Can Thyroid Problems Cause Psoriasis

What Does Your Thyroid Have To Do With Eczema And Psoriasis

Your thyroid is well known for regulating your body temperature and metabolism. But theres way more behind the scenes at play. Thyroid hormones have receptor sites in every cell in your body meaning an underactive thyroid has the potential to disrupt cell metabolism and detox throughout your body.

There are two major ways your thyroid and skin health are related.

You simply cannot have healthy gut function with a poorly functioning thyroid.

Among other things, thyroid hormones contribute to keepingtight junctions in the stomach and skin tight, so they stay sealed and dont let stray molecules in or out. TH also helps intestinal mucosa cells get to full maturity. When intestinal mucosa arent fully developed and tight junctions begin to loosen, youll begin to see symptoms like:

• Leaky gut syndrome

• Gut symptoms

• Slow motility )

• Fungal overgrowth

An Important Note For Patients With Psoriasis/psa And Graves’ Disease

If you have psoriasis/PsA and are diagnosed with Graves disease, be aware that some drug treatments can worsen your psoriasis. Specifically, beta blockers like propranolol or atenolol used to treat elevated heart rate and other symptoms of Graves disease can worsen psoriasis in about 25 to 30 percent of patients.

You Notice: Ulcers That Dont Heal

It could be: Diabetes

Uncontrolled glucose levels can damage nerves and cause poor circulation, so blood doesnt reach all areas of the body, including the feet. When blood doesnt get to a wound caused by, say, irritating shoes, the skin doesnt heal properly. Many, many people with diabetes are diagnosed first because of foot problems, says Reid. Other signs of diabetes may include persistent tingling or numbness of the feet. Ask your doctor about getting your blood sugar levels tested.

If you experience some of these signs of diabetes, talk to your doctor about getting tested.

Also Check: Psoriasis Flare Up On Humira

Psoriasis Psoriatic Arthritis And Thyroid Autoimmunity

• 1Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
• 2Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina School of Medicine, Messina, Italy
• 3Master Program of Childhood, Adolescence and Womens Endocrine Health, University of Messina School of Medicine, Messina, Italy
• 4Interdepartmental Program of Molecular & Clinical Endocrinology, and Womens Endocrine Health, University Hospital, Messina, Italy

You Notice: A Straight Line Under Your Toenails

It could be: Skin cancer

A dark, vertical line underneath a toenail could be acral lentiginous melanoma, or hidden melanomaa form of the skin cancer that appears on obscure body parts. It will be a black line from the base of your nail to the end of the nail, says Pichney. It should be seen by a podiatrist or dermatologist. You want to make sure its not cancer, but it may be a fungus, which is usually yellow-brown and sporadic throughout the whole nail.

Recommended Reading: Does Smoking Make Psoriasis Worse

Can Thyroid Issues Cause Dandruff

Dandruffcan causedandruffHypothyroidismcanhypothyroidismsymptomscandandruff

. Similarly, it is asked, can thyroid issues cause dry scalp?

Hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid, can cause many symptoms, from weight gain to fatigue. Both conditions can cause dry, brittle hair or thinning hair on your scalp and body.

can thyroid problems cause skin problems? One study showed 74% of low-thyroid individuals reported dry skin. Finally, hypothyroidism is sometimes caused by autoimmune disease. This can affect the skin, causing swelling and redness known as myxedema. Myxedema is more specific to thyroid problems than other causes of dry skin .

Additionally, can an autoimmune disease cause dandruff?

Both dandruff and dry scalp can usually be managed at home. However, some scalp conditions can look like dandruff. Scalp psoriasis, for example, causes redness, flakes, and itching but is caused by an autoimmune disorder. A form of severe dandruff called seborrheic dermatitis can cause intense, painful inflammation.

Is there a connection between thyroid and allergies?

Allergic reactions to airborne allergens and foods can get worse over time. The increase in your reactions probably has nothing to do with your thyroid illness or treatment. If your thyroid hormone levels are low, you may develop symptoms similar to allergies itching, hives, nasal congestion or eye discomfort.

