Thyroid doctors in Charlotte
Feeling tired all the time, gaining or losing weight without trying, or always too cold or too hot? A thyroid problem can be the cause. Your provider reviews your symptoms and exam and uses blood tests to check thyroid function. Our primary care providers in Charlotte test your thyroid, start and adjust thyroid medicine, and recheck your levels so you feel like yourself again.
- ✓ Most underactive thyroid is treated by a primary care provider
- ✓ TSH and other thyroid blood tests drawn in the clinic, result timing varies
- ✓ Thyroid medicine started and adjusted at follow-ups
- ✓ Neck ultrasound ordered when you need one
- ✓ Two Charlotte clinics, open 7 days a week
- ✓ Referral to an endocrinologist when you need one
Apply online, and we call you within 1 to 2 business days to book your first visit at Steele Creek. Need a thyroid blood test or a medicine refill? Walk in to either clinic.
On this page
SymptomsWhy treat itWho is at riskThyroid testsHow we treat itWhen to call 911Near youBecome a patientInsuranceOur clinics
Signs of a thyroid problem
Your thyroid is a small gland in your neck that controls how your body uses energy. It can make too little hormone (hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid) or too much (hyperthyroidism, or overactive thyroid).
| Underactive thyroid | Overactive thyroid |
|---|---|
| Tiredness | Weight loss even though you eat more |
| Weight gain | Fast or irregular heartbeat |
| Feeling cold when others don’t | Nervousness, irritability or trouble sleeping |
| Joint and muscle pain | Shaky hands or muscle weakness |
| Dry skin or dry, thinning hair | Sweating or trouble with heat |
| Heavy or irregular periods, or trouble getting pregnant | More frequent bowel movements |
| Slow heart rate and feeling down or depressed | A swelling in the front of the neck (goiter) |
Sources: NIDDK, Hypothyroidism and NIDDK, Hyperthyroidism
These symptoms can have other causes too, so a thyroid problem can’t be found from symptoms alone. Additional tests or imaging may be needed.
Why treat a thyroid problem, even if it feels mild
Thyroid symptoms often come on slowly, and many people get used to them. Left untreated, a thyroid problem can lead to:
- Underactive thyroid: high cholesterol, trouble getting pregnant, and problems for both mother and baby during pregnancy. Rarely, severe untreated hypothyroidism can lead to myxedema coma, which needs emergency care.
- Overactive thyroid: an irregular heartbeat that can lead to blood clots, stroke and heart failure; thinning bones (osteoporosis) and muscle problems; eye problems; and period and fertility problems.
Sources: NIDDK, Hypothyroidism and NIDDK, Hyperthyroidism
The good news: blood tests help identify thyroid function problems, and treatment works well for most people. An underactive thyroid can also raise your cholesterol, so we check that too.
Who is more likely to have a thyroid problem
- Women, who are much more likely than men
- People older than 60
- A family history of thyroid disease
- A past thyroid problem, thyroid surgery or radioactive iodine
- Type 1 or type 2 diabetes
- Pernicious anemia
- Pregnancy in the past 6 months
- Radiation to the neck or chest
Sources: NIDDK, Hypothyroidism and NIDDK, Hyperthyroidism
Thyroid tests
- TSH test: a blood test that shows how well your thyroid is working. Your provider interprets TSH with your symptoms and other tests; TSH alone does not identify the cause.
- More tests if needed: if your TSH isn’t normal, your provider may add T4, T3 or thyroid antibody tests to look for causes such as Hashimoto’s or Graves’ disease.
- Neck ultrasound: if you have a lump or swelling in your neck, your provider can order an ultrasound at an imaging center.
Source: MedlinePlus, TSH Test
Every lab test starts with a provider visit, and you can walk in to either clinic. Blood is drawn in the clinic and sent to Quest, and timing varies by test and processing. Some routine results may return by the next morning. See lab work.
