27 million Americans have some sort of Thyroid disorder. The Thyroid is a gland that regulates most of the bodies functions, from metabolism to your heart rate.

Debra Miller noticed something just wasn't right a few months ago. Her skin started to get really dry, she gained weight and her hair started falling out in clumps. Concerned, she went to Dr. Bill Mandell with Strode Family Practice in Colorado Springs. After looking at her symptoms and giving her a blood test, Dr. Mandell was able to diagnose Miller with a Hypothyroid. That meant that her Thyroid gland wasn't producing enough of the hormone that contols many body functions. Miller now has to take a pill a day to regulate her levels.

There are multiple things that can happen to your Thyroid, that will throw other body functions out of whack. One of those, is that your Thyroid begins creating too much of the Thyroid hormone. According to the Mayo Clinic, these are the symptoms of "Graves Disease", or a hyperactive Thyroid.

Anxiety
Irritability
Difficulty sleeping
A rapid or irregular heartbeat
A tremor in the hands or fingers
Sweating
Heat intolerance
Weight loss, despite normal food intake
Brittle hair
Enlargement of the thyroid gland (goiter)
Light menstrual periods
Frequent bowel movements

When your Thyroid isn't producing enough hormone (hypothyroid), these are they symptoms you might notice:

Weight gain
Puffy face
Loss or thinning of eyebrows
Cold intolerance
Low sex drive
Depression
Abdominal bloating
Cold hands or feet
Dry or thinning hair
Joint or muscle pain
Thickening of the skin
Thin, brittle fingernails

A blood test prescribed by your doctor could determine if you have either a "hypo" or "hyper" active thyroid.