How to Understand Your Thyroid Test Results

Having your thyroid tested to see if it is functioning produces a series of tests that can be confusing. The thyroid, while a small organ, provides hormones to the body to help regulate metabolism, energy levels, and temperature, to name a few. When you have your thyroid tested, it is helpful to understand the results.

1. After your doctor runs the blood work and sends it to the lab, your test results are normally mailed to you or you can pick up a copy from your doctor. If everything is normal, you probably will not need a follow up visit, but regardless of the results, understanding them is important.


2. Check your thyroid lab results for the stimulating hormone or TSH levels. You should see the result and then another column showing what the normal range is and if your result is out of range. The normal range current is between .3 and 3 so any results ranging between these numbers are considered normal. If you fall out of this range by a large percent, your doctor will typically put you on medication especially for an under active thyroid.


3. Another test to be aware of is the Total Thyroxine, which is called T4. The normal range of the T4 is between 4.5 and 12.5, if the reading is lower than this it could indicate a pituitary problem. If your doctor suspects hypothyroidism or a slow thyroid, he or she will run a T3 test, with anything between 80 and 220 being normal, but if yours is under 80, it may indeed be indicative of hypothyroidism.