If you're always cold or tired, you can't lose weight, you have brittle hair and fingernails, or you have other unexplained health issues, the answer may be "yes."

Untreated, a thyroid disease can make you feel lousy. It can also increase your odds of having high cholesterol, developing atherosclerosis, and having a heart attack.

Fortunately, a simple blood test makes it possible to give you a precise account of how well your thyroid gland is functioning and help determine the cause of the problem. Then, for many forms of thyroid disease, treatment is usually a matter of taking the correct amount of medication. You can go on with your life with your disease in check.

But what are the risk factors for thyroid disease? The symptoms? The treatments? You'll find out in Thyroid Disease, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School. It explains the mechanics of the thyroid gland and the disorders that can trigger a thyroid condition. Most important, it gives you the information you need to work with your doctor to quickly and effectively detect thyroid disease and to optimize a treatment plan that will work best for you.

The report explains how thyroid hormone controls your body's metabolism and what occurs when your thyroid produces too little thyroid hormone (called hypothyroidism) or too much (called hyperthyroidism). You will learn about medications that can cause temporary hypothyroidism; about Graves' disease, the most common cause of hyperthyroidism; and the role of nodules and goiters in thyroid disease for older adults.

There's no need to wonder — or to worry. You can learn the facts about thyroid disease, its diagnosis, and its treatment. This report can help you understand the latest advances in diagnosing and treating thyroid disease and use that knowledge to take active steps for your health. Order your copy of Thyroid Disease today.