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Showing posts with the label Thyroid

How the Monofilament Foot Test Works: A Patient's Step-by-Step Guide

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The monofilament foot test is one of the simplest checks in diabetes care, and one of the most useful. It takes a few minutes, involves no needles, and tells your doctor whether your feet can still feel the kind of pressure that warns you about an injury. This guide explains what happens during the test, how to prepare, and what the result means. Quick answer: A thin nylon filament is pressed against a few spots on the sole of each foot until it bends, while you keep your eyes closed and say when you feel it. If you can't feel it at some spots, you may have lost "protective sensation", which raises the risk of unnoticed foot injuries. The American Diabetes Association recommends this test at least once a year for everyone with diabetes. Key takeaways ✅ The test is painless, quick and needs no preparation beyond clean feet. ✅ It checks protective sensation, the feeling that alerts you to stones, blisters and cuts. ✅ Everyone with diabetes should have it at l...
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Graves' Disease and Hyperthyroidism: Symptoms, Goiter, Tests and Treatment

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Graves' disease is the most common cause of an overactive thyroid ( hyperthyroidism ). It is an autoimmune condition: the immune system makes antibodies that switch the thyroid gland on, so it produces too much thyroid hormone and often swells into a goiter . It is much more common in women and usually starts between the ages of 20 and 50. This guide covers the symptoms, eye changes, tests, and the three main treatment options. Quick answer: Common signs of Graves' disease are weight loss despite a good appetite, a fast or irregular heartbeat, tremor, sweating, heat intolerance, anxiety, loose stools, a swelling in the neck (goiter) and, in some people, bulging or gritty, red eyes. Blood tests show a low TSH with high free T4 and/or free T3, and TSH-receptor antibodies (TRAb) confirm Graves'. Treatment is with anti-thyroid tablets (carbimazole or methimazole), radioactive iodine, or surgery, usually with a beta-blocker to control symptoms at first. Key takeaways ✅...
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