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Why do I always feel so cold?
Q: I'm always cold. Even when it's hot outside and most of my friends are in vest tops and shorts, I'm shivering and piling on the jumpers. My mum says that I must have a wonky temperature gauge, but it's starting to really affect me. What could be the cause? Rachel, 22
A: A wonky temperature gauge is about right. The thyroid gland is the body's natural thermostat and it controls the tickover speed of all our biological processes. If your gland is underactive - a common problem in women - it doesn't produce enough of the hormone thyroxine, which is needed to keep your body at its natural temperature of around 37ºC, so you feel cold all the time. Other symptoms of an underactive thyroid are gaining weight despite eating normally, feeling sluggish and constipation.
Hypothyroidism, as it is known, runs in families and happens because antibodies in your bloodstream mistake your own thyroid gland as 'foreign' and attack it.
The good news is that replacing the missing thyroxine with a daily tablet reverses your symptoms within days. A blood test will confirm if you have this condition, so see your GP straight away.
Q: I've always been a good sleeper, but for the last few weeks I've been waking at 2.30am every morning and can't get back to sleep for a couple of hours. Counting sheep and drinking warm milk don't help. Should I see my GP for some sleeping pills? Angela, 27
A: Clearly something has changed to affect your sleep pattern. The most likely cause is anxiety - is an unresolved problem playing on your mind? Before resorting to tablets, increase your exercise, as this promotes good-quality sleep, and avoid eating too late and drinking caffeinated drinks after 6pm. If this doesn't help, the occasional antihistamine-based sleeping pill such as Nytol is OK, but speak to your GP if you feel you need something stronger.
Fact Vs fiction
Sex is a cure for hay fever: FICTION
A study at Tabriz University in Iran has argued that sex constricts the body's blood vessels including nasal passages, which in turn unblocks bunged up noses and cures streaming eyes. It's true that, as with any exercise, sex releases stress hormones into the blood stream that constrict blood vessels, dilate the pupils and raise blood pressure. But even if having sex had any significant effect on hay fever symptoms, it would only last a few seconds. Though I'm sure it would take your mind off the hay fever
Health hero: swimming
Ditch the trainers - regular laps of your local pool could be all the health insurance you need. According to a new study in the International Journal Of Aquatic Research And Education, swimming can help you live longer than walking or jogging. Swimmers are half as likely to die prematurely as those who take regular strolls or runs, thanks to the positive impact it has on your heart and lungs. So, dive in!
Photography: Scope
This article has 3 comments
i have tinnitus and its driving me, mad ive quit my job the doctor have given me bethahistine hydrochloride 8mg after taking two of them i felt really breathless, i went back to him and he said hes never had anyone with side effects on these tabs can you help.
ive had this for 3 months.
many thanks
By marianne mckeeman. Posted September 29 2009 at 2:44 PM.
I have both, the symptoms of over active thyroid and an under active thyroid. I have rapid heart beat, fatigue, shakey hands, I'm cold all the time, I lose weight very quickly at times and I gain weight (fat) even while I'm exercising and eating healthy. Is it possible to have a thyroid that goes beyond the healthy extremes on both ends? Too fast and too slow?
By Aida. Posted June 16 2009 at 4:28 AM.
for the last 8 months my ankles hurt so much and if i stand up for a long period of time my feet swell up
By jaswinder. Posted May 31 2009 at 7:06 PM.