Could Fibromyalgia Be Linked To The Thyroid Gland?

Researchers are still working hard to try to identify the cause of fibromyalgia. Until one is, the treatment will be unpredictable.

According to some theories, it's not even that there may be one cause of fibromyalgia; "condition", according to these theories, it may actually be a set of symptoms caused by another illness or underlying condition. One of these conditions that fibromyalgia is often combined with hypothyroidism.

Symptoms

symptoms of fibromyalgia are:

• generalized and joint pain (in at least 11 of 18 tender point sites identified throughout the body, present in both the top and bottom) muscle
• Sleep problems
• Memory problems
• Mood Disorders
• Fatigue

The symptoms of hypothyroidism are:

• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Memory problems
• Dry skin
• Constipation
• irregular / heavy periods in women
• Brittle nails
• Cold intolerance
• Depression

Hypothyroidism can be due to 1) a lack of sufficient thyroid hormone from the thyroid gland, or 2 production) the body resistance to thyroid hormone.

Because both conditions share the symptoms of fatigue, memory problems and mood disorders and because some of the symptoms of fibromyalgia can be interpreted to be derived from the symptoms of hypothyroidism (eg, prolonged fatigue can cause a sedentary lifestyle, which in turn can cause muscle and joint pain), some believe that patients with fibromyalgia and hypothyroidism may actually have one condition. The NHS (National Health Service in the UK) has hypothyroidism as a cause of fibromyalgia.

Another theory is that many fibromyalgia patients may actually have undiagnosed hypothyroidism. It is important that physicians and patients are aware of the symptoms of thyroid; Thus, all patients have the symptoms to be recognized and thyroid levels can be tested.

Test for hypothyroidism is a relatively simple procedure. The doctor takes a blood sample and examined for levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) issued by the pituitary gland; Sometimes the level of thyroxine (T4), emitted by a thyroid hormone, will be tested. High levels of TSH indicate low levels of thyroxine, because they mean that the pituitary gland works harder than normal to cause the thyroid to produce thyroxine.

replacement therapy of thyroid hormone can be relatively easy to solve many of the symptoms associated with both hypothyroidism and fibromyalgia, if the two are linked. However, there is some controversy about the best way to diagnose and treat hypothyroidism. Some doctors argue that testing and the level of thyroxine (T4) replacement is sufficient, while others suspect that the levels of the hormone triiodothyronine or T3 are equally important in the diagnosis and treatment of hypothyroidism account .