Greenville SC Thyroid Doctor Explains How Stress Can Cause Thyroid Problems
We all understand that stress has a negative impact on our bodies, but is it directly related to thyroid problems? The answer is yes. Long-term stress leads to elevated stress hormones, which causes the body to respond with disorders, inflammation and disease. Let’s take a look at the role that stress plays with both our thyroid and adrenal systems.
Hormones are the chemical messengers of the body sent to communicate with the brain. The adrenal glands are responsible for regulating stress and how we respond to it, which includes the production of the stress hormone called cortisol. The thyroid gland is responsible for metabolism, temperature regulation, and growth and development. The thyroid relies on receiving the right amount of cortisol from the adrenal glands in order to function optimally.
Too much cortisol can suppress the thyroid stimulating hormone or TSH and also impact the conversion of the T4 hormone into T3. Because every cell in the body uses T3, a decrease can cause symptoms like weight gain, depression, temperature sensitivity, hair loss, fatigue, headaches, insomnia and low libido.
Effective stress management is important for your overall health. You can use stress management techniques like proper nutrition, exercise, therapy and the right amount of sleep to help manage your stress. But when you’re dealing with thyroid or adrenal function, the help of a functional wellness practitioner might just be the additional help that you need.
These providers have extensive training on how the body functions as an entire operating system and they specialize in helping patients with chronic disorders like low thyroid, Hashimoto’s disease and type 2 diabetes.
When you work with a functional wellness provider you can expect comprehensive testing, personal attention, a customized care plan based on your individual needs, and education about your condition. Most patients are surprised at how thorough these doctors are and they appreciate the personalized care because it ensures the best chance of long-term recovery.
When it comes to a thyroid disorder it’s important to look at all of the body systems in order to determine where imbalances are occurring. Unfortunately, a TSH test alone is not enough information to properly diagnose a thyroid disorder, and this is why many people still suffer from symptoms of thyroid when they work with their traditional practitioner. It takes a comprehensive and customized approach to achieve the best results.
