Description

Graves disease is a condition of the immune system that affects the thyroid gland. This causes the body to produce too much thyroid hormone. This condition is called hyperthyroidism.

Thyroid hormones affect many organs in the body. So Serious symptoms of the disease can also affect the organs. Any person can get the disease of Serious. But it is more common in women and in people older than 30.

The treatment for Graves ' disease helps to decrease the amount of thyroid hormone that is produced in the body and relieves the symptoms.

Symptoms

The common symptoms of Graves ' disease include:

  • Feeling nervous and irritable.
  • Have a slight tremor of the hands or fingers.
  • Be sensitive to heat, with an increase in perspiration or warm, moist skin.
  • Weight loss, in spite of the desire to eat more.
  • Have an enlarged thyroid gland, also called a goiter.
  • Have changes in the menstrual cycles.
  • Not being able to get or maintain an erection is called erectile dysfunction, or have less sexual desire.
  • Have bowel movements often.
  • Have bulging eyes — a condition called thyroid eye disease or Graves ophthalmopathy.
  • Be tired.
  • Have thick, discoloration of the skin especially on the shins or tops of the feet, called Graves dermopathy.
  • Be fast or irregular heartbeat, called palpitations.
  • Not sleeping well.

The thyroid eye disease

The thyroid eye disease, also called Graves ophthalmopathy. Approximately 25% of people with Graves ' disease have symptoms of the eye. Thyroid eye disease affects the muscles and other tissues around the eyes. Symptoms may include:

  • The googly eyes.
  • A gritty sensation in the eyes.
  • Pressure or pain in the eyes.
  • Swollen eyelid or eyelids that do not cover the eyeball all the way. This is called a retracted eyelids.
  • Red or inflammation of the eyes.
  • Sensitivity to light.
  • Blurred or double vision.
  • The loss of vision.

Graves' dermopathy

Rarely, people with Graves ' disease have darkening and thickening of the skin. More often appears on the shins or tops of the feet. The skin has a texture similar to an orange peel.

This is called Graves dermopathy. This is an accumulation of the protein in the skin. It is more soft and without pain.

When to see a doctor

Other medical conditions that can cause symptoms similar to those of Graves disease. Consult your health care professional if you have any of the symptoms of Graves disease to obtain a rapid diagnosis.

Seek medical attention right away if you have heart-related symptoms such as fast or irregular heartbeat, or if you have loss of vision.

Causes

Graves disease is caused by the body to fight diseases of the immune system is not working properly. Experts do not know why this happens.

The immune system produces antibodies that attack viruses, bacteria, or other foreign substances. In Graves disease, the immune system produces antibodies to a part of the cells of the hormone-making gland in the neck called the thyroid gland.

A small gland at the base of the brain, called the pituitary gland makes a hormone that controls thyroid gland. The antibodies associated with Graves ' disease is called receptor antibody, thyrotropin (K). Work takes over the work of the pituitary hormone. That leads to more of the thyroid hormone in the body what the body needs. This condition is called hyperthyroidism.

The cause of thyroid eye disease

The thyroid eye disease, also called Graves ophthalmopathy, comes from an accumulation of certain carbohydrates in the muscles and tissues behind the eyes. The cause is not known. This may involve the same antibody that can cause the thyroid gland does not work properly.

Thyroid eye disease often appears at the same time as hyperthyroidism or several months later. But the symptoms of thyroid eye disease can occur years before or after hyperthyroidism is started. Also it is possible to have thyroid eye disease, without hyperthyroidism.

Risk factors

Factors that may increase the risk of Graves ' disease include:

  • The history of the family. The people who get the disease of Serious, often have a family history of thyroid disease or an autoimmune disease.
  • Sex. Women are much more likely to get the disease of Serious men.
  • Age. Graves disease occurs mainly between the ages of 30 and 60.
  • Another autoimmune condition. People with other immune system disorders, such as type 1 diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis, have an increased risk.
  • The habit of smoking. Cigarette smoking, which can affect the immune system, increases the risk of Graves ' disease. People who smoke and have Graves disease are at increased risk of developing thyroid eye disease.

