Increase Your Knowledge About Graves’ Disease Today
Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disease. It can cause hyperthyroidism, an overactive thyroid, and other serious health problems.
What is Graves’ Disease?
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in your neck. It is responsible for producing thyroid hormones (also known as T3 and T4), which help regulate metabolism, body temperature, and the proper functioning of many other organs, including the brain and heart. Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disease in which the patient’s body attacks the thyroid and causes it to produce excessive thyroid hormone. This disorder can cause hyperthyroidism, an overactive thyroid, and if left untreated, can cause serious health problems.
Who is mostly likely to develop Graves’ Disease?
Graves’ disease occurs in approximately 1 out of 200 people and most commonly affects individuals between the ages of 30–50. It is 7 times more common in women than in men. Further, if a family member has Graves’ disease, it is more likely for other family members to develop it.
Some individuals with other autoimmune disorders—including rheumatoid arthritis, vitiligo, and lupus—are more likely to develop Graves’ disease.
What are the symptoms of Graves’ Disease?
Symptoms of Graves’ disease and hyperthyroidism include:
- Heat Intolerance
- Difficulty Sleeping
- Weight Loss
- Irritability
- Faster Heartbeat
- Goiter
Enlargement of the thyroid gland. - Graves’ Dermopathy
Skin thickening and redness, most commonly on the shins. - Graves’ Ophthalmology
Bulging eyes and retracted eyelids that might cause pressure, irritation, or vision loss.
How do you diagnose Graves’ disease?
A doctor may diagnose Graves’ disease from a physical exam and the symptoms you report. However, blood tests and thyroid imaging can confirm the diagnosis.
How do you treat Graves’ Disease?
Graves’ disease can be treated with medication, surgery, or radioactive iodine therapy. The primary goal of treatment is to reduce the amount of thyroid hormone in the body.
Medication
Antithyroid medication is a simple way to treat Graves’ disease. While it is not a permanent cure, these medications cause your thyroid to produce less thyroid hormone and have long-lasting effects. After you start taking antithyroid medication, it may take a few weeks or months for your thyroid hormone to fall back into the normal range.
Surgery
Sometimes, if patients with Graves’ disease also have large thyroid goiters, surgery is a viable treatment option. Doctors may remove part of the thyroid (hemithyroidectomy) or all of the gland (total thyroidectomy). After a total thyroidectomy, and occasionally a hemithyroidectomy, you will need to take thyroid hormone replacement medication for life.
Radioactive Iodine Therapy
The third treatment option for Graves’ disease is radioactive iodine therapy. Iodine-131 (a radioactive form of iodine) can be taken as an oral pill. The overactive thyroid cells that produce thyroid hormone then take up this iodine. The iodine-131 slowly destroys these cells and prevents them from creating excessive thyroid hormone. Typically, after radioactive iodine therapy, a patient will need to take thyroid hormone medicine since the previously overactive cells have been destroyed.
If you feel like you might have one or more symptoms of Graves’ disease, speak to your doctor.
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