you wash, the drier and less moisturised the skin gets. Wipe your skin smoothly dry with a cloth after bathing and immediately apply moisturiser.

GLA, Fish oil, supplements for the skin like ceramides, Hyaluronic acid, vitamin C and D-3; a diet of salmon from Alaska, organic and grass-fed meats, organic fruits and vegetables. All these are beneficial for coping above skin related issues.

Probiotics are a kind of helpful bacteria currently researched for the treatment of eczema, a skin disease characterised by red, puffy, and itchy skin. Probiotic supplements, in fact, are said to guard against immunological malfunction and decrease inflammation, both of which are important contributors in the formation of eczema.

Probiotics aid in the treatment of acne and rosacea. Probiotics applied directly to the skin create a protective barrier, preventing skin cells from getting into touch with “harmful bacteria” and pathogens. This prevents the immune function from causing irritation, redness, breakouts, and other problems.

Muscle Pain and Weakness in Thyroid

Do you have a history of thyroid issues or coping with a current thyroid illness? Are you experiencing pain, stiffness, fatigue, and weakness, in your body?

If you have pains and discomfort in the shoulders and thighs which makes climbing stairs, standing up from squatting, and combing hair difficult and your signs are exacerbated by exposure to cold, then there are chances that you might have an undiagnosed thyroid illness.

And if you are already treating your thyroid then these symptoms are just related to your thyroid.

There are four subtypes of myopathy or muscle-related issues related to hypothyroidism: myasthenia syndrome, atrophy, Kocher-Debre-Semelaigne syndrome, and Hoffmann syndrome.

Muscle weakness, pain, and cramps in hypothyroidism are frequent.
It is common that individuals feel it in their muscles, like the thighs or shoulders, closer to the body’s core.
This could lead to stair climbing or hair combing issues.
You might have high levels of creatinine kinase, as confirmed by a blood test, besides muscular discomfort.
Creatinine kinase is an enzyme of the muscle which increases after muscular damage. However, the amount of creatinine kinase does not always have a connection with the intensity of the muscular discomfort.

Hypothyroidism and are Serious Muscular Problems

One case is Hoffman’s syndrome, where an individual develops diffuse (big muscles) muscle hypertrophy resulting in severe muscular tightness, weakness, and discomfort.

Another uncommon muscular symptom of hypothyroidism is rhabdomyolysis (where muscle begins to break down quickly). This is frequently caused by the combination of hypothyroidism and strenuous activity or statin (a cholesterol-lowering medication).

While muscular cramps and pains may develop with hyperthyroidism, these are not as frequent as in hypothyroidism-related myopathy.

Because of muscular weaknesses.
People may struggle to climb stairs or even a chair.
Struggle with grasping or grabbing things or raising arms over head.
Rarely, the muscles used in swallowing and respiration get affected in hypothyroidism related myopathy.
Unlike hypothyroidism the amount of creatine kinase is normal in hyperthyroid myopathy although there is muscle wasting and other related issues.

In the meantime, coping techniques for relieving muscular discomfort, irrespective of the reason may be useful:

Massaging
Warm baths
Moderate exercise
Magnesium supplementation may also be helpful for muscular cramps
However, if you experience new or severe muscular discomfort or weakness, it is essential to contact your doctor. Although your thyroid may be at fault, other states of health are also susceptible to muscular complaints.

Creatine is known to be an organic substance that is spontaneously generated in the muscle tissue. It helps to produce energy for an intense activity or manual labor. Creatine, if consumed like a supplement, may assist improve muscular growth, power, and physical activity.

Whey is a kind of protein present in dairy items. It is frequently produced as a byproduct of cheese manufacturing and may be separated. Whey protein consumption after exercise has also been related to improved restoration and enhanced muscle growth. These advantages may aid in the enhancement of energy, stamina, and muscle function.

Although either creatine or whey protein stimulate muscle growth, their mechanisms of action vary. Creatine boosts energy and muscular mass by boosting exercise capacity, while whey protein boosts muscle protein production.

Memory Loss and Concentration Symptoms in Thyroid Diseases

Wondering where you put your keys, remembering a name, and failing to focus may all be symptoms of irritating brain fog or cognitive problems caused by hypothyroidism.

Thyroid hormone deficiency may impair your memory and ability to focus. Similarly with hyperthyroidism you can have the same memory issues and difficulties in concentrating. The brain is one of the main target organs of in case of any illness related to thyroid hormones.

