It's thought that one in 20 people in the UK suffer from a thyroid problem - but because the symptoms overlap with a range of other conditions, it can take years for the health condition to be diagnosed.
A new study by academics at the University of Aberdeen in collaboration with several leading thyroid charities found that it takes an average of 4.5 years for a thyroid condition to be diagnosed. The study, which looked at the experience of almost 1,200 patients, found that in almost two thirds of cases it took multiple appointments and a worsening of the severity of symptoms before a diagnosis was made.
The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland in the neck, just in front of the windpipe (trachea). It produces hormones that affect things such as your heart rate and body temperature - one of its main functions is to produce hormones that help regulate the body's metabolism, the process that turns food into energy.
