What Is Your Thyroid?
Your thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland that is located at the front of your neck. Although small in size, this organ is responsible for many vital bodily functions. Your thyroid primarily produces hormones, recognized as T3 and T4, that help regulate your metabolism, body temperature, and heart rate.
If you begin to experience a wide range of symptoms involving your energy levels, weight, mental health, temperature sensitivities, or heart rate, your thyroid may be over or underproducing hormones.
Here are some basic functions of your thyroid and how it impacts your overall health:
Your Metabolism
The hormones your thyroid produces are vital to your metabolism and impacts it in multiple ways. For example, your thyroid hormones increase your basal metabolic rate (BMR), helping you burn fat and increase your energy. Your thyroid hormones also affect the production of glucose, a sugar your body and brain use for energy.
Without those hormones, both your body and brain wouldn’t function properly. When your hormone production is irregulated, you may begin to notice significant weight gain or weight loss.
Your Body Temperature
The hormones your thyroid produces affect how much heat escapes your body by controlling how much your blood vessels dilate. This protects your other organs from freezing temperatures in the winter and sizzling temperatures in the summer. It also helps you feel regulated in all environmental temperatures. If you have a thyroid disorder, you may often feel too hot or too cold.
Your Heart Rate
Your thyroid hormones have a direct impact on your heart’s function, blood vessels, and cholesterol levels. The hormones are responsible for regulating your heart rate. If your heart rate is too low or too high, there could be implications for a thyroid disorder. Additionally, if these conditions go left untreated, you could be at risk for further heart complications.
Thyroid Testing at Full Spectrum Emergency Room and Urgent Care
Full Spectrum Emergency Room and Urgent Care treats conditions ranging from urgent to emergent. If you are experiencing any concerning symptoms, don’t hesitate to receive treatment. With our on-site laboratory services, we are able to test thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels and provide you with the necessary treatments.
Call our facility at (210) 429-8313 or contact us online to discover how we can further help you.