Is There A Connection Between Psoriasis And Thyroid

psoriasisthethyroidpsoriasisthe thyroid

. Herein, can thyroid issues cause psoriasis?

Both thyroid disease and psoriatic patients have T-helper 1 cell-mediated inflammation. This study illustrates that patients suffering from psoriasis have an increased risk of developing autoimmune thyroid disease. This risk increases if the patients are also suffering from psoriatic arthritis.

Additionally, is psoriasis linked to autoimmune diseases? Despite its very visible appearance on your skin, psoriasis is fundamentally an autoimmune condition, not a skin woe. Of the 21 autoimmune diseases studied, 17 were found to be linked to psoriasis, including alopecia areata, celiac disease, scleroderma, lupus, and Sjogren’s syndrome.

Furthermore, can thyroid problems cause skin issues?

One study showed 74% of low-thyroid individuals reported dry skin. Finally, hypothyroidism is sometimes caused by autoimmune disease. This can affect the skin, causing swelling and redness known as myxedema. Myxedema is more specific to thyroid problems than other causes of dry skin .

Can an underactive thyroid cause acid reflux?

The acid reflux–thyroid connectionAlthough there isn’t a direct link between acid reflux and thyroid disease, this relationship can be seen in those with an underactive thyroid. It’s thought that Hashimoto disease is associated with an esophageal motility disorder that can lead to heartburn and reflux symptoms.

Also Check: Is Hemp Good For Psoriasis

Is There An Association Between Psoriasis And Thyroid Disease

Several research articles have shown a positive association between psoriasis and thyroid diseases, including Hashimotos thyroiditis and Graves disease , but the limited number of studies do not provide a complete explanation to prove this association, according to a review study published in Cureus.

This review study included 45 articles that featured psoriasis, hypothyroidism, thyroid function tests, propylthiouracil, and psoriatic arthritis as inclusion keywords. Medical Subject Headings keywords psoriasis, hypothyroidism, and autoimmunity were also imputed into PubMed to identify the relevant articles for review.

A total of 39 of the 45 articles included in this review study demonstrated a positive association between psoriasis and thyroid diseases, although 6 articles found no association.

In 5 articles, researchers showed that thyroid hormones had an effect on the development of psoriasis. Other articles demonstrated that genetic, immunological, and inflammation were involved in the associations. Reactive oxygen species-related pathogenesis was also reported in 2 articles. In 5 articles, there were reports of positive thyroid peroxidase antibodies, thyroglobulin antibodies, and Hashimotos thyroiditis ultrasound features in patients with psoriasis.

Limitations of this study included the small number of articles available for review as well as the lack of a pooled meta-analysis of the data.

Reference

How Do You Get Dents Out Of Your Nails

Tips and tricks

A Dozen Tips for More Beautiful Nails

Read Also: Does Psoriasis Get Worse Before It Gets Better

Symptoms To Look Out For

Patients who have psoriasis and those with psoriatic arthritis are advised to be on the lookout for potential symptoms that may signal the development of a Thyroid-related condition. Since there are different types of diseases that may cause an autoimmune reaction that damages the Thyroid gland, the list of symptoms can be relatively large. Still, understanding what symptoms to be wary of is important for these patients the early detection of a Thyroid disease can lead to less invasive treatment and a lower dose of the drugs that will be required to treat the condition, which means a lower risk of side-effects, of course.

Hyperthyroidism

Lets start by considering potential symptoms that may develop when a patient has hyperthyroidism or a condition that causes an increase in Thyroid hormones. In this type of condition, metabolism becomes faster. This can cause symptoms such as4:

• Insomnia the patient may find it hard to fall asleep. Once they have fallen asleep, it may be difficult for them to remain asleep during the entire night.
• The patient may find that changes occur in their appetite. They may become hungrier than usual. Some patients may also have a reduced appetite.
• Fatigue is common among patients who experience the effects of hyperthyroidism.
• The patient may experience heart palpitations.
• Most patients with hyperthyroidism will experience weight loss, even without exerting effort from their side.

