Protein in Urine (Proteinuria)

IN THIS ARTICLE
Risk Factors for Proteinuria, Treatment of Proteinuria
People with proteinuria have urine containing an abnormal amount of protein. The condition is often a sign of kidney
disease.

Healthy kidneys do not allow a significant amount of protein to pass through their filters. But filters damaged by kidney
disease may let proteins such as albumin leak from the blood into the urine.

Proteinuria can also be a result of overproduction of proteins by the body.

Kidney disease often has no early symptoms. One of its first signs may be proteinuria that's discovered by a urine test
done during a routine physical exam. Blood tests will then be done to see how well the kidneys are working.

Risk Factors for Proteinuria, The two most common risk factors for proteinuria are:

Diabetes, High blood pressure (hypertension), Both diabetes and high blood pressure can cause damage to the
kidneys, which leads to proteinuria.

Other types of kidney disease unrelated to diabetes or high blood pressure can also cause protein to leak into the urine.
Examples of other causes include:

Medications, Trauma, Toxins, Infections, Immune system disorders

Increased production of proteins in the body can lead to proteinuria. Examples include multiple myeloma and
amyloidosis.

Other risk factors include:

Obesity
Age over 65
Family history of kidney disease
Preeclampsia (high blood pressure and proteinuria in pregnancy)
Race and ethnicity: African-Americans, Native Americans, Hispanics, and Pacific Islanders are more likely than whites to
have high blood pressure and develop kidney disease and proteinuria.
Some people get more protein into urine while standing than while lying down. That is known as orthostatic proteinuria.

Treatment of Proteinuria
Proteinuria is not a specific disease. So its treatment depends on identifying and managing its underlying cause. If that
cause is kidney disease, appropriate medical management is essential.

Untreated chronic kidney disease can lead to kidney failure.

In mild or temporary proteinuria, no treatment may be necessary.

Drugs are sometimes prescribed, especially in people with diabetes and/or high blood pressure. These may come from
two classes of drugs:

ACE inhibitors (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors)

ARBs (angiotensin receptor blockers)
Proper treatment -- especially in patients with chronic disease such as diabetes and high blood pressure -- is essential to
prevent the progressive kidney damage that is causing the proteinuria.

What does high protein in urine mean?

High levels of protein in the urine may therefore be due to diseases of the kidney such as glomerulonephritis. It may also
be due to general illness, More from Ask the expert, High blood pressure (hypertension), Medicines for kidney and
liver problems, Cystitis
1 September 2014
Question
What are the possible causes of the presence of high levels of protein in urine?

Answer
In the absence of other symptoms I can only give a very general answer to this question.
The kidneys' primary function is to maintain the fluid balance in the body and to excrete unwanted soluble chemicals.
While doing this, the kidneys must conserve other important constituents circulating in the bloodstream.

Although healthy people do pass small amounts of protein in the urine normally, protein above a certain level in the
urine suggests that there may be damage to the filter mechanism (the glomeruli) or inflammation.
A second source of protein in urine is blood that may come from any part of the kidney or urinary pathway.
High levels of protein in the urine may therefore be due to diseases of the kidney, such as glomerulonephritis. It may
also be due to general illnesses that also affect the kidney as in high blood pressure or heart failure.

Infections of the renal pathway such as cystitis or pyelonephritis may cause a high level of protein in the urine.

This finding is an important part of investigations for several conditions and is extremely important when considered
with other symptoms that together indicate the cause.

Yours sincerely
The NetDoctor Medical Team

What is Acute Kidney Failure?

IN THIS ARTICLE
Symptoms of Acute Kidney Failure
Causes of Acute Kidney Failure
Am I at Risk for Acute Kidney Failure?
How do Doctors Diagnose Kidney Failure?
Kidney Failure Treatment
Your kidneys, like every other organ in your body, have multiple jobs. They’re deeply connected to the rest of your body.
Their main function is to filter waste out of your blood. They also remove extra fluid from your blood (this becomes
urine) and control blood pressure. Kidneys help make red blood cells. They regulate electrolytes (a type of nutrient) and
activate vitamin D, too.

When your kidneys are damaged, they stop working like they should. This could happen because of another health
condition, like diabetes. A decrease in kidney function that happens over time is called chronic kidney failure.

When your kidneys stop working suddenly, you have what doctors call acute kidney failure (or acute renal failure). It can
happen over just a few hours or days.

Acute kidney failure isn’t always permanent. If you get treatment right away -- and if you don’t have other serious health
problems -- your kidneys may go back to working like normal.

Symptoms of Acute Kidney Failure

Sometimes, there aren’t any. Your doctor may discover you have this condition while doing lab tests for another reason.

