Care For Your Elder
A condition where the thyroid gland is over producing hormones which controls the body’s metabolism is called hyperactive. When your thyroid is over productive the hormones speed up every function in the body, causing unexplained weight loss, hair loss, irregular heart beats, tremors in the hand, feeling tired all the time, increased urination, anxiety, goiter, trouble swallowing and heat intolerance to name a few. Because of the other disease processes in the elderly, often times an overactive thyroid is often overlooked.
Hyperthyroidism usually begins slowly. At first, the symptoms may be mistaken for simple nervousness due to stress. Hyperthyroidism also runs in families. If your elder’s aunt, mother, father, or great-uncle had thyroid problems, it’s a good idea to ask your elder’s doctor to monitor their thyroid hormone levels regularly.
The most common disease from having a hyperactive thyroid is Grave’s Disease, a condition in which the body produces abnormal cells that result in the over production of the thyroid hormones. You may see that the eyes look enlarged or may bulge. Some people have swelling of the front of the neck from an enlarged thyroid gland also known as a goiter. In the elderly, it is not uncommon that they only show one symptom of hyperthyroidism and needs to be treated promptly as with many diseases, this can be life-treating.
Treatment options for a hyperactive thyroid are medications – anti-thyroid, surgery and radioactive iodine treatment.
Another disease of the thyroid is where not enough hormones are produced. This is called hypothyroidism . Hypothyroidism is most prevalent in elderly populations, with 2% -20% of older age groups having some form of hypothyroidism. In a study by NHANES it was reported that the odds of having hypothyroidism were 5 times greater in persons aged 80 years and older than in individuals aged 12-49.
The symptoms of hypothyroidism are impaired mental activity, including problems with concentration and memory, depression, muscle weakness, numbness, pain, muscle cramps, unsteady gait due to muscle cramps, numbness in the fingers, hearing loss, weight gain, brittle finger nails, course dry hair, and snoring. As with many diseases in the elderly, these symptoms can mimic other diseases so care needs to be taken to assure that the elderly have their thyroids tested on a regular basis.
Treatment for a hypoactive thyroid is medications that supplement the hormones.
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