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Topic Overview
A health professional diagnoses mild, or subclinical, hypothyroidism through a medical history and physical examination. If your health professional suspects you have subclinical hypothyroidism, you will have lab tests to confirm the diagnosis.
Subclinical hypothyroidism is diagnosed when you have:
Understanding Goiter -- Symptoms
The symptoms of a goiter are: Swelling at the front side of the base of the neck, ranging from a small lump to a general enlargement. If you have hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid gland), you may also experience weight loss despite an increased appetite, an increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, nervousness, diarrhea, muscle weakness, and hand tremors. If you have hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid gland), you may also experience lethargy, slowed physical and mental functions,...
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- No symptoms or mild symptoms of hypothyroidism (such as fatigue, cold intolerance, consistent weight gain, depression, or memory problems).
- A mildly high thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level.
- A normal or only slightly low thyroxine (T4) level.
Some people with subclinical hypothyroidism may test positive for antithyroid antibodies, which indicates they have Hashimoto's thyroiditis, which may cause a gradual loss of thyroid gland function.
Subclinical hypothyroidism should be watched closely. Up to 20% of women over the age of 60 have subclinical hypothyroidism; about 2% to 5% of people with subclinical disease develop hypothyroidism every year.1, 2
Some studies have shown that older adults with subclinical hypothyroidism may be more likely to have heart failure, but more research is needed.
Current research does not provide clear evidence to support treatment of every person with subclinical hypothyroidism, and many doctors disagree whether it should be treated. When making the decision to treat subclinical hypothyroidism, you and your health professional will talk about the benefits of treatment (reduced symptoms) compared to the cost of medicine and monitoring symptoms. Some studies have shown that treatment of subclinical hypothyroidism may lower cholesterol levels, but more research is needed.
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
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