If you do have symptoms, they’ll depend on how bad your loss of kidney function is, how quickly you lose kidney
function, and the reasons for your kidney failure. You may experience the following:

Peeing less than normal, Swelling in your legs, ankles, and feet (caused by your body holding on to fluid)
Drowsiness or feeling very tired, Shortness of breath, Itching, Loss of appetite, Confusion, Throwing up or feeling like
you’re going to, Chest pain or pressure, Muscle twitching, Seizures or coma (in severe cases)
Stomach and back pain, Fever, Rash, Nosebleed, Causes of Acute Kidney Failure
There are three main reasons your kidneys fail all of a sudden:

Something is stopping blood flow to your kidneys. It could be because of:

An infection, Liver failure, Medications (aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, or COX-2 inhibitors, like Celebrex)
Blood pressure medications, Heart failure, Severe burns or dehydration, Blood or fluid loss
You have a condition that’s blocking urine from leaving your kidneys.
This could mean:
Bladder, cervical, colon or prostate cancer, Blood clots in your urinary tract, An enlarged prostate
Kidney stones, Nerve damage in your bladder, Medications that can directly damage kidneys, including NSAIDS,
chemotherapy, and antibiotics,

Something has directly damaged your kidneys, like:

Blood clots, Cholesterol deposits, Glomerulonephritis (inflamed kidney filters; can be caused by an infection,
autoimmune disease (like lupus), multiple myeloma, scleroderma, chemotherapy drugs, antibiotics, or other toxins)

Am I at Risk for Acute Kidney Failure?

Most of the time, kidney failure happens along with another medical condition or event. If you fall into any of the
following categories, you may have a greater chance of acute kidney failure:

You’ve been hospitalized for a long time, especially in intensive care.

You have diabetes.
You’re elderly.
Blood vessels in your arms and legs are blocked.
You have heart failure or high blood pressure.
You have chronic kidney or liver disease.
How do Doctors Diagnose Kidney Failure?
Your doctor will start with a physical exam. Then, he’ll order tests of your blood, urine, and kidneys.

Blood tests. These measure two substances in your blood -- creatinine and urea nitrogen.

Creatinine is a waste product in your blood that’s produced by muscle activity. Normally, it’s removed from your blood
by your kidneys. But if those organs stop working, your creatinine level rises.
Urea nitrogen is another waste product in your blood. It’s created when protein from the foods you eat is broken down.
Like creatinine, your kidneys remove this from your blood. When your kidneys stop working, your urea nitrogen levels
rise.
Urine tests. Your doctor will check your pee for blood and protein. He’ll also look for certain electrolytes (chemicals that
control important body functions). The results help him understand what’s causing your kidney failure.

Imaging tests. Some tests, like ultrasonography or a CT scan, can show whether your kidneys are enlarged or there’s a
blockage in your urine flow. An angiogram can tell your doctor if the arteries or veins that lead to your kidneys are
blocked. An MRI can show the same thing.

Kidney Failure Treatment

If there aren’t any other problems, the kidneys may heal themselves.

In most other cases, acute kidney failure can be treated if it’s caught early. It may involve changes to your diet, the use
of medications, or even dialysis.

Diet. Your doctor will limit the amount of salt and potassium you can take in until your kidneys heal. That’s because both
of these substances are removed from your body through your kidneys. Changing how and what you eat won’t reverse
acute kidney failure. But your doctor may modify your diet while he deals with the conditions that caused it. This may
mean treating a health problem like heart failure, taking you off certain medications, or giving you fluids through an IV if
you’re dehydrated.
Drugs. Your doctor may prescribe medicines that regulate the amount of phosphorous and potassium in your blood.
When your kidneys fail, they can’t remove these substances from your body. Medications won’t help your kidneys, but
they may reduce some of the problems kidney failure causes.
Dialysis . If you have acute kidney failure, your doctor will most likely recommend hemodialysis. In this procedure, you’re
hooked up to a machine that cleans your blood. If the cause of your kidney failure is treated and the organs recover, you
may only need hemodialysis for a short time. If not, you’ll need it permanently.

7 Signs You May Have a Vitamin D Deficiency

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Vitamin D Levels
Story at-a-glance
Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in adults of all ages who always wear sun protection (which blocks vitamin D
production) or limit their outdoor activities
Researchers estimate that 50 percent of the general population is at risk of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency, and
this percentage rises in higher-risk populations such as the elderly and those with darker skin
Signs you may have a vitamin D deficiency include age over 50, having darker skin, obesity, achy bones, feeling blue,
head sweating, and gut trouble
Increasing levels of vitamin D3 among the general population could prevent chronic diseases that claim nearly one
million lives throughout the world each year
Optimizing your vitamin D levels may help you prevent cancer, heart disease, autoimmune diseases, infections, mental
health conditions, and more
By Dr. Mercola

Vitamin D deficiency is incredibly common in the US, but many Americans mistakenly believe they aren't at risk because
they consume vitamin-D-fortified foods (such as milk).

