Symptoms and Causes of Myxedema

Myxedema is a swelling of the skin and soft tissue usually due to severe and prolonged hypothyroidism, this usually occurs in adults and older children. Typically the expression of the patient with myxedema is dull and apathetic. The disease worsens if untreated. It is much more common among women than among men.

The severity of the symptoms depends on the extent of the thyroid deficiency. Prolonged or severe myxedema may cause a profound lethargy or even a coma known as myxedema coma, a serious and often fatal condition. In rare cases a type of psychosis sometimes called myxedema madness may develop.

Common Symptoms:

• Puffy skin, especially in the face
• Jelly-like infiltrations in subcutaneous tissues
• Hair is thin and brittle
• Dry, thick and yellowish skin
• Slow speech
• Slow reflex and thinking
• Constipation
• Anemia
• Sensitivity to cold
• Low basal metabolic rate
• Bald patches
• Muscle pains
• Deafness
• Hearing impairment

Causes:

• Myxedema occurs most often as a result of destruction or removal of thyroid tissue by surgery or of radiation treatment for hyperthyroidism.
• It may also be caused by atrophy of the thyroid gland, usually resulting from an inflammation of thyroid.
• Another cause sometimes occurs as a result of a deficiency of the thyroid-stimulating hormone thyrotrophin, which results from malfunctioning of the pituitary.

Treatment: Myxedema is treated with synthetic thyroid preparations. The relief of symptoms is usually prompt and dramatic, but changes in physical appearance are slow.