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Even though Graves' disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism, accounting for 60% to 80% of cases, it's a relatively rare condition. In fact, approximately 1.2% of people in the US have hyperthyroidism.
Surgery is a less common treatment for Graves' disease, but may be a good choice if you have a goiter, or are pregnant and can't take anti-thyroid medications. During surgery, some or all of your thyroid gland is removed.
Although there's no cure, some people may, with treatment, stop having the symptoms, meaning they're in remission. However, remission may only be temporary.
Grave's disease can be well-treated when you follow your treatment plan. See your doctor immediately if you start having new symptoms, or you become pregnant, as the treatment plan may need adjustment.
Although, Graves' disease is a lifelong chronic condition, treatments can keep your thyroid hormone levels in check.
With this treatment, you take another form of radioactive iodine by mouth than what is used in the test to diagnose the disease. The iodine gets into the thyroid and the radiation kills some of the cells in your thyroid that are overproducing thyroid hormones.
Typically used to reduce blood pressure, beta-blockers can help to relieve some of the symptoms of hyperthyroidism, including shaking, rapid heartbeat, and anxiety.
Your doctor may recommend anti-thyroid medicines during pregnancy rather than radioiodine therapy, which uses radiation that can affect the pregnancy and the unborn baby.
This test uses small doses of radioactive iodine to monitor how much of it is taken up into your thyroid from your bloodstream. The body normally uses iodine to make thyroid hormones. So, if it takes in a lot of the radioactive iodine, it's a sign that it's working harder than needed.
A thyroid scan sees where the radioactive iodine travels in your thyroid gland. If it goes all over your thyroid, that suggests you have Graves' disease.
A blood test will check your levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and other thyroid hormones. With Graves' disease, your TSH levels are usually lower, and other hormones are elevated.
Lab tests will look for the antibodies that cause Graves' disease. If you don't have them, that's a sign that your hyperthyroidism is caused by something else.
Anti-thyroid medications makes the thyroid produce less thyroid hormone. They aren’t permanent treatments but can be used for long periods.
A doctor first assesses the symptoms and looks for signs of Graves' disease. They also check for thyroid issues in a person's family medical history and order one or more of the following tests.
Graves' disease can make it harder to get pregnant because it changes the menstrual cycle. However, if you do get pregnant, your symptoms may get worse in the first three months and then improve later.
Something triggers the immune system to overproduce an antibody called thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin (TSI). TSI attaches to healthy thyroid cells, causing the thyroid to overproduce thyroid hormones.
In rare cases, Graves' disease can lead to Graves' dermopathy, which causes thick, flushed skin on the shins. It’s usually painless and mild, but it can be painful for some people.
Researchers don't know what causes autoimmune diseases like Graves' disease.
Graves' disease can affect the eyes, and symptoms usually develop after six months. Common symptoms include swollen or retracted eyelids, light sensitivity, redness, bulging eyes, and blurred or double vision.
Graves' disease causes hyperthyroidism, which speeds up certain body functions. Symptoms of hyperthyroidism can include weight loss, excessive sweating, feeling shaky, hair loss, menstrual changes, and insomnia.
Graves' disease affects the thyroid gland, a butterfly-shaped organ at the base of the neck, just above the collarbone, which can affect many other parts of the body. For example, excess thyroid hormone can cause rapid heartbeat.
The initial symptoms of Graves' disease are usually gradual, often taking several weeks or months to develop.
You're also more likely to get Graves’ disease if you have another autoimmune disease, such as type 1 diabetes, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, celiac disease, or vitiligo.
It typically occurs in people between the ages of 30 and 50. However, it can affect children and older adults.
Graves' disease affects more people assigned female at birth than people assigned male at birth.
Speak with your doctor about dietary and lifestyle changes to manage your Graves' disease symptoms and reduce complications.
The disease may stem from a combination of genes and external triggers, such as viral infections, stress, and pregnancy.
The thyroid needs iodine to make thyroid hormones. However, with Graves' disease, you need to be aware of your iodine consumption from foods and supplements. Having too much iodine could make hyperthyroidism symptoms worse.
Sources: (Medical News Today) (Mayo Clinic) (WebMD) (Cleveland Clinic)
See also: Deadly diseases and infections with a 24-hour window
To learn more about Graves' disease, make sure to check out this gallery.
The risk of developing Graves' disease increases if you have a family history of thyroid disease. Smoking can also increase the risk of developing Graves' disease.
Everything you need to know about Graves' disease
Have you heard about this autoimmune disease?
HEALTH Autoimmune disease
Graves' disease is an autoimmune condition where your immune system produces antibodies that cause the thyroid to produce too much thyroid hormone. 'Star Wars' star Daisy Ridley and rapper Missy Elliot both have the condition, which about 80% of people with an overactive thyroid gland also have. The condition gets its name from the Irish surgeon who first described it in the early 19th century, Sir Robert Graves. Modern medicine has come a long way since its discovery, and there are treatments today that can help people diagnosed with the condition.
To learn more about Graves' disease, make sure to check out this gallery.