There are very few foods that actually have therapeutic levels of vitamin D naturally and even fortified foods do not
contain enough vitamin D to support your health needs.

Despite its name, vitamin D is not a regular vitamin. It's actually a steroid hormone that you are designed to obtain
primarily through sun exposure, not via your diet.

Just How Widespread Is Vitamin D Deficiency?

Before the year 2000, very few doctors ever considered the possibility that you might be vitamin D deficient.
But as the technology to measure vitamin D became inexpensive and widely available, more and more studies were
done, and it became increasingly clear that vitamin D deficiency was absolutely rampant. For example, according to one
of the leading vitamin D researchers, Dr. Michael Holick:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 32 percent of children and adults throughout the US
were vitamin D deficient -- and this is grossly underestimated as they used vitamin D levels that were not consistent with
optimal health.
The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that 50 percent of children aged one to five years, and 70
percent of children between the ages of six and 11, are deficient or insufficient in vitamin D
Researchers such as Dr. Holick estimate that 50 percent of the general population is at risk of vitamin D deficiency and
insufficiency
Researchers have also noted that vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in adults of all ages who always wear sun protection
(which blocks vitamin D production) or limit their outdoor activities.1 People with increased skin pigmentation (such as
those whose ancestors are from Africa, the Middle East, or India) are also at risk, as are the elderly.

It's estimated that over 95 percent of US senior citizens may be deficient in vitamin D, not only because they tend to
spend a lot of time indoors but also because they produce less in response to sun exposure (a person over the age of 70
produces about 30 percent less vitamin D than a younger person with the same sun exposure).2

7 Signs You May Be Vitamin D Deficient

The only way to know for sure if you're vitamin D deficient is via blood testing. However, there are some signs and
symptoms to be aware of as well. If any of the following apply to you, you should get your vitamin D levels tested sooner
rather than later.
1. You Have Darker Skin
African Americans are at greater risk of vitamin D deficiency, because if you have dark skin, you may need as much as 10
times more sun exposure to produce the same amount of vitamin D as a person with pale skin!
As Dr. Holick explained, your skin pigment acts as a natural sunscreen, so the more pigment you have, the more time
you'll need to spend in the sun to make adequate amounts of vitamin D.
2. You Feel "Blue"
Serotonin, the brain hormone associated with mood elevation, rises with exposure to bright light and falls with
decreased sun exposure. In 2006, scientists evaluated the effects of vitamin D on the mental health of 80 elderly
patients and found those with the lowest levels of vitamin D were 11 times more prone to be depressed than those who
received healthy doses.3
3. You're 50 or Older
As mentioned, as you get older your skin doesn't make as much vitamin D in response to sun exposure. At the same
time, your kidneys become less efficient at converting vitamin D into the form used by your body and older adults tend
to spend more time indoors (i.e. getting even less sun exposure and therefore vitamin D).
4. You're Overweight or Obese (or Have a Higher Muscle Mass)
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble, hormone-like vitamin, which means body fat acts as a "sink" by collecting it. If you're
overweight or obese, you're therefore likely going to need more vitamin D than a slimmer person -- and the same holds
true for people with higher body weights due to muscle mass.
5. Your Bones Ache
According to Dr. Holick, many who see their doctor for aches and pains, especially in combination with fatigue, end up
being misdiagnosed as having fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome.
"Many of these symptoms are classic signs of vitamin D deficiency osteomalacia, which is different from the vitamin D
deficiency that causes osteoporosis in adults," he says. "What's happening is that the vitamin D deficiency causes a
defect in putting calcium into the collagen matrix into your skeleton. As a result, you have throbbing, aching bone pain."
6. Head Sweating
According to Dr. Holick, one of the first, classic signs of vitamin D deficiency is a sweaty head. In fact, physicians used to
ask new mothers about head sweating in their newborns for this very reason. Excessive sweating in newborns due to
neuromuscular irritability is still described as a common, early symptom of vitamin D deficiency.4
7. You Have Gut Trouble
Remember, vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means if you have a gastrointestinal condition that affects your
ability to absorb fat, you may have lower absorption of fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin D as well. This includes gut
conditions like Crohn's, celiac and non-celiac gluten sensitivity, and inflammatory bowel disease.

Optimizing Your Vitamin D Levels May Prevent Cancer, Heart Disease, and More
Researchers have pointed out that increasing levels of vitamin D3 among the general population could prevent chronic
diseases that claim nearly one million lives throughout the world each year. Incidence of several types of cancer could
also be slashed in half. As mentioned by Dr. Holick, one of the Nurses' Health Studies showed that nurses who had the
highest blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, averaging about 50 ng/ml, reduced their risk of developing breast cancer by
as much as 50 percent. Similarly, a Canadian study done by Dr. Knight showed that women who reported having the
most sun exposure as a teenager and young adult had almost a 70 percent reduced risk of developing breast cancer. Dr.
Holick noted:

"Studies have shown that if you improve your vitamin D status, it reduces risk of colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, and
a whole host of other deadly cancers by 30 to 50 percent. You're correct. Cancer is a big deal. You need to realize that
vitamin D is playing a very important role in helping to maintain cell growth and to help fight cancer when a cancer cell is
developing in your body."

