Graves' Disease Symptoms

What is Graves' Disease?

It's the most common form of hyperthyroidism and is a rare autoimmune disorder that occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks the thyroid gland.

Even though Graves' may happen at any time, it usually occurs between the ages of 20 and 40 and women are approximately 8 times more likely to have the disease than men. Additional risk factors include a family history of Graves' and pregnancy.

The thyroid gland is located in the front of the neck and is part of the endocrine system. This gland takes iodine from the food we eat and uses it to manufacture hormones that are indispensable for metabolism and growth.

Metabolism regulation is very important and influences the overall mood, weight and mental and physical energy level. In Graves' disease the attack by the immune system to the thyroid causes an overproduction of the thyroid hormone called thyroxine.

Graves' Disease Symptoms

The autoimmune response of Graves' disease can lead to eye problems, called Graves' ophthalmopathy. The tissues and muscles behind the eyes swell as a result of an excessive accumulation of fluid causing the eyes to bulge and giving the appearance that the person is staring. The eyes can become dry on the surface and mild symptoms such as excess tearing, reddening and swelling of the lids and tissues around the eyes may be experienced.

Other Graves'disease symptoms that appear less often are:

In severe cases the optic nerve connecting the eye to the brain may become damaged, leading to blindness.

The one less common Graves' disease symptom that results from the accumulation of excessive amounts of fluid, is a reddish thickening of the skin in front of the shins and on top of the feet. This is called Graves' dermopathy.

Symptoms appear gradually and may be mistaken for stress. When the thyroid becomes overactive it is common to experience the following graves' disease symptoms:

What is the Cause of Graves' Disease?

The way the immune system defends the body from viruses, bacteria and foreign substances is through antibodies that are naturally occurring proteins and white blood cells called lymphocytes. Why the immune system attacks the thyroid gland is still unknown.

In Graves' disease, the immune system does not destroy the thyroid, however, the antibody called "thyrotropin receptor antibody" stimulates the gland to make more than the necessary amount of thyroid hormone.

Doctors believe factors such as heredity, age, sex and stress may contribute to developing Graves' disease.

How Is It Diagnosed?

Not every person with Graves' disease experiences all the different symptoms mentioned earlier. Because of this, doctors take into consideration the presence of certain symptoms and conduct a physical exam and blood tests.

Treatment

The goal when treating Graves' is to control the hyperactivity of the thyroid in order to decrease the production of thyroxine.

In order to handle the symptoms of rapid heartbeat, excessive sweating, anxiety and tremors, doctors use a type of medicine that doesn't stop the immune system from attacking the thyroid and producing too much of its hormone, but it does block part the action.

Other treatments may be used to complement the medicine such as radioactive iodine treatment or surgery.

Radioactive Iodine Treatment

It was noted earlier that the thyroid takes iodine from food to make hormones. If the person with Graves' disease takes radioactive iodine it is accumulated in the thyroid, and over time, destroys the overactive thyroid cells; as a result the gland shrinks and symptoms improve. The downside is that with the decline in the activity of the thyroid it is likely that the person will need thyroxine treatment to supply the body with normal amounts of the hormone.

Surgery is also an alternative for people that cannot tolerate medicine. Surgery removes the thyroid gland and very likely the person will need thyroxine treatment to give the body the appropriate amounts of thyroid hormones.

Some risks associated with this surgery are potential damage to the vocal cords and the parathyroid glands.

If you have Graves' ophthalmopathy it may be helpful to use artificial tears. It's also important to protect your eyes from the wind and ultraviolet rays by wearing sun glasses that wrap around. To lessen eye pressure at night, you can try sleeping on an angle by elevating the head of the bed.

A 100% herbal remedy that has helped many people to calm their overactive thyroid is ThyroSoothe. This product constitutes a natural thyroid treatment that you may want to check out to see if it's right for you.

As you know, Graves' disease is a complex condition and we advise that you work with your doctor to regularly monitor your thyroid function.

ThyroSoothe is a unique blend and includes herbs such as Bugleweed, which helps relieve Graves' disease symptoms -like fatigue and insomnia, and Motherwort that is used to soothe heart palpitations. It is manufactured under strict regulations to provide a therapeutic benefit without negative side effects. Click here to learn more about this natural thyroid treatment.

more than Graves disease symptoms on our health conditions page

Legal Disclaimer: The information contained in this web site is for educational purposes only and its not meant to replace medical advice, diagnose or treat any disease. Healthcare professionals can provide disagreeing opinions on health issues and that includes Graves' disease symptoms and natural thyroid treatment. Each person, in the end is responsible for directing his own health care.