The thyroid gland is an important gland in the human body. The role of this gland is to release thyroid hormones into the bloodstream. Thyroid hormones control the metabolism and energy of the body. The two most important hormones produced by the thyroid gland are T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine). T3 increases the metabolic rate of the body and T4 is converted into T3.
Those hormones are responsible for the regulation of metabolism and energy use in the human body. It is an important component for managing metabolism, growth development, and brain function.
Hyperthyroidism can decrease the size of the thyroid gland. Hypothyroidism, on the other hand, can increase the size of the thyroid gland. The hormone TSH, one of the major thyroid stimulating hormones, can be measured in the blood to evaluate thyroid function.
When you are diagnosed with a thyroid disorder, you want to know why. You want to know what caused it, what will fix it, and most importantly, how to prevent another diagnosis in the future. The thyroid-stimulating hormone test will help you with it.
What is a thyroid-stimulating hormone (THS) test?
A thyroid-stimulating hormone (THS) test measures how much thyroid-stimulating hormone is present in the blood. This is one of the major tests which helps doctors to diagnose hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.
A test for thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels in the blood is used to screen for and diagnose thyroid problems. Here we will look at how the thyroid-stimulating hormone test works, how to prepare for the procedure, what results to expect, and what to do next. TSH plays an important role in regulating your weight, body temperature, muscle strength, and even your mood. When the number of thyroid hormones in your body is low, the pituitary gland makes more TSH, and when it is high, the pituitary gland makes less TSH. High or Low TSH levels can indicate the improper working of your thyroid.
The thyroid-stimulating hormone test is the best indicator of how well the thyroid is working.
Symptoms of Hyperthyroidism/Hypothyroidism
Hyperthyroidism or Hypothyroidism symptoms are common to other health ailments as well, which makes it difficult for it to get diagnosed.
Some symptoms that hyperthyroidism/hypothyroidism causes are:-
- Unintentional weight loss, even when your appetite and food intake stay the same or has even increased.
- Fine, brittle hair
- Irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)
- Increased appetite
- Nervousness, anxiety, and irritability
- Sweating
- Changes in menstrual patterns
- Changes in bowel patterns, especially more frequent bowel movements
- Fatigue, muscle weakness
- Rapid heartbeat (tachycardia)-commonly more than 100 beats a minute
- Skin thinning
- Pounding of your heart (palpitations)
- Tremor-usually a fine trembling in your hands and fingers
- Increased sensitivity to heat
- An enlarged thyroid gland (goitre), may appear as a swelling at the base of your neck
- Difficulty sleeping or Insomnia
How to prepare for the TSH test?
There is no specific or special preparation necessary for this blood test. You can eat and drink normally before going for a Thyroid-stimulating hormone blood test. It can be done during any part of the day without any kind of fasting needed. You only need to fast if any additional tests are also being conducted along with this blood test.
What happens during a TSH test?
For a Thyroid Stimulating Hormone test, a lab technician of your selected laboratory will take a sample of your blood by injecting a needle into a vein in your arm, normally at the bend in your elbow. This blood sample is then sent to the laboratory for investigation. There is no need to rest after this test, you can return to your usual activities quite immediately (unless you are already too ill).
What are normal Thyroid Hormone Levels?
TSH level is measured in mU/L which stands for milliunits per liter, with one milliunit equal to one-thousandth of a unit. The normal range for TSH is generally between 0.5 mU/L and 5.0 mU/L.
Higher than 5.0 mU/L indicates hyperthyroidism whereas lower than 0.5 mU/L indicates hypothyroidism.
However, pregnancy, a history of thyroid cancer, a history of pituitary gland disease, some other underlying medical conditions, and even older age are some reasons when TSH is optimally maintained in different ranges as guided by your healthcare provider.
Why is a thyroid-stimulating hormone test performed?
A Thyroid-stimulating hormone (also known as thyrotropin, thyrotropic hormone, or abbreviated TSH) stimulates the metabolism of almost every tissue in the body. A TSH test is usually prescribed to diagnose the underlying cause of abnormal thyroid hormone levels. It's also used to look for an underactive or overactive thyroid gland. By measuring the level of TSH in the blood, your healthcare provider can know how well the thyroid is working.
What do the results of a thyroid-stimulating hormone test mean?
Abnormal levels of TSH may mean either hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. Some common causes of hypothyroidism are Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Thyroiditis, Postpartum thyroiditis, Iodine deficiency among others. While causes of hyperthyroidism can be Graves disease, Thyroiditis, Excess iodine, Thyroid nodules among others.
Conclusion
The thyroid gland is a small but vital organ that produces hormones to regulate metabolism and growth. Metabolism, in particular, is the process by which your body uses and stores energy from the food you eat. The thyroid gland produces the hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), which help regulate the speed of your metabolism.
The thyroid gland is an incredibly important part of the body. It helps to regulate so many different processes and is responsible for so much of your body's overall health. It is important to test and be ensured that your thyroid gland is working properly. One of the most common diagnostic tests for hypothyroidism is the thyroid-stimulating hormone test. This test can help to determine whether or not hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism is present.
The thyroid-stimulating hormone test is a simple blood test that can determine how well your thyroid gland is functioning. If you are experiencing symptoms such as fatigue, weight gain, constipation, or irregular periods, the thyroid-stimulating hormone test may be useful to determine if your symptoms are largely due to thyroid disease. Unipath specialty laboratory provides home sample collection for your convenience and a range of health tests including the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) test.
If you have any queries, reach out to us at +91 (79) 4900 6800 or visit www.unipath.in for more information. Unipath specialty laboratory provides home sample collection for your convenience and a range of health tests including the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) test