Vitamin D also fights infections, including colds and the flu, as it regulates the expression of genes that influence your
immune system to attack and destroy bacteria and viruses. In this interview above, Dr. Holick expounds on these and
many other health benefits of vitamin D. For instance, optimizing your vitamin D levels can help protect against:

Cardiovascular disease. Vitamin D is very important for reducing hypertension, atherosclerotic heart disease, heart
attack, and stroke. According to Dr. Holick, one study showed that vitamin D deficiency increased the risk of heart attack
by 50 percent. What's worse, if you have a heart attack and you're vitamin D deficient, your risk of dying from that heart
attack creeps up to nearly 100 percent!
Autoimmune diseases. Vitamin D is a potent immune modulator, making it very important for the prevention of
autoimmune diseases, like multiple sclerosis and inflammatory bowel disease.
Infections, including influenza. It also helps you fight infections of all kinds. A study done in Japan, for example, showed
that schoolchildren taking 1,200 units of vitamin D per day during winter reduced their risk of getting influenza A
infection by about 40 percent. I believe it's far more prudent, safer, less expensive, and most importantly, far more
effective to optimize your vitamin D levels than to get vaccinated against the flu.
DNA repair and metabolic processes. One of Dr. Holick's studies showed that healthy volunteers taking 2,000 IUs of
vitamin D per day for a few months up-regulated 291 different genes that control up to 80 different metabolic
processes, from improving DNA repair to having effect on autoxidation (oxidation that occurs in the presence of oxygen
and/or UV radiation, which has implications for aging and cancer, for example), boosting your immune system and many
other biological processes.
How Much Vitamin D Do You Need for Optimal Health?
When it comes to vitamin D, you don't want to be in the "average" or "normal" range, you want to be in the "optimal"
range. The reason for this is that as the years have gone by, researchers have progressively moved that range upward. At
present, based on the evaluation of healthy populations that get plenty of natural sun exposure, the optimal range for
general health appears to be somewhere between 50 and 70 ng/ml. As for how to optimize your vitamin D levels, I
firmly believe that appropriate sun exposure is the best way. In fact, I personally have not taken a vitamin D supplement
for three or four years, yet my levels are in the 70 ng/ml range.

Generally speaking, this will be when your skin turns the lightest shade of pink or, as Dr. Holick recommends, about half
of the time you suspect it would take you to get a mild sunburn (So if you know you tend to get sunburned after 30
minutes, you'd want to stay in the sun for about 15 minutes). How long you need to stay in the sun varies greatly
depending on the factors below:

Antioxidant levels and diet in general, Age, Skin color and/or current tan level, Use of sunscreen, Latitude and
altitude (elevation), Cloud cover and pollution, Ozone layer, Surface reflection, Season, Time of day
Weigh

If your circumstances don't allow you to access the sun, then you really only have one option if you want to raise your
vitamin D, and that is to take a vitamin D supplement. As a general guideline, research by GrassrootsHealth suggests that
adults need about 8,000 IUs per day to achieve a serum level of 40 ng/ml. If you do opt for a vitamin D supplement,
please remember that you also need to boost your intake of vitamin K2 through food and/or a supplement. If you're
getting your vitamin D from the sun, this is not as critical, although you'd be wise to make sure you're getting sufficient
amounts of vitamin K2 from your diet either way.

Get Your Vitamin D Levels Tested with the D*Action Project

How do you know if your vitamin D level is in the right range? The most important factor is having your vitamin D serum
level tested every six months, as people vary widely in their response to ultraviolet exposure or oral D3
supplementation. The test is called 25(OH)D, also called 25-hydroxyvitamin D, and you can have it done by virtually any
physician. You should test at your highest point, which (if you live in the US) is typically in August and again at your
lowest point, which is usually February. Knowing your vitamin D levels is one of the most important tests you can take,
so please, if you haven't checked your levels before, do it now -- I cannot stress the importance of this enough.

If you're interested in having your vitamin D levels tested right from home, consider joining the D*Action Project. The
D*Action project has been initiated by GrassrootsHealth along with 42 leading vitamin D researchers to demonstrate
how health can be achieved right now with what's known about vitamin D with a combination of vitamin D
measurement and health outcome tracking. In order to spread this health movement to more communities, the project
needs your involvement. To participate, simply purchase the D*Action Measurement Kit and follow the registration
instructions included. (Please note that 100 percent of the proceeds from the kits go to fund the research project. I do
not charge a single dime as a distributor of the test kits.)

