Will hypothyroidism cause diarrhea?

Hypothyroidism is caused by thyroid disease, and thyroid disease is caused by the lack of iodine in the body. Thyroid disease will lead to abnormal secretion of thyroid-stimulating hormone in the body, and some symptoms will appear. Hypothyroidism will make people pale, skin quality will deteriorate and become rough, and memory will also deteriorate. So will hypothyroidism cause diarrhea?

1. Causes

The cause of the disease is relatively complex, with primary being the most common, followed by pituitary, and the others being rare.

2. Clinical manifestations

1. Pale complexion, puffy eyelids and cheeks, dull expression, dry, thickened, rough and scaly skin all over the body, non-pitting edema, hair loss, sallow hands and feet, weight gain, and a few patients have thick and brittle nails.

2. Neuropsychiatric system: memory loss, mental retardation, drowsiness, slow reaction, anxiety, dizziness, headache, tinnitus, deafness, nystagmus, ataxia, slow tendon reflexes, prolonged Achilles tendon reflex relaxation period, and in severe cases, dementia, stupor, and even coma may occur.

3. Cardiovascular system: bradycardia, decreased cardiac output, low blood pressure, dull heart sounds, enlarged heart, and coronary heart disease may occur, but angina pectoris and heart failure generally do not occur. Sometimes it may be accompanied by pericardial effusion and pleural effusion. Severe cases may develop myxedema cardiomyopathy.

4. Digestive system: anorexia, abdominal distension, constipation. In severe cases, paralytic ileus may occur. The gallbladder contraction weakens and becomes enlarged, and half of the patients suffer from gastric acid deficiency, leading to pernicious anemia and iron deficiency anemia.

5. Musculoskeletal system: muscle weakness, pain, and stiffness, which may be accompanied by joint diseases such as chronic arthritis.

6. Endocrine system: Excessive menstruation, amenorrhea due to long-term illness, and infertility in women; impotence and decreased libido in men. A small number of patients experience lactation and secondary pituitary enlargement.

7. When the condition is serious, stress such as cold, infection, surgery, anesthesia or improper use of sedatives may induce myxedema coma or "hypothyroidism crisis". Symptoms include hypothermia (T<35℃), slow breathing, bradycardia, decreased blood pressure, relaxation of limb muscles, weakened or disappeared reflexes, and even coma, shock, and heart and kidney failure.

8. Cretinism: dull expression, low and hoarse voice, pale face, periorbital swelling, widened distance between eyes, flat nose, thick lips and drooling, large and protruding tongue, short and thick limbs, and duck gait.

9. Juvenile hypothyroidism: short stature, low intelligence, and delayed sexual development.

3. Inspection

1. Thyroid function test

Serum TT4, TT3, FT4, and FT3 were lower than normal values.

2. Serum TSH value

(1) In primary hypothyroidism, TSH is significantly elevated while free T4 is decreased. In subclinical hypothyroidism, serum TT4 and TT3 values ​​may be normal, while serum TSH is slightly elevated. After the TRH stimulant test, the serum TSH level is higher than that of normal people.

(2) In pituitary hypothyroidism, serum TSH levels are low, normal, or higher than normal, and there is no response to the TRH stimulation test. After TSH administration, serum TT4 levels increased.