How we treat thyroid problems
| Step | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Underactive thyroid | Most people take a daily thyroid hormone pill, levothyroxine, which works like the hormone a healthy thyroid makes. |
| Getting your dose right | NIDDK says a blood test about 6 to 8 weeks after you start, and after each dose change, shows whether your dose is right. Once it’s steady, most people are checked in 6 months, then once a year. Your provider may check sooner depending on your health. If you become pregnant, contact your provider promptly because your medicine dose and testing schedule may need to change. |
| Overactive thyroid | Treatment may include medicine, radioiodine therapy or surgery. We do your first labs and work with an endocrinologist, the specialist doctor for the thyroid, on the treatment that fits you. |
| Your other health | Your provider also checks how your thyroid affects your heart, cholesterol, weight and mood, and reviews your other medicines. |
| Follow-ups | Either clinic works. Your provider refills your thyroid medicine after reviewing your labs. |
| Specialists | If your thyroid is hard to control, you have a thyroid lump that needs more testing, or you’re pregnant, we’re happy to find you higher-level care with an endocrinologist. |
Sources: NIDDK, Hypothyroidism and NIDDK, Hyperthyroidism
A thyroid problem can look like other conditions, such as depression or anxiety, so checking your thyroid is often part of finding the cause. See all the chronic conditions we manage.
When to call 911
- Chest pain or trouble breathing
- A very fast or irregular heartbeat with fainting or feeling like you might pass out
- Severe confusion or trouble staying awake
- Anything that seems life-threatening
Thyroid care near you in Charlotte
Looking for a thyroid doctor near you? Walk in to either clinic for a thyroid blood test, any day we’re open. Plaza Midwood is a short drive from NoDa, Elizabeth and Uptown. Steele Creek is close to Berewick, Lake Wylie, Fort Mill and Ballantyne.
| Clinic | Close to |
|---|---|
| Steele Creek | Steele Creek, Berewick, Rivergate, Lake Wylie, Fort Mill, Pineville, South Charlotte, Ballantyne and southwest Charlotte |
| Plaza Midwood | Plaza Midwood, NoDa, Elizabeth, Midtown, Uptown, Villa Heights and east Charlotte |
Become a patient for thyroid care
Apply online, and our team calls you within 1 to 2 business days. Your first visit is an annual physical at our Steele Creek clinic, where your provider reviews your history, medicines and labs. After that, follow-ups can be at either clinic, and you can walk in any day we’re open if your symptoms get worse.
Our primary care is for adults. Children with thyroid problems should see a pediatrician.
Insurance
- Copay: paid at your visit.
- Coinsurance: collected at your visit.
- Deductible: if you still owe part of your deductible, we bill your insurance first, then send you a bill for the rest.
Insurance: Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO plans, Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, Humana and TRICARE East. We don’t take HMO plans tied to one doctor or hospital system.
Medicare: Original Medicare and most Medicare Advantage plans.
Check with your insurance plan about your coverage, including for lab tests. HSA and FSA cards are accepted.
Our clinics in Charlotte
| Clinic | What’s here |
|---|---|
| Steele Creek | 2114 Freeman Park Dr, Suite 105, Charlotte, NC 28273. (980) 880-5588. First visits (annual physicals), follow-ups, walk-ins. |
| Plaza Midwood | 2017 Central Ave, Suite 103, Charlotte, NC 28205. (704) 731-8656. Follow-ups and walk-ins. |
| Hours (both) | Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm; Saturday and Sunday 9am to 5pm |
Apply to be a patientCome in today
Sources
- NIDDK (National Institutes of Health): Hypothyroidism (Underactive Thyroid)
- NIDDK: Hyperthyroidism (Overactive Thyroid)
- MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine): TSH (Thyroid-stimulating hormone) Test
- MedlinePlus: Thyroid Diseases
This page is general information, not medical advice for your situation. Your provider decides the tests and treatment that fit your health.
Related care
Chronic careHigh cholesterolDepression and anxietyPrimary careLab workAnnual physicals
Updated
Related care: Primary care for depression and anxiety.