Hypothyroidism in adult patients can have considerable impacts on neuropsychiatric functions. In adult patients with hypothyroidism, memory, especially the concentrating ability is weakened.

Changes in general intelligence, attention, concentration, cognitive function, language and psychomotor function also have been noticed. Imaging studies come up with clinical evidence that the brain structure and function of hypothyroid patients have changed in areas that mediate attention, cognitive processing, memory and movement speed.

Brain fog is indeed a transient condition for many individuals. However, if you do not take medicine and persist to have a really low thyroid hormone concentration, you may develop severe or chronic hypothyroidism, which may result in a variety of abnormalities in your body ranging from cognitive difficulties to gaining weight, inflammation, and vascular abnormalities.

These defects can get better, however, it might take six months to get normal after the replacement. According to a recent report, working memory deficits are no longer observed after 6 months of L-T4 treatment.

Since hypothyroidism can be manifested as emotional weakness or cognitive decline, the patient’s serum TSH should be measured with emotional signs or cognitive impairment. Sometimes it is difficult to separate thyroid related neurocognitive disorders from other disorders.

Thyroid problems, when addressed promptly, do not cause memory problems. However, anybody may have memory or attention problems at times. In addition to getting treated by medications these methods may be useful as well:

Take your medicine as directed:

The greatest thing that could do for your memory is to restore your thyroid hormone to a healthy level, which requires taking your prescription on a regular and accurate basis and returning to your physician for follow-up visits to ensure you’re on the appropriate dose.

Get out of home and onto the road:

Regular exercise has a positive impact on the brain so stay consistent with your hobbies including social activities in addition to exercising. Exercise has been shown to improve your brain’s capacity to retain existing network interconnections as well as form new ones. Research discovered that patients’ memory improved significantly after moderate exercise.

- Have a restful night’s sleep:

A good night’s sleep provides deep sleep, which lets your brain operate properly.

- Maintain a schedule:

Every day, including on weekends, go to bed and wake up at the same hour.

- Play some memory games:

Everything which keeps your mind active, even computer games intended to sharpen your intellect, is beneficial.

- Concentrate on one item at a time:

Concentrate your focus on one item at a time, avoid distractions such as television, and strive not to allow your thoughts wander to other things. When you concentrate in this manner, you are more inclined to concentrate and recall what you are doing.

- Names and other essential information should be repeated:

Repeating the information back to the individual or in your thoughts a few times may aid memory. Thyroid issues may last a lifelong, so you will need to keep taking medicine and visiting your physician to keep your levels healthy. However, taking proper measures to seek treatment implies that your thyroid-related memory problems will be temporary.

- Supplements:

Memory loss has indeed been claimed to be slowed or prevented by specific vitamins as well as fatty acids. Supplements including B12, herbal medicines like ginkgo, biloba, with omega-3 fatty acids are among the many possible treatments.

Phosphatidylserine supplementation may be beneficial in maintaining brain function. Acetyl-L-carnitine may be useful in treating cognitive decline in the elderly as well as individuals suffering from mental illnesses.
Bacopa monnieri has also been proven to enhance memory and cognitive abilities in both healthy individuals including those with cognitive function decrease. Same may be beneficial in enhancing brain function in individuals suffering from depression.
Rhodiola rosea may aid in the improvement of cognitive abilities by decreasing tiredness.

It appears that various strains of the bacteria Lactobacillus as well as Bifidobacterium species may be beneficial in the treatment of brain fog and memory problems. Probiotics, in addition to boosting your brain clarity, may also assist you in enhancing your mood and resolving anxiety issues.

Lower Sex Hormone Levels

Moreover, low amounts of sex hormones may occasionally produce symptoms like memory difficulties, trouble thinking, and attention issues. According to the research, women with severe depressive illness had reduced stimulation of the brain’s stress circuits as well as decreased estrogen levels.

Research has found that lower testosterone levels are associated with an increased incidence of psychosis in men.Lower levels of DHEA and Pregnenolone are associated with greater issues of concentration and memory loss. Hormone replacement treatment (HRT) may be an option for controlling these effects.

