Graves’ Disease And Hyperthyroidism

One of the main causes of hyperthyroidism is Graves’ Disease
Graves’ Disease, an autoimmune disease that sees an individual’s
thyroid gland as a foreign object invading the body and produces
antibodies to attack the gland This causes the thyroid gland to
produce a greater than normal amount of thyroxine As a person’s
thyroxine level increases, the body’s metabolic rate increases
as well A higher metabolism rate can lead to a number of health
problems, including irregular heartbeat and anxiety disorders
Graves’ Disease occurs mostly in middle-aged women, but it has
also been known to occur in children and the elderly There is
said to be a genetic predisposition of the disease, but the
cause remains unknown
Symptoms of Graves’ Disease include a sensitivity to heat,
weight loss, brittle hair, restlessness, muscle weakness,
increased appetite, tremors, blurred or double vision,
nervousness, redness and swelling of the eyes, fatigue, changes
in heart beat and sex drive While Graves’ Disease is an
incurable ailment, it is not life threatening and can very well
be treated with anti-thyroid drugs, radioactive iodine, or
surgery to remove most of the thyroid gland
While most individuals seem to do well on anti-thyroid
medication, surgery may just be the best option in certain
situations, such as individuals that have problems where the
thyroid gland is interfering with the ability to swallow
Radioactive iodine destroys part or all of the thyroid gland and
renders it incapable of overproducing thyroxine The treatment
consists of swallowing a pill containing radioactive iodine
Side effects are minimal and the treatment is relatively
painless
More serious complications of Graves’ Disease are weakened heart
muscle that can lead to heart failure, osteoporosis, or possible
severe emotional disorders However, these complications are
only likely to appear if Graves’ Disease is prolonged,
untreated, or improperly treated By visiting your doctor for a
checkup and discussing your symptoms and treatment options for
Graves’ Disease long before your symptoms begin to turn serious,
you can safely treat Graves’ Disease and live happier and
healthier knowing that although there is no cure for Graves’
Disease, it can be successfully treated

Tags | anxiety, autoimmune, brittle, effects, genetic, heart, heartbeat, hyperthyroidism, medication, radioactive, result, swallowing, thyroid