Physical Exam for Hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism can affect many different parts of
your body. During the physical exam, your doctor will:
- Weigh you.
- Examine your skin, nails,
and hair. People with hyperthyroidism may have dry skin, thick skin on their
shins and on the tops of their feet, brittle nails, and thin
hair.
- Examine your eyes for swelling, bulging, and redness, and
check to see if you have trouble with following a moving object with your eyes.
- Check the movement of your eyelids as you look up and
down.
- Examine your legs, arms, hands, and feet and look for hand
tremors.
- Listen to your heart to identify any irregularities in
your heartbeat.
- Examine your belly.
- Check your reflexes
by tapping your elbow or knee with a small rubber hammer. People with
hyperthyroidism may have stronger reflex responses.
The exam will also focus on the thyroid gland itself. Your doctor
will:
- Look at and feel the thyroid gland at the front
of your neck.
- Listen to your thyroid gland. If you have
Graves' disease, you may have more blood than normal
flowing through your thyroid gland. Your doctor can hear this extra blood flow
by listening through a stethoscope.
Credits
| By | Healthwise Staff |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | David C.W. Lau, MD, PhD, FRCPC - Endocrinology |
| Last Revised | November 4, 2011 |