Thyroid disorders are very common. In the United States alone, an estimated 20 million people are living with some type of thyroid disorder. Unfortunately, many of them don’t know it: As many as 60% of people with thyroid disorders are undiagnosed. These undiagnosed people may be at risk of infertility, cardiovascular disease and other complications of untreated thyroid disorders.

These scary statistics may make you wonder if you’re one of the millions of Americans with an undiagnosed thyroid disorder. Read on to learn more about these disorders and how they’re diagnosed and treated.

Overview of Thyroid Disorder

Your thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located in the front of your neck. This gland produces important hormones — including triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) — that control your body’s metabolism. They affect how fast your body burns calories, how fast your heart beats and other metabolic functions. Thyroid hormones even play a role in controlling your body temperature.

In people with hypothyroidism, also called an underactive thyroid, the thyroid doesn’t make enough of these hormones. This slows down the body’s metabolism. People with hyperthyroidism, also called an overactive thyroid, have the opposite problem. Their thyroids make too much hormone, and their metabolisms speed up. Both conditions can have a significant impact on your health.

There are many reasons why your thyroid might make too much or not enough hormones. If you have certain autoimmune diseases, such as Graves’ disease and Hashimoto’s, your immune system may attack your thyroid and affect the amount of hormones it produces. Thyroid problems may also be caused by pregnancy, iodine deficiency and certain medications.

Thyroid disease is more common in women than in men. During their lifetimes, one in eight women will develop some type of thyroid problem. You may be at an increased risk for thyroid problems if you have a family history of these conditions. Some chronic illnesses, such as type 1 diabetes or celiac disease, are also risk factors. 

Symptoms of Thyroid Disorder

Thyroid disorders can cause a wide variety of symptoms, which makes them hard to identify. Since the symptoms may develop slowly over the years, you may just assume they’re caused by aging. The symptoms of thyroid disorders may also be mistaken for many other health problems. 

People with hypothyroidism may feel tired or weak for no reason. They may also notice weight gain, dry skin, thinning hair, memory problems or a slowed heart rate. If your thyroid is underactive, you may also find that you get cold more easily.

People with hyperthyroidism may lose weight without trying. Other symptoms of hyperthyroidism include anxiety, a pounding heart, shaky hands, trouble sleeping and an increased appetite. You could also get hot more easily. 

If you notice any symptoms of thyroid problems, see your doctor. They may recommend a thyroid test.

How to Test for Thyroid Disorder

If your doctor suspects you have a thyroid disorder, they may recommend a variety of thyroid tests. To see how well your thyroid is working, your doctor may order one or more blood tests. These may include tests for:

  • Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH): TSH tells your thyroid how much hormone to make. If your TSH level is too high, you could have hypothyroidism. A too-low TSH level could indicate hyperthyroidism.
  • T4: This test looks at the level of thyroxine in your blood. High T4 levels could mean you have hyperthyroidism, while low T4 levels may suggest you have hypothyroidism. Many illnesses and medications can change the amount of T4 in your blood.
  • T3: This test measures how much triiodothyronine is in your blood. Some people with thyroid problems have normal T4 levels, so this second thyroid test can help doctors make a diagnosis.
  • Thyroid Antibodies: When your immune system attacks your thyroid gland, it makes thyroid antibodies. This blood test can help your doctor diagnose autoimmune thyroid problems, such as Graves’ disease or Hashimoto’s. 

Another option is to do a thyroid test at home. You can buy thyroid testing kits online or at your local pharmacy. These kits provide all the supplies you need to collect a sample at home. Generally, you’ll be asked to collect a small amount of blood from a simple finger prick. Then, you mail your sample to a laboratory for testing. Some at-home thyroid tests, like the Lets Get Checked Thyroid Test, even have doctors call you to explain your results.

If your blood tests indicate thyroid problems, your doctor may sometimes recommend other tests to determine the underlying cause. For example, they may recommend imaging tests, such as an ultrasound or a thyroid scan. If you have a lump on your thyroid, they may want to perform a biopsy to see if it’s cancerous or non-cancerous.

Treatment Options for Thyroid Disorder

If you find out that you have a thyroid problem, don’t worry: There are many treatment options available. The goal of these treatments is to return your thyroid hormones to a normal level. Your doctor can recommend an appropriate treatment based on the type of thyroid disorder you have. 

Hypothyroidism can be treated with levothyroxine, a synthetic hormone that replaces your missing thyroid hormones. This medication can help you feel better quickly, but it may take time for your doctor to determine the right dose of this medication. You may need to take this medication for the rest of your life. 

Hyperthyroidism is harder to treat, but there are still many treatment options available. Radioactive iodine treatment is the most popular option, and it’s used to disable your thyroid gland. Other treatments for hyperthyroidism include medications that keep the thyroid from producing hormones. Sometimes, doctors may recommend surgically removing some or all of your thyroid. As a result of these treatments, you may develop hypothyroidism.

Get Tested for Thyroid Disorder

Thyroid disorders are common, but many people who have these conditions don’t know it. If you’re experiencing any signs of symptoms of a thyroid disorder, see your doctor for a thyroid test or perform a thyroid test at home. Rest assured that if you have a thyroid disorder, doctors can offer many treatments to help you feel better.

STDs have a massive stigma around them. Everyone feels uncomfortable talking about them, and getting one means others can treat you like a pariah. Many others worry about how it will impact their relationships and dating life. Hearing that a potential partner has an STD can make some afraid and turn away. Because of this rejection, many people would rather live in ignorance than confirm they have an STD and risk endangering the relationships that are important to them. 