Lack of Energy and Tiredness

“I’m using my thyroid medicine, yet I’m still tired all day.” Sounds familiar? Modifying your thyroid medicine dosage (with your doctor’s approval), improving your sleep patterns, and looking for other causes of tiredness that may be exacerbating the problem may all help you alleviate this typical thyroid disorder symptom, and you can live a better life.

Many patients with hypothyroidism, although apparently receiving adequate replacement treatment, still experience persistent fatigue and fatigue-related signs, as well as poor performance in various areas of daily life. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) performs an important role in regulating the thyroid function. There are several causes of tiredness/fatigue.

When regular hormone replacement therapy, such as levothyroxine, is given for underactive thyroid, complaints such as tiredness should eventually fade. Similarly, individuals using anti-thyroid medications for an overactive thyroid will see an increase in energy levels.

There are possible causes for experimenting hypothyroidism symptoms during a thyroid replacement therapy:

Issues with Thyroid medication
- Skipping thyroid medications, or not having the right dose or not treating the thyroid with a combination of a compounded and slow release T3 with their T4. can bring many risks to your health such as, increasing cholesterol level, weight gain, inability to sleep, always feeling exhausted, and muscle weakness.
- Insufficient conversion of T4 to T3 is common in thyroid patients and can even cause fluctuations in TSH and low free T3 levels. It may be caused by an insufficient enzyme called iodothyronine deiodinase or a low level of minerals such as selenium or zinc.
- Having a high reverse T3 will slow down your metabolism and can result in depression, joint pain, muscle ache, and non-stop fatigue.
Hormonal imbalance
There are many possible reasons for hormonal imbalances. Women are more likely to have imbalances in estrogen, progesterone, and thyroid. Men’s testosterone levels usually get low. In the past few years, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) has received a considerable interest. It claims to provide a “natural” answer to hormonal problems.BHRT can also be used to address both men and women who have low or imbalanced levels of hormones. Bioidentical hormones comprise synthetic hormones generated by plant estrogens which are chemically like those produced by the human body.

Estrogen, progesterone, with testosterone are three of the most frequently duplicated and utilised in therapy hormones. Bioidentical hormones are available in a variety of forms, including tablets, patches, lotions, gels, and injections.
Insufficient nutrients and minerals intake:Lack of energy and a constant feeling of fatigue and poor performance can be due to inadequate nutrient intake caused by poor diet, malabsorption, or abnormal metabolism. Fatigue and tiredness an be caused by multiple nutritional deficiencies:
- - Vitamin B complex and B-12.
    Help release energy from food. When you are deficient in Bs vitamins, and B12 in the form of methal-colabamin whether it is because of your increased demand or you are not taking an insufficient amount, your mitochondria’s ability to produce energy will be impaired.
  - Selenium
    It is an important antioxidant and nutrient for the health of the thyroid, due to his role in the ability to help the thyroid to produce the necessary thyroid hormones. The body doesn’t produce it so the only way to get it is from food(2 brazil nuts can give you the rough daily dose required) or you can take 200 mcg daily of selenium in the form of L-selenomethionine.It is essential for the excitability of muscular tissues and nerves and an important cofactor in over 300 enzyme reactions, especially the ones involving the metabolism of food components.
  - Magnesium:
It is essential for the excitability of muscular tissues and nerves and an important cofactor in over 300 enzyme reactions, especially the ones involving the metabolism of food components.
- - Zinc:
essential for more than 100 enzymes that are included in energy metabolism.
- - Iron:
Iron deficiency is the popular cause of anemia that usually leads to persistent fatigue.
- Vitamins C, D-3, Coq10 etc.

Adrenal Fatigue and Problems with Cortisol

The lack of adrenal hormones can cause common symptoms including fatigue, dizziness, tiredness, lack of energy, depressive mood and sleep deprivation.

The main reason behind the term adrenal fatigue is the decrease of cortisol to a lower level that may trigger fatigue, poor performance, and depression. There is no approved adrenal fatigue test, however saliva or blood testing can be offered to the patients.

Elevated cortisol can impact the conversion of T4 to T3 and can cause the T4 to convert high levels to RT3. On the other hand low levels of cortisol can also produce weakness, fatigue can be confused with low levels of thyroid hormones. It is important to check your adrenals and cortisol with the appropriate tests.

Depression

The most common mental illness associated with hypothyroidism is depression, which may be caused by decreased serotonin activity in the brain. Excessive and insufficient thyroid hormones can lead to mood disorders, including depression, anxiety, irritability, dysphoria, fatigue and difficulty concentrating.

