One Depression or another illness? Sometimes diagnoses are jumped to conclusions because the symptoms of some diseases overlap significantly. Find out in this article which illness is often confused with classic depression.
This illness is not depression
Instead of thyroid disease, depression or dementia is often diagnosed. Why is that? In the case of the individual diseases, older people in particular show non-specific symptoms.
thyroid disease occur sea extremely common at the German Thyroid Center and can occur at any age. In Germany alone, about every third adult develops it at least one thyroid change in the course of life, this frequency increases with age. In many cases, the symptoms of hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism or Hashimoto’s inflammation are not correctly interpreted by those affected out of ignorance and are sometimes confused with depression, including by medical professionals. An underactive thyroid can be very dangerous for children. Fatally, mental illnesses are often diagnosed in older people.
Those are the symptoms
The symptoms of an underactive thyroid are varied and different for each person affected. That makes detecting a hormonal imbalance often not so easy. While many patients show certain warning signs of thyroid disease, older people tend to show only isolated symptoms such as sensitivity to cold, poor performance or very severe fatigue due to the hormone imbalance.
The range of symptoms of an underactive thyroid is enormous. So it can among other things to the following Symptoms come:
- sensitivity to cold
- Tiredness, increased need for sleep, listlessness, listlessness
- Slowed reflexes
- Poor memory, depressive moods
- Weight gain and increased blood fat levels
- Muscle weakness, muscle stiffness and pain
- Cool and pale dry skin
- Brittle, breaking hair, increased hair loss
- Brittle nails
- Hoarse, deep voice, slow, unclear speech
- Irregular periods or even a reduced ability to conceive
This is an incredible range of symptoms. Since these overlap primarily with an underactive thyroid, you may be misdiagnosed with depression. Above all, since depressive moods can also be a symptom. It is therefore advisable to check the blood values sufficiently if you have such symptoms. This is the best way to recognize an underactive thyroid.
More about health:
Hypothyroidism or Depression?
If you have these symptoms, you may have an underactive thyroid. So before someone diagnoses depression, your:e doctor:can do a blood check, to exclude a subfunction. If you are not sure, always seek further medical advice.