Complications

The complications of Graves ' disease may include:

  • Pregnancy health problems. Graves ' disease during pregnancy can cause miscarriage, premature birth, problems with the thyroid gland in the fetus and delay in fetal growth. It can also cause heart failure and pre-eclampsia in pregnant women. Preeclampsia leads to high blood pressure and other serious symptoms.
  • Conditions of the heart. Graves disease is that is not treated can lead to irregular heart rhythms and changes in the heart and how it works. The heart can't pump enough blood to the body. This condition is called heart failure.
  • Thyroid storm.This rare but fatal complication of Graves disease is also called accelerated hyperthyroidism and thyrotoxic crisis .. It is more likely to happen when severe hyperthyroidism is not treated or not treated well enough. Thyroid storm occurs when a sudden and dramatic increase in thyroid hormone causes a number of effects on the body. These include fever, sweating, confusion, delirium, severe weakness, tremors, irregular heartbeat, severe low blood pressure and coma. Thyroid storm needs immediate medical attention.
  • The fragile bones. The hyperthyroidism that is not treated can lead to weakness, brittle bones — a condition called osteoporosis. The strength of the bones depends, in part, on the amount of calcium and other minerals, which have. Too much thyroid hormone makes it difficult for the body to get the calcium in the bones.

Thyroid storm. This rare but fatal complication of Graves disease is also called accelerated hyperthyroidism and thyrotoxic crisis .. It is more likely to happen when severe hyperthyroidism is not treated or not treated well enough.

Thyroid storm occurs when a sudden and dramatic increase in thyroid hormone causes a number of effects on the body. These include fever, sweating, confusion, delirium, severe weakness, tremors, irregular heartbeat, severe low blood pressure and coma. Thyroid storm needs immediate medical attention.

Diagnosis

To diagnose Graves ' disease, your healthcare provider may do a physical exam and ask about your medical and family history. Tests may include:

  • Blood tests.The blood tests show that the levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroid hormones in the body. TSH is the pituitary hormone that stimulates the thyroid gland. People with Graves ' disease most often have lower-than-normal levels of TSH and high levels of thyroid hormones. Another laboratory test that measures the levels of antibodies known to cause Graves ' disease. If the results do not show antibodies, there could be another cause of hyperthyroidism.
  • Radioactive iodine uptake.The body needs iodine to produce thyroid hormones. This test involves taking a small amount of radioactive iodine. Later, a special scan of the camera shows how the iodine will enter the thyroid gland. This test can show the speed of the thyroid gland takes iodine. The amount of iodine in the thyroid gland occupies help to show whether the Grave's disease or another condition is the cause of the hyperthyroidism. This test can be used with radioactive iodine scan to display a picture of the uptake pattern.

Blood tests. The blood tests show that the levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroid hormones in the body. TSH is the pituitary hormone that stimulates the thyroid gland. People with Graves ' disease most often have lower-than-normal levels of TSH and high levels of thyroid hormones.

Another laboratory test that measures the levels of antibodies known to cause Graves ' disease. If the results do not show antibodies, there could be another cause of hyperthyroidism.

Radioactive iodine uptake. The body needs iodine to produce thyroid hormones. This test involves taking a small amount of radioactive iodine. Later, a special scan of the camera shows how the iodine will enter the thyroid gland. This test can show the speed of the thyroid gland takes iodine.

The amount of iodine in the thyroid gland occupies help to show whether the Grave's disease or another condition is the cause of the hyperthyroidism. This test can be used with radioactive iodine scan to display a picture of the uptake pattern.

Treatment

The treatment for Graves ' disease aims to stop the thyroid gland to produce hormones. The treatment also blocked the effect of hormones in the body.

