A thyroid storm can strike without warning – these are the signs to monitor

A thyroid storm, also known as thyrotoxic The crisis is a sudden and potentially serious condition that occurs when your thyroid gland releases a large amount of hormones at a time. It can cause symptoms such as a rapid heart rate, fever, perspiration and tremor.

Thyroid excess hormones accelerate your metabolism at dangerous levels, making your body much harder than usual and can cause certain symptoms. Recognizing the first signs and the search for medical care is crucial, because a thyroid storm can quickly worsen if it is not treated. This proactive approach can help you prevent it from degenerating.

The first signs include:

• Feel very hot and sweaty: A thyroid storm can suddenly make you feel very hot, with a body temperature greater than or equal to 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius). It can also make you red and sweaty, even in a fresh room or without intense activity.
• Anxiety: Anxiety can suddenly occur without clear cause due to the outpatulation of the nervous system, putting your body in a constant alert. This can make you nervous, restless or irritable.
• Tachycardia (Racing heart): Thyroid excess hormones can cause your heart race, even at rest, causing tachycardia (rapid heart rate, generally more than 130 beats per minute). It may have the impression that your heart is being racing or beating, or making you dizzy.
• Tremors and hyperreflexia:: Tremmers or tremors occur due to the outpatulation of your muscles and nerves. This can make simple tasks difficult. For example, you may notice that your hands are shaking when you hold a cup or writing. You can also see that your reflexes (such as a health care provider operates your knee and your leg starts) are much stronger or faster.

As a thyroid storm advances, the body’s response to excess thyroid hormones worsens, leading to serious symptoms that require immediate and urgent medical care. These include:

• High fever and intense perspiration: Your body temperature can exceed 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius). With high fever, you may feel extremely hot, rinsed and uncomfortable, even in fresh environments. You can also feel chills or intense perspiration.
• Heart palpitations or irregular cardiac beats: You can notice heart palpitations or irregular heartbeat while your heart is starting to work harder. Palpitations can give you the impression that your heart jumps out of beats, floating or beating in your chest.
• Hypertension: While your heart is starting to work harder, it can exert excessive pressure on your blood vessels, causing hypertension (high blood pressure). High blood pressure can cause dizziness, headache or blurred vision.
• Abdominal pain: Excessive thyroid hormones can disrupt digestion. You may experience abdominal pain that feel cramped or sharp, stomach aches, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.
• Chest pain: A quick heart rate and high blood pressure can filter your heart, causing chest pain. This discomfort can look like clear and stabbed pain or dull and painful pressure. You can also experience shortness of breath, perspiration or seal in your chest.
• Struggling: A breathlessness can occur because your heart and your lungs work harder to meet your increased oxygen demand. You can breathe too fast, feel breath, find it difficult to breathe deeply or feel like you have suffocated.
• Hustle: The worsening of anxiety can cause severe agitation. You may feel easily bored and have sudden mood swings, making you react more strongly to the things that would not generally disturb you. Some people also feel a feeling of imminent misfortune.

These serious and potentially fatal symptoms indicate that the thyroid storm has reached a critical stage and requires emergency medical intervention:

• Strong fever: Your body temperature can reach 104-106 degrees Fahrenheit (40-41.1 degrees Celsius). If it is not treated quickly, it can cause damage or failure of the organs.
• Cachexia:: Cachexia is a rapid weight and muscle loss. This often happens later in a thyroid storm because the body burns calories and muscles faster, even with enough food. Fever, anxiety and stomach problems can also reduce the appetite and absorption of nutrients, aggravating cachexia.
• Delirium: Confusion or severe delirium can cause disorientation, difficulties in recognizing familiar people or places, or hallucinations. This mental state can be very painful and is a sign that the brain is subject to serious stress.
• Convulsions or coma: The crises occur when excessive electrical activity in the brain causes sudden and uncontrolled movements or changes in behavior. In serious cases, a thyroid storm can also lead to a coma, a deep state of unconsciousness where you cannot wake up or respond to anything.

Multi-system organ failure

If the thyroid storm progresses, several organs, including the heart, the kidneys and the liver, can stop working as they should. The failure of multi-system organs is critical and requires immediate emergency medical care. The failure of the heart, kidneys and liver can cause:

• Modified mental state
• Cold and moist skin due to poor circulation
• Difficulty breathing
• Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
• Low blood pressure
• Reduced urine outlet
• Swelling in the feet, hands or belly

Thyroid storms are not contagious, but infections such as flu (flu) or pneumonia, which can trigger thyroid storms, are contagious. The symptoms of these infections include fever, sore throat, congestion, cough, body pain and fatigue.

Thyroid storms generally occur in people who already suffer from hyperthyroidism (a hyperactive thyroid), especially if they stop taking their thyroid drugs or do not take it as prescribed. Other possible triggers include trauma, surgery, childbirth, infection, diabetic ketoacidosis, heart failure and certain drugs.

Because this crisis can quickly become fatal, recognition of the symptoms of the thyroid storm is essential for obtaining a timely medical aid.

It is important to contact a health care provider if you or a loved one shows signs of a thyroid storm, especially if you suffer from hyperthyroidism. Monitor these first symptoms, especially if they appear without an apparent cause or occur together:

• Anxiety
• Feel hot and sweaty
• Quick heart rate
• Shakakess

If you or someone you know feel one of the following serious symptoms, it is crucial to call emergency services or immediately go to the nearest emergencies:

• Chest pain
• Extreme confusion
• Fever
• Loss of consciousness
• Severe shortness of breath

A thyroid storm is a severe and potentially fatal condition caused by a sudden increase in thyroid hormones. This excess of hormones overestimates your metabolism, leading to early symptoms such as fever, perspiration, rapid heart rate, anxiety and tremor.

As the condition gets worse – which can occur quickly – jumps can degenerate to include high fever, severe confusion, chest pain, shortness of breath and loss of consciousness.

If you or someone you know shows signs of a thyroid storm, consult medical help immediately. Rapid treatment can considerably reduce the risk of complications and improve results.