As a participant, you agree to test your vitamin D levels twice a year during a five-year study, and share your health
status to demonstrate the public health impact of this nutrient. There is a $65 fee every six months for your sponsorship
of this research project, which includes a test kit to be used at home, and electronic reports on your ongoing progress.
You will get a follow up email every six months reminding you "it's time for your next test and health survey."
Remember, more than 75 percent of the world's population is vitamin D deficient and most don't know it!
GrassrootsHealth D*Action is an integrated set of performance and feedback systems to give you complete control of
your individual vitamin D performance systems, which will help you gain a total picture of your health. There's no doubt
in my mind that the D*Action programs can be a major key to help turn the current health paradigm from "treatment"
to "prevention."

Risk Factors, Signs, and Symptoms of a Thyroid Condition

By Mary Shomon | Reviewed by a board-certified physician
Updated May 17, 2017
PRINT
The thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland located in your neck, is your master gland of metabolism. When your thyroid
doesn't function it can affect every aspect of your health, especially your weight, brain chemistry (contributing or
leading to depression and anxiety), energy levels, and heart health.

It's estimated that as many as 59 million Americans have a thyroid problem, but the majority don't know it yet.

For those of you who have been diagnosed, it sometimes seems like your thyroid symptoms—including those of an
underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) or overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism)—are as hard to pin down as the thyroid
diagnosis itself. For those of you who are currently undiagnosed, it's important to know that untreated thyroid problems
can increase your risk of obesity, heart disease, infertility, and a host of other symptoms and health problems.

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Whether diagnosed or undiagnosed, you may not have all of these thyroid risk factors, signs, or symptoms. But
recognizing them is important, and taking action to get a proper diagnosis and thorough treatment is essential.

Risk Factors for Thyroid Disease and Thyroid Conditions

Some of the key risk factors for thyroid disease include:

Gender: Women face a greater risk of thyroid disease than men

Age: Thyroid disease is more common as we get older, especially after 50 (but it can affect people of any age)
Having a personal or family history of thyroid disease
Surgery to remove all or part of the thyroid
Radioactive iodine ablation (RAI) treatment
Currently pregnant or in the first year after childbirth
Being a current or former smoker
Recent exposure to iodine in a medical procedure
Taking iodine from herbs or supplements
Living in an area that is iodine-deficient
Various medical treatments and medications
Overconsumption of raw foods in the goitrogen family, such as Brussels sprouts, spinach, and soy
Trauma or surgery to the neck
Radiation exposure, via medical treatments or nuclear accidents
It’s important for you to know that having a personal or family history of any autoimmune disease raises your risk for
thyroid disease. If you or any of your family members have an autoimmune disease, including Hashimoto's thyroiditis
and Graves' disease, you should be vigilant about watching for thyroid symptoms.

Some of the other well-known autoimmune conditions include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, inflammatory bowel disease,
multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, vitiligo, type 1 diabetes, Addison's disease, Cushing's syndrome, Raynaud's syndrome,
Sjogren's syndrome, and alopecia.

fluoride in water, thyroid effects of fluoride, fluoridation, fluoridated water

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Nutritional Factors That Affect Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, There are more than 80 conditions classified as autoimmune.

As you will see below, there are a variety of thyroid conditions with both overlapping and unique symptoms.

Thyroid and Neck Changes Common to Thyroid Conditions

Thyroid conditions frequently cause symptoms in the neck area where your thyroid is located. Some of the neck-related
symptoms that can point to hypothyroidism, Hashimoto’s disease, hyperthyroidism, Graves’ disease, various types of
thyroiditis, and thyroid cancer include:

An enlarged neck
Palpable enlargement in the thyroid gland itself (goiter)
A visible or palpable lump or lumps in your neck, Feeling of a lump in your throat when swallowing
A sore throat, Pain or tenderness in the neck, Your neck or throat feels sensitive, and ties, scarves, or turtlenecks
don’t feel comfortable, Evidence of increased blood flow to the thyroid, detected by stethoscope
Hypothyroidism/Hashimoto's Disease/Underactive Thyroid Signs and Symptoms
Clinical Signs of Hypothyroidism

In addition to the neck symptoms identified above, there are some observable clinical signs of Hashimoto's disease and
hypothyroidism that can be measured, detected, or identified in a clinical examination or testing with your practitioner.

