a patient report with weight loss irriability and heat intolerance

by Zoila Kutch 10 min read

Heat intolerance: Symptoms, causes, and treatments

30 hours ago Hyperthyroidism can result in weight loss, muscle weakness, heat intolerance, and anxiousness or irritability. [mayoclinic.org] Symptoms: weight loss increased appetite nervousness restlessness heat intolerance increased sweating fatigue muscle cramps frequent bowel movements menstrual irregularities [uclahealth.org] >> Go To The Portal


Common Causes

Heat intolerance is an unusual sensitivity to heat. People with heat intolerance may feel hot when others feel comfortable or even cold. They may also have an unusual response to heat, such as intense sweating or anxiety.

Related Conditions

People with heat intolerance should discuss their symptoms with a doctor, especially if the symptoms appear suddenly or get progressively worse. To treat heat intolerance, doctors will focus on treating any underlying medical conditions.

What does it mean to be heat intolerant?

Endocrine system problems: The endocrine system helps the body regulate a wide range of functions. Disorders such as Graves’ disease, a thyroid condition, can increase heat sensitivity. Being less physically fit: For some people, heat intolerance is a sign of poor cardiovascular and respiratory fitness.

Should people with heat intolerance talk to a doctor?

Diabetes can sometimes cause heat intolerance. Those with heat intolerance may have a disorder called dysautonomia that affects their autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system helps regulate automatic functions of the body, including the body’s response to heat. Several medical conditions can cause dysautonomia, including:

Why do I have a problem with heat sensitivity?

Can diabetes cause heat intolerance?

What causes heat intolerance in hyperthyroidism?

One of the most prominent symptoms in the hyperthyroid patient is heat intolerance. The symptom reflects an increase in the basal metabolism of many substrates. The increase in metabolic activity results in increased consumption of adenosine triphosphate and oxygen.

Is heat intolerance a symptom of hypothyroidism?

—Hypothyroidism in the adult has been characterized clinically by cold intolerance, lethargy, constipation, and overall slowing of intellectual and motor activities. Conversely, classic clinical hyperthyroidism has been recognized by heat intolerance, palpitations, hyperkinesis, and emotional lability.

Why is there weight loss in hyperthyroidism?

Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) occurs when your thyroid gland produces too much of the hormone thyroxine. Hyperthyroidism can accelerate your body's metabolism, causing unintentional weight loss and a rapid or irregular heartbeat.

What is the most common cause of subclinical hyperthyroidism?

The most common cause of endogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism is release of excess thyroid hormone by the thyroid gland (1). In older persons, toxic multinodular goiter is probably the most common cause of subclinical hyperthyroidism (24).

What is heat intolerance a symptom of?

Those with heat intolerance may have a disorder called dysautonomia that affects their autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system helps regulate automatic functions of the body, including the body's response to heat. Several medical conditions can cause dysautonomia, including: diabetes. alcohol use ...

Is heat intolerance a symptom of hyperthyroidism?

Hyperthyroidism may cause sensitivity to heat and excessive sweating, where a person suffering from hypothyroidism may struggle to keep warm at all.

Can hypothyroidism cause weight loss?

Weight gain may signal low levels of thyroid hormones, a condition called hypothyroidism. In contrast, if the thyroid produces more hormones than the body needs, you may lose weight unexpectedly. This is known as hyperthyroidism. Hypothyroidism is far more common.

Can you lose weight if you have hypothyroidism?

Is it possible to lose weight when you have hypothyroidism? Yes, it is possible to lose weight when you have hypothyroidism, but only if you're willing to change up your diet. Avoid inflammatory foods for weight loss when you have an underactive thyroid, contributing to weight gain.

Does hyperthyroidism cause weight gain or weight loss?

Since hyperthyroidism also increases appetite, some patients may not lose weight, and some may actually gain weight, depending on how much they increase their caloric intake.

What are the symptoms of subclinical hyperthyroidism?

People with subclinical hyperthyroidism usually do not have any symptoms....What are the symptoms?Frequent bowel movements.Fatigue or feeling tired.Feeling nervous.Unable to tolerate heat.Increased sweating.Increased appetite.Racing or rapidly beating heart.Losing weight without trying.More items...•

What are the symptoms of subclinical hypothyroidism?

Subclinical Hypothyroidism SymptomsDepression or other mood issues.Fatigue.Weight gain.Feeling of being cold no matter how warmly you're dressed.Gut issues, like constipation.An enlarged thyroid gland, or goiter, which may appear as a lump or swelling at the front of the neck.

How do you lose weight with subclinical hyperthyroidism?

Use these six strategies to jump-start weight loss with hypothyroidism.Cut Out Simple Carbs and Sugars. ... Eat More Anti-Inflammatory Foods. ... Stick to Small, Frequent Meals. ... Keep a Food Diary. ... Move Your Body. ... Take Thyroid Medication as Directed.

How to reduce heat intolerance in MS?

