Thyroid Doctor: Testing & Treatment

Tiredness that will not go away, weight going up or down for no reason, feeling cold or hot beyond the usual: the thyroid is often the explanation. At Clínica Hispana Nueva Salud Pasadena we check your thyroid with blood tests, explain the results in Spanish or English and start treatment at the same clinic.

Which doctor treats the thyroid?

The general or primary-care physician. That is who orders the tests, interprets the results, starts treatment and adjusts the dose at follow-up visits. An endocrinologist, the gland specialist, is needed only in complex cases: nodules that need workup, hyperthyroidism that is hard to control, pregnancy with an altered thyroid or thyroid cancer. If your case calls for it, we tell you and guide the referral; most patients with hypothyroidism do well with their primary-care physician.

Which tests check the thyroid?

The main test is TSH, the hormone that tells the thyroid to work. If TSH is off, it is completed with free T4 and, in some cases, T3, to learn whether the gland is underactive (hypothyroidism) or overactive (hyperthyroidism). When an autoimmune cause is suspected, thyroid antibodies are ordered, and if the physician feels a lump in the neck, a thyroid ultrasound is indicated. No fasting is needed for these tests, and the sample is drawn at the clinic, no appointment required.

What are the symptoms of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism?

When the thyroid is underactive: tiredness, weight gain, feeling cold, dry skin, constipation, hair loss, low mood, heavy periods. When it is overactive: nervousness, palpitations, weight loss despite a good appetite, feeling hot and sweaty, hand tremor, insomnia, light periods. Both pictures are easily mistaken for stress or other conditions, which is why the blood test gives the answer.

How is the thyroid treated?

Hypothyroidism is treated with levothyroxine, a daily pill that replaces the hormone; it is taken on an empty stomach, and the dose is adjusted with TSH checks every 6 to 8 weeks until the right one is found, then every 6 to 12 months. Hyperthyroidism is treated with medications that slow the gland and, depending on the case, with a specialist referral. Treatment is usually long term; the key is not to stop it without talking to the physician.

How much does a thyroid check cost in Pasadena?

We give you the price of the TSH test and of the full panel by phone before you come. No health insurance is needed; we accept cash and cards. Follow-up visits for dose adjustment are charged as an office visit.

What is the visit like?

Walk in, Monday to Sunday, 9 AM to 9 PM. The physician reviews your symptoms and your neck, orders the tests, and the sample is drawn that day. When the result is ready we let you know, you review it with the medical team and, if treatment is needed, you leave with your prescription and your follow-up date.

Related services

Thyroid tests are part of blood tests. If you also have diabetes, high blood pressure or cholesterol, follow-up is combined under chronic conditions.

Medical center near you in Pasadena and Houston, TX

We are a Hispanic clinic in the Houston, TX area: we care for patients across Pasadena and South Houston, South Belt, Genoa, Sagemont, Galena Park, Deer Park, Hobby (Houston) and surrounding communities.