Radioactive iodine therapy

With this therapy, take radioactive iodine, called radioactive iodine by mouth. The radioactive iodine enters the cells of the thyroid. Over time, destroys the cells that produce the thyroid hormone. This causes the thyroid gland to reduce the size. The symptoms of the ease little by little, more often for several weeks to several months.

Radioactive iodine therapy may increase the risk of thyroid eye disease, or make your symptoms worse. This side effect is most often mild and does not last. But the therapy may not be for you if you have moderate to severe in the eyes of the symptoms.

Other side effects may include pain in the neck and a brief increase in thyroid hormones. Radioactive iodine therapy is not used for the treatment of people who are pregnant or those who are breast-feeding.

This treatment destroys the cells that produce the thyroid hormone. After the treatment, it is likely that you will need to take daily hormone medicine for the thyroid hormones that your body needs.

Anti-thyroid medications

Anti-thyroid drugs block the thyroid from the use of iodine to produce hormones. These prescription drugs include propylthiouracil and methimazole.

Because the risk of liver failure is more common with propylthiouracil, methimazole is more often the first choice. But methimazole has a slight risk of birth defects. So propylthiouracil may be prescribed during the first trimester of pregnancy. Pregnant people typically take methimazole after the first quarter.

When any of these drugs are used without the need for other treatment, hyperthyroidism can return. These medicines may work better when taken for more than a year. Anti-thyroid medications can be used before or after the radioactive iodine therapy as an additional treatment.

Side effects of both drugs include rash, pain in the joints, liver failure or a decrease in disease-fighting white blood cells.

Beta-blockers

These medications do not leave the body to produce thyroid hormones. But block the effect of hormones in the body. They can work quickly to relieve irregular heartbeats, tremors, anxiety, irritability, heat intolerance, sweating, diarrhea, and muscle weakness.

Beta-blockers are:

  • Propranolol (Inderal LA, InnoPran XL, Hemangeol).
  • Atenolol (Tenormin).
  • Metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol-XL).
  • Nadolol (Corgard).

Beta-blockers are not often given to people with asthma because it can cause an asthma attack. These drugs may also make it harder to manage diabetes.

Surgery

The surgery to remove the thyroid, thyroidectomy, you can treat Graves ' disease. You need to take thyroid medication for the rest of your life after this surgery.

The risks of this surgery include damage to the nerve that controls the vocal cords and the damage to the small glands that sit next to the thyroid gland, called the parathyroid glands. The parathyroid glands produce a hormone that controls calcium levels in the blood. Complications are rare with surgeons who have made a lot of surgeries of the thyroid.

The treatment of thyroid eye disease

For mild symptoms of thyroid eye disease, the use of artificial tears during the day can be useful. You can buy the artificial tears without a prescription. The use of gels lubricants in the night.

For the symptoms of thyroid eye disease, which are worse, the treatment might include:

  • Corticosteroids. Treatment with intravenous corticosteroids can relieve the swelling behind the eyes. Side effects may include fluid accumulation, weight gain, high blood sugar, high blood pressure, and mood changes.
  • Teprotumumab (Tepezza). This drug is administered to eight times. It is administered through an IV in the arm every three weeks. Can cause side effects such as hearing loss, nausea, diarrhea, muscle cramps and high blood sugar.
  • Prisms. You may have double vision, either due to Graves disease or as a side effect of surgery for Graves ' disease. Despite the fact that don't work for everyone, prisms in their glasses can correct the double vision.
  • Orbital decompression surgery.In this surgery, the surgeon removes the bone between the eye socket called the orbit, and the air spaces next to the orbit, called the sinuses. This gives the room the eyes to return to their usual place. This treatment is mainly used if the pressure in the optic nerve can cause vision loss. Possible complications include double vision.
  • Orbital radiation therapy. This was once a common treatment for thyroid eye disease, but how it helps is unclear. Uses X-rays over a period of several days to destroy some of the tissues behind the eyes. Your health care professional may suggest this treatment if the eye problems are getting worse, and corticosteroids are not working, or cause too many side effects.