Hypothyroidism

You Notice: An Enlarged Painful Big Toe

It could be: Gout

Gorged on wine and steak? The painful aftermath could be gout, a type of arthritis that often affects the joint of the big toe. Foods high in purine, a chemical compound found in red meats, fish, and certain alcohol, can trigger an attack by raising levels of uric acid in the body. Uric acid is normally excreted through urine, but is overproduced or under-excreted in some people. Youll see the deposition of the uric acid in the joint, most commonly the big toe or the ankle, says Bob Baravarian, DPM, a podiatric foot and ankle specialist at Providence Saint Johns Health Center in Santa Monica, California. The patient will wake up with a hard, red, swollen joint. Its extremely painful. A doctor may prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs for short-term relief and medicines to reduce uric acid production. You may also need to follow a low-purine diet for long-term prevention.

Suffering from aching feet? Try these home remedies to help soothe foot pain.

Read Also: Is Argan Oil Good For Psoriasis

Psoriasis Psa And Thyroid Disease

While researchers have studied connections between psoriasis/PsA and other autoimmune diseases, a late 2018 study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that having psoriasis and PsA increases the risk of developing autoimmune Graves disease and Hashimotos thyroiditis. The risk was even greater for patients with PsA.

As with many autoimmune disease issues, researchers havent yet determined the explanation. But they theorize that genetic and immune system irregularities common to both diseases may link psoriasis/PsA and autoimmune thyroid disease.

Based on their findings, the study authors recommended increased physician awareness of the risks. They also advised thyroid screening for patients with psoriasis and PsA, and for those psoriasis/PsA patients who have thyroid symptoms.

Itchy Skin And Thyroid Autoimmunity

Although having itchy skin isnt a classic symptom of either Graves Disease or Hashimotos Thyroiditis, its not uncommon for people with these conditions to have itchy skin. Sometimes people also experience rashes or hives, and other skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis can also be present. But why do some people with autoimmune thyroid conditions experience itching of the skin, and what can they to get relief naturally?

While most people reading this are looking for a natural treatment approach to help relieve the itching they are experiencing, its important to understand why many people with Graves Disease and Hashimotos Thyroiditis have itchy skin in the first place. After all, while it would be great to just take some nutritional supplements and herbs to help with the itching, doing this alone many times wont be sufficient.

The Four Categories of Itching

Believe it or not, there are four different clinical categories of itching . Lets take a look at these four categories below:

1. Neurogenic itching. This type of itch usually is caused by disorders that affect organ systems other than the skin, including chronic renal failure, liver disease, hematologic, and lymphoproliferative conditions and malignancies . This usually isnt the cause of itching in those with Graves Disease and Hashimotos Thyroiditis.

What Are The Different Mediators Of Itching?

What Are Some of The Conditions Associated With Itching?

Conventional Treatments For Itching

Also Check: How Does Psoriasis Look Like

The Connection Between Psoriasis And Thyroid Diseases

Multiple suggestions have been made that autoimmune Thyroid diseases may be closely related to other types of autoimmune conditions including psoriasis. A group of scientists recently decided to take a closer look at these claims by considering the prevalence of Thyroid conditions and compare this to the statistics of psoriasis1.

During the study, the scientists extracted patient data for the period between 2000 and 2011, providing them with a significant number of patient files to analyze and compare.

The study first extracted data for patients who had been diagnosed with issues concerning their Thyroid gland in this timeframe. Once this data was successfully extracted, patient data were divided into three groups. The groups were categorized as follow:

• The first group consisted of patients who had Thyroid disease without the presence of psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis.
• The second group consisted of patients with Thyroid disease, along with psoriasis, but the patients were not diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis.
• The third group consisted of patients who had been diagnosed with a Thyroid disease, as well as both psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

Further adjustments were also made to each group in order to provide more accurate data that would help the scientists behind this study determine if there is a definite link between the presence of a Thyroid disease and psoriasis.