However, STDs are more common than you might think. Living in ignorance is no way to handle the potential of having an STD. Virtual healthcare is making it easier to test and treat STDs, giving you a way to get help without having to go into a doctor’s office. Read on to see how common they are, why and how you should get tested, and what some of the common symptoms are. 

How Common are STDs?

Because STDs are mostly unreported, it’s difficult to know precisely how common they are.

However, 20 million STD cases are reported each year.

It’s estimated that one in two people will get an STD before they turn 25.

Treating STDs costs the medical industry about $16 billion each year. This figure comes not just from tests, but also from easing symptoms and treating complications as well.

What Are The Most Common STDs?

There are dozens of different types of STDs. However, there are a few that are more common than others.

While HIV is probably the most known STD because of its effect on the body when it turns into AIDS, it is not the most common disease. It is up there with common ailments.

The four most common STDs are HPV, Chlamydia, HIV, and Gonorrhea. 79 million people have HPV. 1.8 million people have Chlamydia, over 1 million people have HIV, and more than 240,000 people have Gonorrhea. These are all reported numbers, and the actual number of infections is expected to be much higher.

HPV

HPV, or Human Papillomavirus, is the most common STD by far. While harmless most of the time, it can cause cancer and genital warts. There are more than 200 different types that can affect your genitals, rectum, mouth, and throat, depending on which one is present.

Chlamydia

Chlamydia is caused by a bacteria called chlamydia trachomatis. It tends to affect younger people more than older people. As many as 1 in 10 females tested positive for the disease. It can easily be treated with antibiotics. Untreated, it can cause infections and infertility.

HIV

The CDC estimates that around 1 million people are living with HIV nationwide. Not all people who have HIV necessarily have AIDS. The difficulty with HIV is that people can have it without knowing they have it, therefore making it easy to pass to you.

Gonorrhea

Gonorrhea is caused by a bacteria called Neisseria gonorrhoeae. It impacts men more than women, and when present in women, it’s often mistaken for a bladder infection. Symptoms are sometimes not present, and the only way to know for sure is to get tested. 

What Are Their Symptoms?

STD symptoms vary depending on which type of infection you have. Symptoms can range from mild to life-threatening, so getting tested as soon as possible is vital to prevent severe symptoms.

HPV

HPV often doesn’t have symptoms until it’s already become a severe health risk. Some types of HPV can cause cervical cancer. Pap tests are some of the only ways to detect abnormal cells that indicate HPV. Warts are often the most common indicator of HPV, genital, or otherwise.

Chlamydia

Many people with Chlamydia don’t have symptoms. However, if you do, the common symptoms that show up are the following:

  • Painful urination
  • Lower abdominal pain
  • Smelly or yellow vaginal discharge
  • Bleeding when you’re not having a period
  • Pus-like discharge in men
  • Bleeding, discharge, or pain around the rectum

HIV

The biggest threat that comes from HIV is the risk of it turning into AIDS.

There are three different stages of HIV: The first is an infection, where you have flu-like symptoms. The second is chronic HIV infection, where you may not show any signs at all. The third is AIDS, where it will affect your body’s immune system. Most of the difficulties that come with AIDS are the infections that happen because your immune system is compromised.

Because HIV symptoms can mimic other diseases, the only way to know for sure if you have it is to get tested.

Gonorrhea

Many people who have Gonorrhea don’t exhibit symptoms. When they do, the symptoms tend to be the following:

  • more frequent urination
  • pus-like discharge
  • genital swelling
  • heavier periods
  • painful intercourse
  • sharp lower abdomen pain

Why is it Important to Get Tested

Because many STDs don’t show symptoms, it’s essential to get tested. Getting tested whenever you have a new sexual partner can help you catch STDs before they become serious. Only 12% of people who are at risk for an STD get tested. That’s a problem because STDs can have serious complications.

If you don’t get tested and don’t know that you have an STD, it can spread to other partners and impact their lives. Untreated STDs also have the potential to make you unable to have children. Even if you can have children, there’s a massive risk of passing it on and endangering their health early in their life.

Untreated STDs also endanger a pregnancy. It can cause complications during your term, put you at risk of miscarriage and stillbirth, as well as premature labor.

Neglecting to get tested for STDs also increases your vulnerability to HIV. Sores and ulcers make you more susceptible to the virus. The inflammatory response of your disease will flood your body with immune cells. Your immune system then becomes more vulnerable and less able to fight against HIV.

How Do You Get Tested?

STD testing is relatively easy. You don’t have to do anything fancy to get checked. Primary care doctors can test it for you.

However, going into a doctor’s office carries some downsides. For one thing, it can still be embarrassing to tell someone else you think you might have an STD. For another thing, insurance doesn’t always cover the cost of getting a test, claiming it’s not a medical necessity. This can result in high prices you weren’t prepared to pay.

There are also at-home testing kits. These are more affordable, and you can do them in the comfort of your own home. Let’s Get Checked provides an at-home STD test that checks for the following diseases.

  • Chlamydia
  • Gonorrhea
  • Gardnerella
  • HIV (I, II, P24 antigen)
  • Herpes Simplex Virus I & II (HSV I & II)
  • Mycoplasma
  • Syphilis
  • Trichomoniasis
  • Ureaplasma

You can use a finger prick or urine test for your results. Best of all, you can use your FSA and HSA cards to pay for the test. 

You won’t be alone in your results. There’s a medical team to review your results available 24/7, so you can understand what the implications are.