Thyroid Symptoms & Conditions


Index
Thyroid Conditions
Underactive Thyroid Symptoms
Thyroid Antibodies
Thyroid cysts
Thyroid Nodules
Thyroid Cancer
Armour Thyroid
Thyroid Diesease
Thyroid Tests
Thyroid Uptake scan
Thyroid Eye Disease
Thyroid Medication
Signs and Symptoms of Thyroid Cancer
Thyroid Supplements
Thyroid Articles
Partner Sites

Graves Disease

Graves Disease and Hyper thyroidism

Graves' disease is the most common form of hyperthyroidism(overactive thyroid). Graves disease occurs when something goes wrong with the immune system and it mistakenly attacks your thyroid gland.This causes the thyroid gland to overproduce the hormone thyroxine.

As a result of Graves disease,the abnormal immune response can affect the tissue behind your eyes as well as parts of your skin. The higher thyroxine level in Graves' disease can greatly increase your body's metabolic rate, leading to host of health problems.

Actually,Graves' disease is not a life-threatening disease,and may develop at any age in either men or women, Graves' disease is found to be more common in women and usually begins after the age of 20.

Although there's no way(till now) to stop your immune system from attacking your thyroid gland, but treatments for Graves' disease can ease symptoms and decrease the production of thyroxine

Graves Disease Symptoms

Generally, the symptoms of Graves' disease are identical to the symptoms of hyperthyroidism, which can be caused by Graves' disease. Classic symptoms include an enlarged thyroid gland (goiter), nervousness, heat intolerance, weight loss, sweating, diarrhea, tremors, palpitations and exophthalmos (swelling of the tissue behind the eyeballs causing protrusion of the eyeball). Graves disease symptoms may also include:

  • Anxiety
  • Irritability
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Fatigue
  • A rapid or irregular heartbeat
  • A fine tremor of your hands or fingers
  • An increase in perspiration
  • Sensitivity to heat
  • An unusual loss in weight, despite normal food intake
  • Brittle hair
  • Light menstrual periods
  • Frequent bowel movements

Thyroid Storm :- As I said earlier,Graves disease is itself not life threatening. But Thyroid storm,which is a complication of Graves' disease, may lead to life-threatening conditions like heart, liver, or even kidney failure. Thyroid storm begins suddenly and is usually caused by a stressful event. The signs and symptoms of thyroid storm include:

  • extreme irritability,
  • high blood pressure,
  • rapid heart rate,
  • vomiting,
  • high fever,
  • even delirium and coma.

Once diagnosed,it should not be left untreated, as it can be fatal.

Facts about Thyroid Nodules

A vast majority of the thyroid nodules are benign.So,please dont Panic if you discover a lump or nodule in your neck.Just check with your doctor and maybe get a needle biopsy test done to make sure that it is not cancerous.

 

Thyroid Medication & Diet

When taking thyroid medication,you should take special care. Take your medicines in the morning on an empty stomach and have your breakfast an hour later.

 

Thyroid Supplements

Reduce or Completely stop taking your thyroid supplements if you feel unwell, your pulse is more than 75 beats a minute or your thyroid function blood tests are showing abnormal results.