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Graves’ Disease & Thyroid Problems
The most common cause of Hyperthyroidism, the body’s over-stimulation of the thyroid gland, is Graves disease. Graves disease is an autoimmune disease meaning, like all other such diseases, it is not clearly understood. Autoimmune diseases are caused when our body’s immune system reacts to a perceived threat only to resultantly attack the body. In the case of Graves disease the body’s immune system attacks the thyroid gland which leads to over-production of thyroid hormones.
Symptoms of Graves disease, as you would expect, are very similar to hyperthyroidism. A sufferer would expect to have swollen glands, lose weight, sweat excessively, have frequent bowel movements and experience nervousness, tremors and over-heating. It’s a complex disease which can affect areas all over the body, including the nervous system, digestion, reproduction, eyes, nails, hair, skin and more. It can also lead to added problems which could result in possibly fatal heart, liver and kidney failure – known as thyroid storm. If you start experiencing any related symptoms such as extreme irritation, palpatations, rapid pulse, nausea/vomiting, heightened fever or delirium then you need to seek urgent medical attention.
As mentioned before, as an autoimmune condition not much is known about the causes of Grave’s disease. It has been recognised to be passed down through families and affects eight times more women than men. Stress is thought to also be a trigger.
