How Is The Thyroid Tested

Side Effects And Aftercare

A blood draw is a routine, minimally invasive procedure and doesnt have many side effects.

During the days immediately after the blood draw, you may notice slight bruising or soreness at the area where the needle was inserted. Placing an ice pack on the affected site or taking an over-the-counter pain reliever can help ease your discomfort.

If you experience a great deal of pain, or if the area around the puncture becomes red and swollen, follow up with your doctor immediately. These could be signs of an infection.

What Is Being Tested

Thyroid function tests are used to check for a number of thyroid problems. The tests measure the amount of different hormones including thyroid stimulating hormone , thyroxine , and triiodothyronine . Other tests on the thyroid include various antibodies related to thyroid tissue.

TSH is produced by the pituitary gland in the brain. TSH is carried in the blood to the thyroid gland, which sits at the front of the neck. From there, TSH influences how much T4 and T3 are released into the blood.

TSH, T3 and T4 levels can all be tested in the blood. Your doctor will probably test TSH first, then T3 and T4 if TSH is abnormal. Tests can also be used to measure antibodies to diagnose autoimmune thyroid disease.

What You Can Do

If you have definite symptoms of hypothyroidism, you should talk to your clinician about being tested. If your LDL cholesterol has been advancing or your weight has been creeping up unexplainably, you’ll want to discuss getting a test. If you’re 60 or older and generally healthy, it’s still a good idea to check with your doctor to see whether your medical history suggests you might benefit from testing.

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How Do You Prepare For A Thyroid Test

The test usually takes a few minutes of preparation. But before the blood test, you do not need to fast. It also makes no difference if you take any thyroid medication right before the blood test. If youre taking any other medications, let us know. Some medicines can change the way tests are performed and understood.

Its also crucial to record any X-ray tests that required the use of a particular contrast dye. Your previous test may have contained iodine, which may influence the accuracy of your results. Thyroid hormone levels also tend to fluctuate throughout pregnancy, so let us know if youre expecting when the test is done.

How Does The Thyroid Gland Function

The major thyroid hormone secreted by the thyroid gland is thyroxine, also called T4 because it contains four iodine atoms. To exert its effects, T4 is converted to triiodothyronine by the removal of an iodine atom. This occurs mainly in the liver and in certain tissues where T3 acts, such as in the brain. The amount of T4 produced by the thyroid gland is controlled by another hormone, which is made in the pituitary gland located at the base of the brain, called thyroid stimulating hormone . The amount of TSH that the pituitary sends into the bloodstream depends on the amount of T4 that the pituitary sees. If the pituitary sees very little T4, then it produces more TSH to tell the thyroid gland to produce more T4. Once the T4 in the bloodstream goes above a certain level, the pituitarys production of TSH is shut off. In fact, the thyroid and pituitary act in many ways like a heater and a thermostat. When the heater is off and it becomes cold, the thermostat reads the temperature and turns on the heater. When the heat rises to an appropriate level, the thermostat senses this and turns off the heater. Thus, the thyroid and the pituitary, like a heater and thermostat, turn on and off. This is illustrated in the figure below.

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Why Is Thyroid Health Important

The thyroid is paramount because the thyroid hormone affects all cells and all tissues in the body by maintaining normal metabolism. Humans cannot live without a thyroid hormone. When your thyroid is unhealthy, a few things may occur.

When thyroid hormone levels are low, also called hypothyroidism, all metabolic processes in your body slow down, explains naturopathic physician Andrew Neville, N.D. Many people with hypothyroidism experiencefatigue, constipation, weight gain, hair loss, and depression. An underactive thyroid is one of the most common thyroid conditions, affecting 5% of the global population1.

Hyperthyroidism is on the other end of the spectrum. It occurs when the thyroid is hyperactive and produces too many thyroid hormones. This speeds up your metabolism and can cause symptoms like rapid weight loss, irregular heart beats, and sweating.

Drawing Blood For Thyroid Function Tests

Before you get a blood draw to check your thyroid levels, talk with your doctor about any medications youre taking. Also let them know if youre pregnant. Certain medications and being pregnant may influence your test results.

A blood draw, also known as venipuncture, is a procedure performed at a lab or a doctors office. When you arrive for the test, youll be asked to sit in a comfortable chair or lie down on a cot or gurney. If youre wearing long sleeves, youll be asked to roll up one sleeve or to remove your arm from the sleeve.

A healthcare professional, like a technician or nurse, will tie a band of rubber tightly around your upper arm to make the veins swell with blood. Once the healthcare professional has found an appropriate vein, theyll insert a needle under the skin and into the vein.

You may feel a sharp prick when the needle punctures your skin. The healthcare professional will collect your blood in test tubes and send it to a laboratory for analysis.

When the healthcare professional has gathered the amount of blood needed for the tests, theyll withdraw the needle and place pressure on the puncture wound until the bleeding stops. They will then place a small bandage over the wound.