These clinical signs of an underactive thyroid include:

An unusually low pulse, Unusually low blood pressure, Lower-than-normal body temperature
Slow or sluggish reflexes, Puffiness in your face, especially around your eyes, Puffiness or swelling of your hands and
feet (known as edema), Hair loss and, in particular, the loss of hair from the outer edge of your eyebrows, which is a
unique hypothyroidism sign, High cholesterol levels that are unresponsive to cholesterol-lowering medication or dietary
changes, Chronic or severe constipation that is unresponsive to treatment, Common Hypothyroidism Symptoms

Some common hypothyroidism symptoms include:

Fatigue/Low Energy: You feel run down, sluggish, and exhausted, even after a lengthy sleep.
Mood Changes: You feel depressed or blue; you have feelings of sadness or worthlessness; you feel anxious or restless;
your moods change easily.
Weight and Metabolism: You are unexpectedly gaining weight, despite no change to your healthy diet and exercise. You
are unable to lose weight, or you may even be gaining weight on a healthy, reduced-calorie diet with increased exercise.
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Concentration and Memory: You have “brain fog,” difficulty concentrating, and difficulty remembering.
Body Temperature: You feel cold when others feel hot.
Hair Changes: Your hair is coarse and dry, breaking, brittle, or falling out.
Skin Changes: Your skin is coarse, dry, scaly, and thick, especially the soles of your feet.
Voice Changes: You have a hoarse or gravelly voice.
Pain: You have aches and pains in your joints, shoulders, hands, feet, or pain-related conditions like frozen shoulder,
carpal tunnel syndrome, tarsal tunnel syndrome, and plantar fasciitis.
Sex Drive: You have no sex drive or a lower sex drive.
Snoring/Apnea: You’re snoring more lately, or you have developed sleep apnea.
Eye Changes: Your eyes feel gritty, dry, and sensitive to light.
Hypothyroidism Signs and Symptoms in Women

There are some hypothyroidism signs that are unique to women:

Puberty: Hypothyroidism can cause both early puberty and early onset of menstruation, as well as delayed puberty.
Menstrual Changes: You have severe menstrual cramps, unusually heavy menstrual periods, or irregular menstrual
cycles.
Fertility/Pregnancy: You have had trouble conceiving a baby, a history of failed assisted reproduction treatments, a
history of recurrent miscarriage, postpartum depression, and/or problems with breastfeeding.
Perimenopause/Menopause: Your perimenopause is starting earlier than normal, you have an earlier menopause, or
you are having especially difficult perimenopausal or menopausal symptoms.
Hypothyroidism Signs and Symptoms in Newborns

Some specialized signs of hypothyroidism in newborns include:

Low muscle tone, Poor feeding, failure to gain weight

Hoarse crying, Hypothyroidism Signs and Symptoms in Children/Adolescents

Some specialized signs of hypothyroidism in children and adolescents include:

Decreased growth rate, or growth retardation, Delayed skeletal maturation

Early or delayed puberty, Decreased energy
Appearing swollen or puffy, Weight gain without increased appetite
Constipation or harder stools, Deterioration in handwriting
School problems, Hyperthyroidism/Graves' Disease/Overactive Thyroid Signs and Symptoms
Clinical Signs of Hyperthyroidism

There are some observable signs of Graves' disease and hyperthyroidism that can be measured, seen, or detected in a
clinical examination by your practitioner. These signs of an overactive thyroid include:
Goiter (an enlarged thyroid), An unusually high pulse
Unusually high blood pressure, Fever, Fast or hyperresponsive reflexes
Evidence of heart palpitations, rhythm irregularities, or atrial fibrillation
Unusually low cholesterol levels, Chronic or severe diarrhea that is unresponsive to treatment
Eye Changes

Changes to your eyes are common in hyperthyroidism and Graves’ disease, but can also be due to a related condition,
known as Graves’ ophthalmopathy or thyroid eye disease. Symptoms include:

Your eyes feel gritty and dry. Your eyes are red, dry, swollen, puffy, or watery.
Your eyes are sensitive to light. Your vision is blurry.
You are having double vision. Your eyeballs appear to be bulging (proptosis); your eyes aren’t completely covered
when your eyelids are closed. You have “lid lag," when your upper eyelid doesn't smoothly follow downward
movements of the eyes when you look down.

Some other common hyperthyroidism symptoms you may experience including:

Sleep: You may have insomnia, or find it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep.
Fatigue/Energy: In some cases, hyperthyroidism may make you feel wired and unusually energetic, but it is also common
to feel fatigued, run down, sluggish, and exhausted
Mood Changes: You feel anxious, panicky, irritated, angry, or unusually stressed. You may be easily startled. You may
also feel depressed or blue, have feelings of sadness or worthlessness, and your moods change easily.
Weight and Metabolism: You are unexpectedly losing weight, despite no change to your healthy diet and exercise. Or,
your appetite has increased and you are eating more, but you are not gaining weight.
Concentration and Memory: You have “brain fog,” difficulty concentrating, and difficulty remembering.
Body Temperature/Sweating: You feel hot when others feel hot; you are sweating and feel thirsty more.
Hair Changes: Your hair is falling out. Your hair is thinning or has become fine.
Skin Changes: You have developed unusually smooth and young looking skin. You have developed hives. You have
unusual rashes or blister-like bumps on your forehead and face (milaria bumps). You have spider veins your face and
neck area.
Voice Changes: You have a hoarse or gravelly voice.
Pain/Weakness: You have aches and pains in your joints, shoulders, hands, feet, or extreme muscle weakness,
particularly in your upper arms and legs.
Sex Drive: You may have an unusually exaggerated sex drive, or you may have a drop in your normal sex drive.
Tremors/Movements: You have tremors or shakiness in your hands, or hyperkinetic movements (i.e., table drumming,
tapping feet, jerky movements); this is often more severe in children.
Fingers/Nails: You have swollen fingertips (acropachy) or a separation of fingernails from your underlying nail bed
(onycholysis or Plummer's nails).
Shins: You have lesions on your shins or patches of thickened skin, known as pretibial myxedema or dermopathy.
Hyperthyroidism Signs and Symptoms in Women

