Muscle atrophy can also happen if you are bedridden or unable to move certain body parts due to a medical condition. Astronauts, for example, can also experience some muscle atrophy after a few days of weightlessness. Other causes for muscle atrophy include: 1  lack of physical activity for an extended period of time. 2  aging.  alcohol-associated myopathy, a pain and weakness in muscles due to excessive drinking over long periods of time.
In addition, TSH tests are used to help diagnose a condition called subclinical hypothyroidism, which usually causes no outward signs or symptoms. In this condition, you have normal blood levels of triiodothyronine and thyroxine, but higher than normal levels of TSH. Nov. 10, 2015.
Because many of its symptoms are seen in other diseases, hypothyroidism usually cannot be diagnosed based on symptoms alone. In addition to a patient's medical history and thorough physical examination, several tests are used to confirm hypothyroidism. The first, most accurate measure of thyroid activity is the TSH test. Generally, above normal TSH levels indicate hypothyroidism.