Hypothyroidism

Many older adults with hypothyroidism have no symptoms at all. If symptoms are absent or mild, treatment may not be needed.

If symptoms become bothersome, your health care provider can order blood tests to check your thyroid hormone levels.

Contact your healthcare provider as soon as possible if you notice these common symptoms of hypothyroidism:

• Low energy and slow thinking.
• Depression.
• Weight gain.
• Anemia (low red blood cell counts) or hyponatremia (low salt levels in the blood).
• Muscle weakness, aches, tenderness, or stiffness.
• Constipation.
• Pain, stiffness, or swelling in the joints.
• Feeling cold more than usual, or numbness.
• Pale, dry skin.
• Brittle fingernails and hair.
• Swelling in the face.
• Erectile dysfunction (trouble getting an erection).

Cautions with Hypothyroidism Symptoms

Hypothyroidism symptoms can come on slowly and may look like other diseases.

Other diseases or medications can cause thyroid problems. It is important to find the real cause. Taking extra thyroid hormone when it is not needed can be harmful.

Untreated hypothyroidism that is causing health problems needs treatment right away. Without treatment, it can:

• Cause a goiter (enlarged thyroid gland). A goiter can make it hard to swallow or breathe.
• Raise your risk of heart disease, an enlarged heart, and heart failure. Over time, it can also damage nerves and cause loss of muscle control.

Advanced untreated hypothyroidism can lead to a deadly condition called "myxedema coma." In older adults with mild hypothyroidism, a serious illness that is not related to the thyroid may raise the risk for myxedema coma.

Warning signs include:

• Slow or shallow breathing.
• Not responding to people or stimulation.
• Body temperature below normal.
• Low blood pressure.
• Low blood sugar.

Call 911 if you or someone else has these symptoms.

Hyperthyroidism

Symptoms of hyperthyroidism can vary with age. Older adults with hyperthyroidism may have:

• Abnormal heart rhythm (such as atrial fibrillation or a fast heartbeat).
• Heart failure.
• Muscle weakness and loss of muscle.
• Trouble tolerating heat and increased sweating.
• Frequent bowel movements.
• Graves' ophthalmopathy, where the eyes begin to bulge outward.
• Erectile dysfunction.
• Mental health problems like depression, panic attacks, and anxiety.

Older adults with a type of hyperthyroidism called apathetic thyrotoxicosis often have these symptoms:

• Depression.
• Bone loss.
• Low activity and lack of energy.
• Muscle weakness.

Thyroid Nodules

Thyroid nodules often cause few or no symptoms. Most people do not know they have them. They are often found by accident during imaging tests done for other reasons. Sometimes a health care provider finds them during a routine check-up.

• Sometimes a nodule can grow large enough to see or make it hard to breathe or swallow.
• Some nodules raise the level of the hormone T3 that the thyroid makes, which can cause symptoms of hyperthyroidism.

Last Reviewed and Updated: October 2026 
By: AGS/HiAF Public Education Committee, HealthinAging.org Content Reviewers