Greenville SC Thyroid Clinic Shares How Stress Can Cause Thyroid Problems

Stress is a part of life for everyone, but has it become a contributing factor to your thyroid problem? It’s commonly known that a lot of stress is bad for your health, but many people don’t realize it can affect the thyroid in particular. This is why it is so important to learn more about how stress works within your body and what role it can play with thyroid health. Here is some important information to know:

Stress Affects Hormone Levels

When you are under stress it's more than just a feeling you have to deal with. It actually causes your adrenal glands to release a hormone called cortisol. Too much of this hormone can interrupt the production of thyroid hormones that are needed for your body to function normally. That’s why most people notice this when they start to experience various symptoms, like weight gain, insomnia and constant fatigue.

Unfortunately as those adrenal glands continue to produce cortisol (which is common for individuals dealing with chronic stress), the entire body, including the thyroid, can begin to slow down. This can even lead to a weakened immune system, which can leave you more prone to autoimmune diseases that also disrupt the functionality of the thyroid. 

The Problem with Traditional Care

When you see a traditional care provider for help with a low thyroid, they may give you one or two tests to see what level your thyroid hormones are at. Unfortunately they don’t do any other testing to uncover the actual root cause of the problem, which is an issue if you’re suffering from chronic stress or other health problems. If you don’t want to leave every appointment wondering whether or not you received the information you need, then it’s important to seek help elsewhere.

By choosing an alternative care provider such as a functional wellness practitioner, you will get the comprehensive testing you need to learn more about your health. Their priority is to uncover the root cause of your thyroid problem, which means looking at everything from stress hormone levels to the immune system. Once they have identified the dysfunctions, imbalances or deficits that need to be addressed, you’ll know the exact reasons why your thyroid hasn’t been functioning, as it should.

Dealing with Stress

Once your testing is complete your functional wellness practitioner will provide you with a drug-free plan to help address your individual health issues. If stress does turn out to be something that is affecting your thyroid function, then they will recommend solutions that can help lower stress hormone levels.

As you continue to utilize the recommended solutions you may notice positive changes with the way you feel. However, in order to actually see your progress, your functional wellness practitioner will regularly meet with you to update test results. This may help you gain confidence knowing you’re making positive changes that can benefit you in the long run.