What Is A Thyroxine Test?
A T4 test is a blood test that diagnoses thyroid problems. The thyroid is a small gland at the base of your throat that looks like a butterfly. Hormones made by your thyroid control how your body uses energy. Your weight, heart rate, body temperature, muscle strength, and even your mood are all affected by these hormones. Thyroid hormones also have an effect on how much kids grow.
In your blood, there are two kinds of T4:
- Free T4 is the active form of the hormone thyroxine. It goes to the places in your body where it’s needed.
- Bound T4 is thyroxine that sticks to certain proteins and stops them from getting into your cells.
What Is A T4 Test Used For?
With a T4 test, you can determine how well your thyroid works. It’s also used to diagnose and monitor thyroid disease and conditions that may affect your thyroid, including:
- Hypothyroidism, also called “underactive thyroid,” is when your thyroid gland doesn’t make enough thyroid hormone to meet your body’s needs.
- Hyperthyroidism, or an overactive thyroid, occurs when your thyroid gland produces more thyroid hormone than your body needs.
- Problems with the pituitary gland, which makes TSH and is located at the base of the brain (thyroid stimulating hormone). TSH tells your thyroid gland how much T4 to make. If your TSH test results aren’t normal, a T4 test can help determine if the problem is with your thyroid or pituitary gland.
Why Do I Need A Test For Thyroxine?
Hypothyroidism, or having too little thyroid hormone, can cause:
- Weight gain
- Fatigue
- Dry skin
- Hair that is thin and dry
- Being very sensitive to the cold.
- Heavy or irregular menstrual periods
- Fertility problems
- Heartbeats slowly
- Depression
If you have hyperthyroidism, which means you have too much thyroid hormone, you may have:
- Worry, nervousness, and anger
- Losing weight, even though your hunger may get worse.
- Shaky hands and weak muscles
- Sweating a lot or being very heat sensitive
- Arrhythmia (a problem with the heartbeat rate or rhythm)
- Regular trips to the bathroom (poops)
- Goiter (an enlarged thyroid gland)
- Trouble falling asleep and being tired
What Do The Results Suggest?
In general, if your T4 results are lower than usual, it could mean:
- Hypothyroidism can be caused by Hashimoto’s disease or another medical condition that makes
your thyroid makes too little T4 - Thyroiditis (thyroid inflammation)
- Side effects from certain drugs
- Hypothyroidism from birth (a condition that affects babies from birth)
In general, T4 results that are higher than usual may be a sign of:
- Hyperthyroidism can be caused by Graves disease or another medical condition that makes your
thyroid makes too much T4 - Thyroiditis (thyroid inflammation)
- A toxic goiter (an enlarged thyroid with areas that make extra thyroid hormone)
- Toxic thyroid nodule (a single lump on the thyroid that makes different thyroid hormones)
- Consumption of excessive iodine
- You have a tumor in your pituitary gland that is not cancerous.
AWAMI LAB SERVICES
Awami lab not only has the best lab services in Gujrat, but we also feel our responsibility is to educate our patients about their overall health. Awami lab makes sure to offer the best T4 test lab services. Choose Awami Lab if you want the best lab services for a T4 test and a routine you can trust for your health.
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