For breakneck name hides a very common problem. Hashimoto's thyroiditis affects about 5% of the population. Four out of five people affected are women. The thyroid is destroyed in this disease antibodies which produces its own confused immune system of the patient. Disease is therefore also called chronic autoimmune thyroiditis.
crush immunity
We know the definite cause of why the human immune system suddenly turns against its own thyroid gland. Doctors already demonstrated a link Hashimoto's disease with a variety of influences: the female hormones, excessive intake of iodine or even radiation. But there is an important role is also played by heredity. A person with Hashimoto's disease often have relatives affected by the same or another autoimmune disease.
Symptoms occur gradually
The thyroid gland has a tremendous ability to adapt. So several years may be slowly damaged without it the function of our body showed. This phase Hashimoto's disease can be recognized only from a blood test. Time but healthy glands have left so little that even at work "fully" do not provide adequate hormone production. This creates a condition called hypothyroidism - the body is missing thyroid hormones, which are essential for its proper functioning. Possible symptoms include:
fatigue,
weight gain,
depression,
constipation,
dry skin ,
feeling cold,
slow heartbeat,
thinning hair,
irregular or heavy menstrual bleeding,
problems with pregnancy,
enlarged thyroid gland (goitre on his neck).
It can not cure, but treatment will help a lot
If you suspect that your thyroid is not functioning as it should, the first step is to visit a doctor. The Hashimoto thyroiditis easily confirm or rule through blood tests. Then comes the therapy, administration of thyroid hormone tablets. Unfortunately, those healthy gland back. But but replace the missing hormones so perfectly that the symptoms of hypothyroidism disappear. The body then begins to function normally again. Hypothyroidism can resemble many other diseases, so it is important to diagnosis the doctor. Likewise, periodic inspection, in which the treatment is adjusted to dose precisely meet the needs of a particular patient.
The author: Lucie Kovářová
Expert guarantor article: MD. Jiří Náhlovský
Source: U lékaře.cz