The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland responsible for producing the T3 and T4 hormones, which contribute to our basal metabolic rate. When someone develops a thyroid disorder–this generally entails the over- or under-stimulation of the organ–it can lead to a host of symptoms, including hair loss.
Another such symptom, which can be caused by hypothyroidism (a condition caused by an underactive thyroid), is joint pain. According to the Mayo Clinic, other, similar side effects that hypothyroidism could cause include:
While generic pain medications like acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil) may help ease the pain, the primary treatment doctors will often turn to is the appropriate thyroid replacement therapy, which can often yield dramatic improvement in those suffering from these undesirable symptoms.
The Mayo Clinic suggests that you follow up with your doctor if your current treatment course is not yielding results in joint swelling, pain, and stiffness you’re experiencing; this is important because those who have hypothyroidism are often predisposed to developing a host of other autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis.