You should be able to return to your typical daily activities immediately.

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Why Hypothyroidism Is Not Diagnosed On Symptoms Alone

Many of the symptoms of hypothyroidism are fairly common complaints found in people with a normally functioning thyroid gland, so it can be hard to decipher if the symptoms are related to the thyroid. One of the best ways to figure out if your symptoms could be related to a thyroid condition is to consider how long you have been experiencing them.

For example, have you always felt cold when others were warm? Did you just start to notice decreased energy? If you are starting to notice new signs and symptoms, it could be related to a thyroid issue. However, only a physician can diagnose a thyroid problem.

Thyroid Disorders And Symptoms

Underactive thyroid

If you don’t produce enough thyroid hormones, your bodily processes start to “slow down”. Signs of an underactive thyroid include:

Overactive thyroid If you produce too many thyroid hormones, it over-stimulates your metabolic functions. Signs of an overactive thyroid include:

• difficulty sleeping

Autoimmune thyroid diseasesAn autoimmune disease is when your immune system mistakenly attacks your body in this case, thyroid antibodies attack your thyroid. This can lead to a thyroid disorder.

Types of autoimmune thyroid diseases include Graves’ disease or Hashimoto’s disease .

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Thyroid Hormone Level Tests

There are four main thyroid hormones that have been identified: T1, T2, T3, and T4.

T4 and T3 are the two main thyroid hormones. T4 is known as prohormone and is 300 percent less biologically active than T3. T3 is the main biologically active thyroid hormone and gives us beautiful hair, replenishes our energy, and runs our metabolism.

You may have put together that most of the commonly prescribed thyroid medications like Synthroid and levothyroxine, only contain T4 , and thus they need to be converted to the active T3 form in the body.

On paper, the T4 to T3 conversion happens just fine, but in the real world, in real human bodies, we may not always convert T4 to T3.

We can reveal our T4 to T3 ratios and measure the hormone that is available to do its job in the body, by testing our free T4 and free T3 levels.

Free T3 and Free T4 tests measure the levels of active thyroid hormone circulating in the body.

Some clinicians may only test for T4, but T3 is also important to test, as some individuals may not be converting T4 to the active T3 properly. Thus, people may have a normal T4, but a low T3 level.

How Do You Know If You Are Converting Correctly?

Take a look at your free T3 and free T4 levels. Both should be in the optimal ranges noted below, which have been determined by functional medicine guidelines and my clinical experience. If the T4 is optimal, but the T3 is below the optimal range, you know that your body is not making enough T3 hormone from the T4.

What Conditions Can Be Detected Through Thyroid Testing

Thyroid tests given in time can assist us in spotting imbalances that could potentially cause health problems. When your thyroid hormone levels are imbalanced, your body doesnt get the right amount of hormones it requires to function.

Thyroid disease is the umbrella term for a group of conditions caused by thyroid issues. It can come in a variety of forms, severity levels, and effects on the body. Thyroid testing can help you figure out if youre at risk for the following conditions:

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Is There Anything Else I Need To Know About A Tsh Test

TSH levels may be high or low even when your thyroid gland is healthy. Serious illnesses not related to your thyroid may cause lower TSH levels for a short time. And TSH levels may be higher in people over age 80, even though they don’t have any thyroid problems.

Pregnancy also affects TSH levels. They are often a little low during the first three months. But sometimes, thyroid disease develops during pregnancy. If you develop thyroid disease during pregnancy, your provider will monitor your condition through your pregnancy and after your baby is born. That’s because hyperthyroidism, and less often, hypothyroidism, can continue after you give birth. If you have a history of thyroid disease, be sure to talk with your provider if you are pregnant or are thinking of becoming pregnant.

Newborn babies are routinely screened with a TSH test to see if they were born with hypothyroidism .

The Thyroid Screening Test

The thyroid stimulating hormone, or TSH test, is used as a screening test for thyroid disease, as well as a test for monitoring the correct dose of medication needed for an individual.

This is an important test that I recommend getting every time you check your thyroid function.

TSH is a pituitary hormone that responds to low/high amounts of circulating thyroid hormone. If youre new to thyroid lab testing, it may seem counterintuitive, but an elevated TSH means that you do not have enough thyroid hormone on board and that you are hypothyroid. This is because the TSH hormone senses low thyroid levels and is released when there is a lack of it, in an effort to signal the body to make more.

In advanced cases of Hashimotos and primary hypothyroidism, this lab test will be elevated. In the case of Graves disease and hyperthyroidism, TSH levels will be low. People with Hashimotos and mild or central hypothyroidism may have a normal reading on this test.

If youve been a thyroid patient for a while, youre probably thinking to yourself, Well, of course, doesnt everyone know that? and I have to warn you Ive unfortunately seen physicians who have mistakenly thought that a low TSH meant one had an underactive thyroid, and a high TSH, an overactive thyroid putting their patients in really dangerous situations by under- or overmedicating them!

