This Morning's Dr Chris explains under-active thyroid symptoms Your thyroid gland is a small gland found in the neck , just in front of the windpipe. One of its main jobs is to create the hormones that help regulate the body's metabolism, which is the process of turning food into energy. However, if the gland is unable to provide the right amount of these hormones it can be dangerous.
It is thought that five percent of the UK population - or one in 20 - suffers from a thyroid disease. These include hyperthyroidism, where the gland produces too much of the hormone, and hypothyroidism, where it doesn’t produce enough. Despite how common it is, thyroid disease can be difficult to diagnose.
READ MORE Foreign Office issues urgent warning as disease that kills 1 in 10 returns to UK Some thyroid issues can cause a swelling in the neck (Image: Getty Images) A study, by the University of Aberdeen , found it takes an average of four and a half years for thyroid conditions such as hyperthyroidism to be diagnosed. Researchers found that for two thirds of the 1,200 participants it took multiple appointments and a worsening of the severity of symptoms before a diagnosis was made. But the team warned of the debilitating impact it can have on everyday life.
They said: “Posing serious implications for the physical, mental and emotional life of those affected, thyroid patients are at greater risk of experiencing long-term sick leave and impairment of working ability.” With this in mind, .
