Diagnosis of hyperthyroidism can be more complicated than you’d think. Because the symptoms of hyperthyroidism are generalized symptoms that are also caused by a lot of other diseases, it’s important to be tested properly by an endocrinologist.
Symptoms that can lead to a diagnosis of hyperthyroidism include tachycardia (rapid heartbeat), irregular heartbeat, palpitations, general irritability, feeling hot all the time, having warm, moist skin, lethargy combined with an inability to fall asleep easily, and unexplained weight changes.
In fact, the weight changes are one of the issues that make diagnosis of hyperthyroidism confusing. Hyperthyroidism speeds up your metabolism and increases your appetite, but some people end up losing weight because of the faster metabolism while others gain weight because of eating more. Therefore, any change in weight combined with the other symptoms listed above should cause you to discuss the possibility of a diagnosis of hyperthyroidism with your doctor.
In advanced cases of hyperthyroidism symptoms can include chest pains, muscle weakness, difficulty breathing and chest pains. This set of symptoms can also indicate panic attacks or heart attacks, so if you’re experiencing them you need to see a doctor right away. However, there is a possibility here of a diagnosis of hyperthyroidism.
Apart from symptoms, the doctor will use signs (things they look for as opposed to things you report feeling) to come to a diagnosis of hyperthyroidism. Examples of signs of hyperthyroidism include the bulging eyeballs common to people with Graves disease, one of the underlying causes of hyperthyroidism, and an enlarged thyroid gland, which will make it look like your Adam’s apple is swollen.
The other main set of tools at a doctor’s disposal for diagnosis of hyperthyroidism are medical tests. The traditional tests for hyperthyroidism include blood tests that measure thyroid hormone levels and iodine scans with dye that can detect nodules. The more advanced tests in a doctor’s artillery for diagnosis of hyperthyroidism include X-rays and thyroid ultrasounds. A good doctor will use these methods in combination (symptoms, signs, laboratory tests and visual aids like iodine scans, X-rays or ultrasound) to reach a diagnosis of hyperthyroidism without much doubt.