What Are Your Next Steps

If you have psoriasis or PsA, you should familiarize yourself with the symptoms of the two key autoimmune thyroid diseases and the conditions they cause:

• Hashimotos thyroiditis and the resulting hypothyroidism

• Graves disease and the resulting hyperthyroidism

Common symptoms of Hashimotos and hypothyroidism include fatigue, weight gain, depression, hair loss, constipation, puffiness, hoarseness, neck discomfort, and brain fog. Common symptoms of Graves disease and hyperthyroidism include insomnia, weight loss, anxiety, diarrhea, neck enlargement , muscle weakness, and eye and vision problems.

If you have psoriasis/PsA and notice any of these symptoms, your first step should be a complete thyroid screening and evaluation. This should include:

• A hands-on clinical examination to detect irregularities in the size and shape of your thyroid

• Thyroid blood tests, including a thyroid stimulating hormone ,

• free thyroxine and free triiodothyronine

• Blood tests for thyroid antibodies, including thyroid peroxidase antibodies for Hashimotos, and thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin for Graves disease

Your physician may also order a thyroid ultrasound to check for the thyroid enlargement or shrinkage commonly seen in autoimmune thyroid disease.

Also Check: Best Lotion For Scalp Psoriasis

How Many Of These Signs And Symptoms Do You Have

Skin

Dry, pale, and cool skin Moist, velvety, and warm skin like a babys Dry skin with deep cracks and scale Deep, noticeable lines on your palms and soles Yellowish-orange color on your palms and soles Doughy and swollen face, especially on your eyelids, lips, and tongue Widening nose Sweating less than before Goiter Protruding eyes Flushing on your face and red palms Darker skin in the creases of your palms, on your gums, or elsewhere in your mouth Rashes, especially in the creases of your skin Painless lumps and patches of scaly, discolored skin, and the affected skin feels hard and waxy Reddish spots on the skin that come and go

Protruding eyes

When eyes protrude, its often a sign of thyroid disease.

Painless lumps and patches of scaly skin feel hard and waxy

Lumps on discolored skin that feel hard and waxy can be a sign of thyroid disease.

Hair

Thinning eyebrows on the outer edge Coarse, dull, dry, and brittle hair that breaks easily Soft and fine hair with lots of shedding Thinning hair or balding patches Growing more slowly Dry, itchy scalp and dandruff Less hair on your legs, arms, and other areas

Nails

Thick, dry, and brittle with visible ridges Soft, shiny, and easily crumble Growing more slowly Peel, crumble, or break easily Lift up Curved with swollen fingertip and thickening skin above the nail

Curved nails with swollen fingertip

Itch

Itchy skin without a rash Untreatable and itchy hives

Existing skin disease

You Notice: Bald Toes

It could be: Arterial disease

If the fuzz on your toes suddenly disappears, it could signal poor blood circulation caused by peripheral arterial disease . Signs of PAD can include decreased hair growth on the feet and ankles, purplish toes, and thin or shiny skin, says Suzanne Fuchs, DPM, a podiatric surgeon in private practice at Luxe Podiatry in Palm Beach, FL. Symptoms are subtle, but doctors can check for a healthy pulse in the foot. In severe cases, they may spot PAD on an X-ray. If I take an X-ray of a broken foot, and I see a hardening of the arteries, 99 per cent of the time, the same thing is happening in the heart blood vessels, says Gary A. Pichney, DPM, a podiatric surgeon of The Institute for Foot and Ankle Reconstruction at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore.

Learn to spot the silent signs you may have clogged arteries.

You May Like: Is Cerave Moisturizing Cream Good For Psoriasis

Most Common Types Of Thyroid Diseases

There is a relatively large number of conditions that are known to affect the Thyroid gland adversely. According to one scientific paper2, approximately 5% of the female population, along with around 0.5% of the male population, have such a condition. Each condition affects the Thyroid in a different way, but there are essentially only two resulting actions. Either the condition causes an elevation of Thyroid hormones in the body, or the condition causes levels of these hormones in the body to become too low.

Lets consider some of the most common types of diseases that can affect the Thyroid gland and the level of Thyroid hormones in the body:

There is a number of conditions that may contribute to the development of both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. As noted before, autoimmune conditions and reactions are commonly to blame for these conditions. The presence of such a condition, however, does not necessarily mean that a person has an autoimmune disease causing issues with their Thyroid gland.