There are some hyperthyroidism signs that are unique to women:

You are pregnant but losing weight.

You are rapidly losing weight after having a baby.
You are pregnant and having excessive nausea or vomiting.
You have a history of irregular menstrual cycles, especially skipped periods, shorter and lighter periods, and longer
periods of time between periods.
You have a history of infertility or recurrent miscarriage.
Hyperthyroidism Signs and Symptoms in Infants/Children/Adolescents

In infants, children, and adolescents, some common symptoms include:

Easy startling, jumpiness

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-type symptoms
Hyperactivity or temper tantrums, Trembling hands
Hyperkinetic movements such as drumming on tables, jerking of leg, tapping feet
Delayed puberty, Difficulty gaining weight
A big appetite without weight gain, or with weight loss
Trouble concentrating and poor school performance
Sweating, Sleep problems and insomnia
A wide-eyed stare,

Thyroiditis Signs and Symptoms

Thyroiditis includes a variety of inflammatory thyroid conditions. Some cases of thyroiditis have no symptoms at all.
There are also situations where the thyroiditis is either slowing down or speeding up the thyroid, so the symptom
patterns fit into those of hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism as described above.

Some unique symptoms that are found in certain types of thyroiditis include the following:
Enlargement of the thyroid (goiter) Pain, tenderness, or soreness in the neck or throat area
Difficulty swallowing, Fever, Enlarged lymph nodes near the thyroid.
Hoarseness in your voice, A form of thyroiditis known as acute infectious thyroiditis is characterized by more
significant symptoms, including:

The rapid onset of neck pain and tenderness, usually only one side of the neck
The onset of pain is accompanied by fever, chills and other symptoms of infection
An enlargement or mass in your neck area; it may be "movable" to your touch
Multinodular Goiter Signs and Symptoms
Multinodular goiter involves multiple nodules, as well as enlargement of the thyroid gland. Symptoms can include:

a swollen, tender, tight, or full feeling in the neck or throat, pain or pressure in the neck, hoarseness or coughing
difficulty swallowing or breathing, heart palpitations, insomnia, fatigue,

Thyroid Cancer Signs and Symptoms

Thyroid cancer, especially early in its development, may not cause any symptoms at all. But as a thyroid cancer grows
and develops, it's more likely to cause localized symptoms in your neck and throat. Some of the symptoms that may
point to thyroid cancer include the following:

A lump or nodule in the neck, especially in the front of the neck in the area of the Adam's apple (Note: Sometimes the
lump or nodule may grow quickly.)
Enlargement of the neck
Enlarged or swollen lymph nodes in the neck
Changes to your voice, including hoarseness, scratchiness, and difficulty speaking
Difficulty swallowing or a choking feeling
Difficulty breathing
Pain in your neck or throat, including pain from the neck to the ears
Sensitivity in the neck; discomfort with neckties, turtlenecks, scarves, necklaces
A persistent or chronic cough not due to allergies or illness
Asymmetry in your neck; one side may be larger than the other
A Word From Verywell
One of the challenges in thyroid diagnosis is that your thyroid symptoms overlap with and are common to many other
issues. This can lead to being misdiagnosed with another condition—maybe your symptoms are said to be "normal for
just having had a baby,” for example—without a thorough investigation, diagnosis, and treatment of your thyroid. In
some cases, without a thorough evaluation of your thyroid, you may even be diagnosed with a mental health condition
like depression or panic disorder.

A special situation can also be a challenge. The symptoms of Hashimoto's disease usually parallel the hypothyroidism
that is a result of the disease. Occasionally, however, while the thyroid is failing, it can have periods where it sputters
into life and even becomes temporarily overactive. This is known as Hashitoxicosis. Symptoms can be confusing, cycling
over a period of days or weeks between hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism symptoms.

One important tip: Make sure that you bring a checklist of your risks and symptoms with you to the doctor. If you have a
practitioner who—despite your potential thyroid symptoms—refuses to even do a clinical examination and blood test,
or acknowledge that these symptoms may warrant further treatment, you may need to find a new doctor.