Thyroid hormone supplementations have been suggested as an adjunct to an antidepressant to accelerate clinical response to antidepressants and increase the clinical response of patients who do not respond to antidepressants.

A few of the below suggestions may assist you in reducing your thyroid- related fatigue more effectively:

Taking your medicine on a daily basis, since failing to do so may have an impact on your blood sample results as well as your overall health.
Ask your doctor if a T3 medicine is right for you and increase the dose until you feel well monitoring with periodic thyroid tests( Tsh, Free T4, Free T3, RT3) If you miss a dosage, take it as quickly as you recall.
Antithyroid medications for hyperthyroidism may be taken with food or on an empty belly.
In order to increase the efficacy of levothyroxine, take it with water or on to an empty belly and refrain from food for 2-3 hours thereafter.
It should also be used at minimum four hours away from calcium, iron and cholesterol-lowering medications and iron-containing multivitamin pills, since these may reduce absorption. Grapefruit may also obstruct its absorption.
It is usually a good idea to inform your physician if you are using any other medications, vitamins, or special foods, since some of them may interfere with your thyroid medicines.

Conclusion

Having thyroid related issues is a common prevailing condition in the world. Any disturbance to your thyroid hormone levels may show up in the form of symptoms, including tiredness, weight gain, skin rashes and other issues, lethargy, and memory problems. This will ultimately hinder your activities of daily living. However, the good news is, neither of these concerns are difficult to treat.

Whatever kind of symptoms you experience whether they are sudden or long-term issues they can be easily managed and tracked with proper testing and few alterations in your lifestyle activities and habits. It is important to learn about the symptoms of thyroid diseases to treat your thyroid as the thyroid plays an important role in controlling multiple body functions.

This article has highlighted multiple symptoms linked to thyroid diseases that can affect your quality of life. Compounded thyroid hormone replacement therapy provides a more customized strategy to addressing thyroid issues. Compounding enables your physician to collaborate to develop a medicine that is tailored to your specific needs. This involves modifying the intensity (strength), ingredients, and composition to meet your requirements.

T3 and T4 may be combined into a single medication in compound thyroid medicines, allowing your body to utilize the T3 and generate the T4 as required. Even though the strengths of T3 and T4 required to meet your specific problems are not available on the market, compound compositions may be created to suit them. Moreover, thyroid medicines can be changed to compounded T4 and T3 instead of only T4 medicines if there is a conversion problem or if the thyroid doesn’t produce enough T3.

The essential element here is to optimize the thyroid gland as well as sex hormones to treat any signs of hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, such as rashes, fatigue, memory, and mood issues. In addition, correct any vitamin / mineral deficiencies, exercise at a medium level of intensity and switch to a balanced diet.

Fortunately, thyroid problems are usually curable with low-cost medicines. If your thyroid hormone levels are fluctuating, a basic therapy and few lifestyle modifications may enhance your standard of living significantly. You can also consult an experienced naturopathic who can test you for nutritional deficiencies.

References

Image Sources

Elizabeth M Dugan, Adam M Huber, Frederick W Miller, Lisa G Rider, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
BodyParts3D is made by DBCLS, CC BY-SA 2.1 JP <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.1/jp/deed.en>, via Wikimedia Common

The content on mythyroidrelief.com, such as text, videos, graphics or images, and other materials, are for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical and nutritional advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used as a substitute for medical consultation. The knowledge provided in this blog comes from the author's own experiences and research. Consult your doctor before making any decisions about your medical care.

2 comments

Milo Bayers says:

October 7, 2022 at 12:53 pm

Having read this I believed it was rather informative. I appreciate you spending some time and energy to put this content together. I once again find myself spending a significant amount of time both reading and commenting. But so what, it was still worthwhile!

1. Liliana says:
  
  May 7, 2024 at 5:22 pm
  
  Hi Milo Bayers,
  
  Thank you for your thoughtful comment! I’m glad you found the content informative and worthwhile. It’s always rewarding to hear positive feedback. Your time and energy spent reading and commenting are greatly appreciated. If you have any further thoughts or questions, feel free to share them.

MY THYROID RELIEF

Rashes, Muscle Pain, Bad Memory and Concentration, Low Energy? Help your Thyroid NOW!