To reduce the potentially detrimental effects of heat intolerance, several treatment strategies have been employed to allow individuals with MS to participate in activities of daily living, including exercise . Simple behavioral strategies are used to minimize heat exposure, such as performing work or exercise outside during the early morning or late evening when temperatures are lower. A small number of studies have reported potential benefits using cooling strategies that are convenient methods available to most individuals with MS, such as cold showers, applying ice packs, the use of regional cooling devices, and drinking cold beverages (Bassett and Lake, 1958; Boynton et al., 1959; Watson, 1959; Scherokman et al., 1985; Grahn et al., 2008 ).

What are the symptoms of hyperthyroidism?

Symptoms of hyperthyroidism include tremulousness, anxiety, heat intolerance, diarrhea, and changes in mental status. The majority of hyperthyroid patients have a circulating thyroid-stimulating antibody, a thyroid adenoma, or thyroiditis. Hypersecretion of TSH by a pituitary adenoma is quite rare, occurring in less than 1% of hypothyroid patients.

What is subclinical hyperthyroidism?

Subclinical hyperthyroidism is a suppressed TSH with a high-normal T 4 or T 3. After the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism is made, the radioactive iodine uptake (RAIU) and scan can differentiate the many causes. A high uptake confirms hyperthyroidism resulting from overproduction of thyroid hormone.

How long does adrenergic therapy last?

Therapy is usually maintained for 2 years. Patients must be monitored for side effects, which include rash, pruritus, hepatitis, cholestatic jaundice, lupus-like syndrome, and the rare but life-threatening complication of agranulocytosis. β-adrenergic antagonists ameliorate the signs and symptoms of disease.

Who was the Nobel Prize winner for his work on the physiology, pathology, and surgery of the thyroid gland

Theodor Kocher won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1909 for his work on the physiology, pathology, and surgery of the thyroid gland. He was successful in reducing the high mortality rate of thyroidectomy in the late 1800s. In 1850 the mortality rate was 50%, but by 1898 the mortality rate at Kocher's clinic was 0.18%.

Does thyrotoxicosis cause weight loss?

Clinically, thyrotoxicosis is frequently associated with nervousness, palpitations, heat intolerance, increased appetite with concomitant weight loss, hair loss, weakness, and, in the case of Graves’ disease, eye symptoms [64 ]. Menstrual irregularity is a frequent complaint in thyrotoxic women, but fertility is probably not significantly impaired in mild hyperthyroidism [ 74 ]. Classical signs include tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, hyperthermia, and muscle weakness and atrophy, as well as increased reflexes. The thyroid is diffusely enlarged in Graves’ disease. Many patients with hyperthyroidism have a stare because of the increased sympathetic activity; this should be separated from the findings of true endocrine ophthalmopathy [ 72 ]. One also has to bear in mind that some older hyperthyroid patients with relatively severe thyrotoxicosis have few symptoms (“apathetic thyrotoxicosis”).

What are the symptoms of hyperthyroidism?

Symptoms of hyperthyroidism include tremulousness, anxiety, heat intolerance, diarrhea, and changes in mental status. The majority of hyperthyroid patients have a circulating thyroid-stimulating antibody, a thyroid adenoma, or thyroiditis. Hypersecretion of TSH by a pituitary adenoma is quite rare, occurring in less than 1% of hypothyroid patients.

What are the symptoms of thyrotoxicosis?

The symptoms of thyrotoxicosis are those of increased metabolism—for example, heat intolerance, hyperhidrosis, anxiety , weight loss, tachycardia, and palpitations. These symptoms are nonspecific, and the diagnosis requires confirmation with serum thyroid function studies. A suppressed serum TSH less than 0.1 mU/L is diagnostic of thyrotoxicosis. This results from negative feedback on the pituitary by the elevated serum thyroid hormones. The only exception to a suppressed TSH without thyrotoxicosis is a rare hypothalamic or pituitary cause.

How does hyperthyroidism affect metabolism?

One of the most prominent symptoms in the hyperthyroid patient is heat intolerance. The symptom reflects an increase in the basal metabolism of many substrates. The increase in metabolic activity results in increased consumption of adenosine triphosphate and oxygen. Despite the increased food intake, a state of chronic caloric inadequacy often ensues, depending on the degree of increased metabolism, and becomes more pronounced with age. In addition to losing fat stores, there is often a loss of muscle mass, making weakness a common complaint. Both synthesis and degradation of proteins are increased, with the latter increased to a greater extent than the former, so that there is a net decrease in tissue protein content.

Is radioiodine safe for long term hyperthyroidism?

Hyperthyroidism as a result of toxic nodular goiter is permanent and without spontaneous remission; ATDs are not appropriate long-term therapy. Radioiodine is the most common form of therapy. Larger doses (25 to 30 mCi) minimize the risk of persistent hyperthyroidism in such patients, who tend to be older and to have prominent cardiovascular symptoms of hyperthyroidism. Surgery is also quite effective, results in the most rapid achievement of euthyroidism and has a low recurrence rate.