Also be aware that certain health conditions may cause, be caused by, or are more common in thyroid patients. If you
have any of these conditions, you should also be on the watch for potential thyroid symptoms and have your thyroid
periodically evaluated. These conditions include celiac disease; fibromyalgia; chronic fatigue syndrome; Lyme disease;
carpal tunnel syndrome; tarsal tunnel syndrome; tendonitis; plantar fasciitis; hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol)
especially when unresponsive to medication; infertility; recurrent miscarriage; frozen shoulder; and hemochromatosis.

What are the signs and symptoms of prostatitis?

Signs and symptoms
Prostatitis can cause a wide range of symptoms, which vary from man to man. Some common symptoms include:

discomfort, pain or aching in your testicles, or the area between your testicles and back passage (perineum), or the tip of
your penis, discomfort, pain or aching in the lower part of your stomach area (lower abdomen), your groin or your
back, needing to urinate frequently or urgently, pain or stinging during or after urinating, feeling as if you’re
sitting on a golf ball, no desire for sex (lack of libido), less commonly, difficulty getting or keeping an erection (erectile
dysfunction), pain or burning during ejaculation, and premature ejaculation.
The different types of prostatitis can also cause other symptoms. Acute bacterial prostatitis can cause pain in your
muscles or joints in the pelvic area, thighs and lower back. It can be severe, causing a high temperature (fever), sweating
and chills. Some men find they suddenly and painfully can’t pee (acute urinary retention) - this needs treating straight
away, usually at a hospital.

Chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) usually causes pain in the pelvic area (the area below your stomach), including the
area between your testicles and back passage (perineum). The symptoms can go on for a long time. You might be
diagnosed with CPPS if you’ve had symptoms for more than three of the last six months.
What is Prostatitis?
Symptoms of Prostatitis, Prostatitis Risk Factors
The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that all men have. It’s found below your bladder and in front of your rectum. The
job of the prostate is to make fluid that contains sperm (semen). This fluid protects the sperm when they travel toward a
female’s egg.

If your prostate becomes swollen, tender, and inflamed, you have a condition called “prostatitis.” This isn’t cancer, and
it’s different from having an “enlarged prostate.”

Symptoms of Prostatitis
There are four types of prostatitis. Each has its own set of symptoms and causes. These include:

Acute bacterial prostatitis. Your urinary tract is made up of your kidneys, bladder, and the tubes that pass between
them. If bacteria from here finds its way into your prostate, you can get an infection.

This type of prostatitis comes on quickly. You might suddenly have:

High fever, Chills, Muscle aches, Joint pain, Pain around the base of your penis or behind your scrotum
Lower back pain, Feeling like you need to have a bowel movement, Trouble peeing, Weak urine stream
Acute bacterial prostatitis is a severe condition. If you notice these symptoms, seek medical care right away.

Chronic bacterial prostatitis. This is more common in older men. It’s a milder bacterial infection that can linger for
several months. Some men get it after they’ve had a urinary tract infection (UTI) or acute bacterial prostatitis.

The symptoms of chronic bacterial prostatitis often come and go. This makes them easy to miss. With this condition, you
might sometimes have:

An urgent need to pee, often in the middle of the night, Painful urination, Pain after you ejaculate (release semen at
orgasm), Lower back pain, Rectum pain, A “heavy” feeling behind your scrotum, Blood in your semen
A UTI, Urinary blockage (no urine comes out),

Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). This is the most common type of prostatitis. It shares many
of the same signs as bacterial prostatitis. The difference is that when tests are run, no bacteria are present with this
type.

Doctors aren’t sure what causes CP/CPPS. Triggers include stress, nearby nerve damage, and physical injury. Chemicals
in your urine or a UTI you had in the past may play a role. CP/CPPS has also been linked to immune disorders like chronic
fatigue syndrome and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

The main sign of CP/CPPS is pain that lasts more than 3 months in at least one of these body parts:

Penis (often at the tip), Scrotum, Between your scrotum and rectum, Lower abdomen, Lower back

You may also have pain when you pee or ejaculate. You might not be able to hold your urine, or you may have to pee
more than 8 times a day. A weak urine stream is another common symptom of CP/CPPS.

Asymptomatic prostatitis. Men who have this type of prostatitis have an inflamed prostate but no symptoms. You may
only learn you have it if your doctor does a blood test that checks your prostate health. Asymptomatic prostatitis
doesn’t need any treatment, but it can lead to infertility.

Prostatitis Risk Factors

You’re more likely to have problems with your prostate if:

You’re between the ages of 36 and 50, You’ve had a UTI, You’ve had a groin injury, You use a urinary catheter
You’ve had a prostate biopsy, You have HIV/AIDS, You’ve had prostatitis before, An inflamed or infected
prostate gland is common in men of all ages.

If you have prostatitis, your doctor can help you find ways to manage your symptoms and control your pain. Researchers
are also trying to better understand what causes it. This will allow them to find more treatments that work.