Orbital decompression surgery. In this surgery, the surgeon removes the bone between the eye socket called the orbit, and the air spaces next to the orbit, called the sinuses. This gives the room the eyes to return to their usual place.

This treatment is mainly used if the pressure in the optic nerve can cause vision loss. Possible complications include double vision.

The thyroid eye disease, do not always improve with the treatment of Graves ' disease. The symptoms of thyroid eye disease, you can even get worse for a 3 to 6 months. After that, the symptoms of thyroid eye disease, most often the same for a year or so. Then the symptoms begin to improve, often on their own account.

Lifestyle and home remedies

If you have Graves disease, it is important to take care of your physical and mental health. This includes:

  • Eating well and exercising.These can help to relieve some of the symptoms during treatment and help you feel better in general. The thyroid controls the way in which you burn calories. So you can gain weight when the hyperthyroidism is corrected. Fragility of the bones can also occur with Graves disease. Weight-bearing exercises can help keep bones strong.
  • Alleviate the stress. Stress can trigger Graves ' disease or make it worse. Listening to music, taking a warm bath or walk can help you relax and put you in a better mood.

Eating well and exercising. These can help to relieve some of the symptoms during treatment and help you feel better in general. The thyroid controls the way in which you burn calories. So you can gain weight when the hyperthyroidism is corrected.

Fragility of the bones can also occur with Graves disease. Weight-bearing exercises can help keep bones strong.

Work with your health care team to design a plan that makes eating well, exercising and relaxing part of each day.

The thyroid eye disease

For thyroid eye disease, also called Graves ophthalmopathy, these steps may help:

  • Put a cool, damp cloths in his eyes. This can soothe your eyes.
  • Wear sunglasses. The ultraviolet rays and bright lights may affect your eyes more if you stand out. Wear sunglasses that wrap around the sides of the head can help. And you can also prevent the wind from bothering your eyes.
  • The use of lubricating eye drops. Eye drops can relieve the dry, itchy feeling of your eyes. Try it with a gel lubricant in the night.
  • Raise the head of your bed. Keep the head higher than the rest of your body decreases the accumulation of fluid in the head and can relieve the pressure on their eyes.
  • Tape shut eyelids. If your eyelids do not close all the way, taping them shut during sleep, or the use of a sleep mask can help you.
  • Do not smoke. Smoking worsens thyroid eye disease.

Graves' dermopathy

If Graves ' disease affects the skin, the use of creams or ointments that hydrocortisone. You can buy without a prescription. Hydrocortisone can help relieve the swelling. The use of compression bandages on the legs can also help.

Preparing for your appointment

It is likely to start by seeing your primary healthcare professional. You can then be sent to a specialist in hormones and the endocrine system, called an endocrinologist. If you have thyroid eye disease, also could be sent to an eye specialist called an ophthalmologist.

Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment.

What you can do

Make a list of:

  • Their symptoms, even those that do not seem to be related, and when they began.
  • Key personal information, including your family medical history, and the recent tensions or life changes.
  • All medications, vitamins or supplements that you take, including over-dose.
  • Questions to ask your health care team.

For the disease, Serious questions may include:

  • What is the most likely cause of my symptoms?
  • What tests do I need? What do I need to prepare for any of these tests?
  • Is this condition likely to be brief or long-lasting?
  • What are the available treatments. What do you suggest?
  • What side effects can I expect from treatment?
  • I have other health conditions. How can I best manage these conditions?
  • Where can I find more information about Graves disease?

What to expect from your doctor

Your health care team is likely to ask you questions, such as:

  • Do you have symptoms all the time or come and go?
  • Has started a new medication?
  • You have lost weight quickly or without a treat? How much have you lost?
  • Have you had any changes in your menstrual cycle?
  • Has had sexual problems?
  • Do you have trouble sleeping?
Symptoms and treatment of Graves disease