Diagnosing Thyroid Problems

Thyroid Blood Tests

Thyroid blood tests are tools your doctor uses for diagnosing thyroid problems. Since symptoms of thyroid problems resemble symptoms of many other disorders and conditions, thyroid blood tests are helpful in confirming a diagnosis. The test is done by drawing a sample of your blood, which is then analyzed in a lab.

The goal of a thyroid blood test, also called a thyroid blood panel, is to analyze thyroid regulation and activity, hotmone production and secretion, peripheral thyroid conversion, and thyroid autoimmunity. 

There are a variety of thyroid blood tests used to determine thyroid problems, but the most common is the blood test that measures how much thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) is in your bloodstream. This test is also known as the thyrotropin-stimulating hormone test.

The test will tell your doctor if you're suffering from hyperthyroidism (also known as high thyroid or overactive thyroid), hypothyroidism (low thyroid or underactive thyroid), and a variety of other possible thyroid problems.

Thyroid blood tests are extremely sensitive and reliable for diagnosing thyroid problems since thyroid hormone levels remain relatively constant. Thyroid blood tests can, however, be affected by medications you're taking.

Thyroid blood tests are appropriate when you have the following symptoms:

• anxiety or panic attacks,
• memory or concentration difficulties,
• depression,
• fatigue or a feeling of general malaise,
• fluid retention,
• hair loss (see thyroid hair loss), 
• headaches,
• low libido and infertility,
• PMS and menstrual irregularities (see thyroid problems in women),
• muscular pain and joint pain,
• sensitivity to cold and low temperatures,
• unexplained weight gain or weight loss (see thyroid weight loss). 

Thyroid blood tests can also help pinpoint thyroid imbalances that result from other disorders.
 
The test that measures TSH is considered the "gold standard" for diagnosing thyroid hormone levels. Nonetheless, TSH levels may vary somewhat from one patient to another. They may also change with age: older people sometimes have higher TSH levels without showing symptoms of thyroid dysfunction.

According to conventional wisdom, you don't need to fast before taking a thyroid blood test, as you do with other tests that require drawing blood. However, patients who are already medications such as Cytomel, or Armour Thyroid, or Thyrolar should be aware of when they've taken their medication and the timing of testing.

For more specific details on types of thyroid blood tests and how to interpret results, see our section on thyroid function tests interpretation and thyroid scan and uptake.

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