Should I worry about high TSH?
Should I worry about high TSH?
If your TSH level is higher than 10 mIU/L, you should start treatment, because you will very likely develop symptoms of an underactive thyroid, even if you don’t have them now.
What can affect TSH levels?
Concomitant diseases, medications, supplements, age, gender, ethnicity, iodine status, time of day, time of year, autoantibodies, heterophilic antibodies, smoking, and other factors influence the level of TSH, or the performance of current TSH assays.
Can stress cause high TSH levels?
Increased levels of glucocorticoids lower the levels of TSH in the blood. A delicate balance between stress hormones and cortisol must exist for proper thyroid function. If this delicate balance changes, your thyroid symptoms may increase.
What are the long term side effects of high TSH levels?
High TSH levels can be a symptom of several diseases, including hypothyroidism and, more uncommonly, pituitary tumors, according to WebMD. Long-term untreated hypothyroidism can cause heart disease, obesity, goiter, pain and infertility, as stated by Mayo Clinic.
What happens when TSH is too high?
High TSH levels from thyroid disease lead to muscle and joint aches and pains, along with stiffness and swelling. Weakness and loss of deep tendon reflexes may occur. Numbness and tingling in the extremities commonly occur.
What do dangerously high TSH levels indicate?
If your TSH levels are abnormally high, it could mean you have an underactive thyroid, or hypothyroidism. That’s because it indicates your pituitary gland is producing more TSH in an effort to stimulate your thyroid to produce thyroid hormone, according to the Mayo Clinic.
What are the treatments for high TSH levels?
Standard treatment for hypothyroidism involves daily use of the synthetic thyroid hormone levothyroxine (Levo-T, Synthroid, others). This oral medication restores adequate hormone levels, reversing the signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism. You’ll likely start to feel better soon after you start treatment.