Most conventional practitioners will stop further thyroid testing when they determine the TSH is normal .

Recommended test: TSH

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How Does Thyroid Testing Work

Thyroid problems can be more harmful than you think. Without proper diagnosis and treatment, they can lead to serious health problems. Thats why we offer thyroid testing at Medical Transformation Center in Louisville, KY, so we can help address your health concerns. We can prevent severe medical problems from occurring in the first place by providing you with a variety of professional diagnostic equipment, techniques, as well as new technologies.

Why Would I Need These Tests

The thyroid gland‘s hormones help control some of your body’s metabolic processes, such as heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature and weight. Too much or too little of these hormones can make you ill.

You might need thyroid tests if:

• you have symptoms of hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism
• you are taking some form of thyroid hormone replacement treatment
• you are female and being investigated for infertility

Very rarely, babies are born without a working thyroid gland. For this reason, all Australian newborns are screened for hypothyroidism with a TSH test using a drop of blood taken from a heel prick.

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How Do You Get A Thyroid Test Without A Doctor

To get a thyroid test without a doctor, order a test from an online supplier. After receiving your testing kit in the mail, collect a sample and send it to the lab. Most companies provide you with digital test results within a week.

Youll still need to visit a doctor to analyze your results and receive a diagnosis. Dont change your medication or treatment plan based on home test results.

What To Consider When Searching For An At

In your search for an at-home thyroid test, decide what is most important for your needs. Most tests measure TSH and T4 levels. You may need further tests that measure levels such as T3, T7, TSI, and antibodies. Find out what types of recommendations for additional testing or treatment plans each company offers.

At-home tests can be considered if you have symptoms that cause you to suspect a thyroid disorder. You may also want to test your thyroid levels after implementing lifestyle changes, starting a new medication, or beginning a treatment plan. Its also a good idea to do a home test if you are at risk of developing a thyroid disorder.

At-home thyroid tests offer plenty of advantages and drawbacks to consider.

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How Does A Blood Test For Hypothyroidism Work

How to test for hypothyroidism?

Itâs important to note that there is no hypothyroidism test that can check thyroid hormones andâbased only on those test resultsâconclusively determine if someone has hypothyroidism. Thatâs because both thyroid hormone testing and a physicianâs evaluation of symptoms and medical history is required for a diagnosis.

A blood test for hypothyroidism is based on your levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone and the thyroid hormones T3 and T4. Because TSH signals the thyroid gland to produce more thyroid hormones, unusually high levels of TSH can mean that your thyroid isnât making enough hormones.

A thyroid lab test might also measure T3 and T4 to reveal just how low your thyroid hormone levels are, which can help your healthcare provider decide on a treatment strategy.

Treating Abnormal Tsh Levels

A doctor will diagnose a thyroid disorder by reviewing your medical history, conducting a physical examination, and doing multiple tests, including a blood test. In some, but not all, instances, you may need a thyroid ultrasound or thyroid scan.

Treatments for hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism can change over time, based on the severity of the condition and your response to medication.

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Side Effects Of Thyroid Blood Tests And Care

Thyroid blood tests are performed after a routine blood draw. That’s when blood is drawn from you by a syringe and sent to a lab. This is a safe procedure with few potential side effects.

It’s rare, but some people get nauseous or feel faint when they have blood drawn. Let the medical personnel know immediately if you experience these side effects.

Later, you may notice a small bruise or have some tenderness at the needle insertion site. An over-the-counter pain reliever or an ice pack can help with this.

You should get medical attention if the insertion site is:

These are signs of an infection, which needs to be treated with antibiotics.

Medical History And Physical Exam

If you have any signs or symptoms that suggest you might have thyroid cancer, your health care professional will want to know your complete medical history. You will be asked questions about your possible risk factors, symptoms, and any other health problems or concerns. If someone in your family has had thyroid cancer or tumors called pheochromocytomas, it is important to tell your doctor, as you might be at high risk for this disease.

Your doctor will examine you to get more information about possible signs of thyroid cancer and other health problems. During the exam, the doctor will pay special attention to the size and firmness of your thyroid and any enlarged lymph nodes in your neck.

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What Does The Test Result Mean

If the feedback system involving the thyroid gland is not functioning properly due to one of a variety of disorders, then increased or decreased amounts of thyroid hormones may result.

• When TSH levels are increased, the thyroid will make and release inappropriate amounts of T4 and T3 and you may experience symptoms associated with hyperthyroidism.
• If there is decreased production of thyroid hormones, you may have symptoms of hypothyroidism.

The test results alone are not diagnostic but will prompt your healthcare practitioner to perform additional testing to investigate the cause of the excess or deficiency and thyroid disorder. As examples, the most common cause of hyperthyroidism is Graves disease and the most common cause of hypothyroidism is Hashimoto thyroiditis.

The following table summarizes some examples of typical test results and their potential meaning.