“The specialist I saw told me that I probably had [an underactive thyroid] since 1993. I had no idea,” Hucknall revealed in a 2014 interview.
“I had sore joints and was tired all the time, and I had put on weight,” the musician explained, adding that he “felt and looked all bloated.”
In the illuminating interview with the Mirror, Hucknall said: “I was getting more and more bloated and waking up so confused, thinking, ‘Did I eat a lot last night or something? “”
Reflecting on the “side effects” of hypothyroidism, Hucknall said he suffered from mood swings, joint pain and fatigue.
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“Depression is also linked to underactive thyroid as the disease goes on. You can even get some forms of cancer,” Hucknall added.
What the 62-year-old would have discovered is that there is no way to prevent the development of an underactive thyroid, according to the latest scientific research.
The NHS says: “Most cases are caused by either the immune system attacking the thyroid gland and damaging it.
“Or by damage to the thyroid that occurs during certain treatments for an overactive thyroid or thyroid cancer.”
Symptoms can range from dry, scaly skin to brittle hair and loss of sex drive.
An underactive thyroid can lead to:
- Fatigue
- Being sensitive to cold
- Weight gain
- Constipation
- Depression
- Slow movements and thoughts
- Muscle pain and weakness
- Muscle cramps
- Dry, scaly skin
- Brittle hair and nails
- Loss of libido (libido)
- Pain, numbness and tingling sensation in the hand and fingers (carpal tunnel syndrome)
- Irregular periods or heavy periods.
When the condition is left untreated, a person can develop:
- A deep, hoarse voice
- A puffy face
- Thinned or partially missing eyebrows
- A slow heartbeat
- Hearing loss
- Anemia.
People diagnosed with an underactive thyroid are usually prescribed levothyroxine.
The daily hormone replacement tablet eventually leads to the disappearance of symptoms.
“Some people start to feel better soon after starting treatment,” the NHS says. “While others don’t notice any improvement in their symptoms for several months.”
Mick Hucknall appears on James Martin’s Saturday Morning show on May 27, 2023 at 9:25 a.m.