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May 04, 2006
Hashimoto's Thyroiditis
by SirGan|
Hashimoto's Thyroiditis is a type of autoimmune thyroid disease in which the immune system attacks and destroys the thyroid gland. It is the most common form of thyroid disease in the United States, and it is also the most common form of thyroiditis, in generally. It tends to run in families, and is much more common in women than men. It is a chronic autoimmune condition that can cause an underactive thyroid gland or hypothyroidism. It is also associated with other conditions, including diabetes, Addison's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, pernicious anemia, and premature menopause.
Thyroid gland functionThyroid gland is one, very small and butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of neck, just below Adam's apple. It has an enormous effect on health because, as a part of the endocrine system, producing hormones- it controls body metabolism level and many other functions, from digestion to reproduction.
It produces three very important hormones:
They maintain the level of body usage of fats and carbohydrates, help control body temperature, influence heart rate and help regulate the production of proteins in body.
How much of Thyroxine and Triiodothyronine are released is controlled by pituitary gland and hypothalamus, two small glands located in head! Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone or TSH is hormone produced by the pituitary gland that stimulates the thyroid gland. Measurement of TSH is considered a primary way to diagnose thyroid disorders.
Mechanism of the disease and histology Hashimoto's thyroiditis or Hashimoto’s disease is a common thyroid gland disorder that can occur at any age, but it is most often in middle aged women. It is caused by an autoimmune reaction- reaction of the immune system against the thyroid gland. Physiologically, these auto-antibodies are targeted against thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin, which is causing gradual destruction of follicles in the thyroid gland.This disease is characterized by:
There are a number of theories which tired to explain the exact mechanism of pathogenic damage to the tissue during this form of thyroiditis.
Signs and symptomsSometimes it could be very difficult to diagnose the Hashimoto’s thyroiditis just from looking at the symptoms because they are not unique. Symptoms do not occur suddenly because; the disease progresses slowly over a number of years and causes chronic thyroid damage.
Most common symptoms are:
IncidenceAbout 0.3 - 0.5 cases per 1,000 per year are diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease. Problem is that the number of diagnosed Hashimoto's thyroiditis is increasing over time, mainly due to better diagnostic techniques. The female-to-male ratio is 20:1. The disease is most common in middle aged women, but it can affect all age groups, including children.
Diagnosis of Hashimoto’s thyroiditisIf a person notice some of the characteristic sings for this type of thyroid condition, it is best to contact general practitioner or endocrinologist, because; using several diagnostic tools- doctor can set the accurate diagnosis very quickly and start with appropriate treatment! It is also recommended that person should see doctor for periodic testing of thyroid function if it had
The two best diagnostic procedures are:
Simple blood tests can determine the amount of hormones produced by your thyroid and pituitary glands. It is logical that, if the thyroid gland is underactive, the level of thyroid hormone will be lower then normal. At the same time, the level of TSH is elevated because pituitary gland tries to stimulate thyroid gland to produce more thyroid hormone. It’s simple! Because the TSH test is the best screening test and much more sensitive then others, most of the doctor will first check TSH first and follow with a thyroid hormone test if needed.
Because Hashimoto's disease is an autoimmune disorder, the mechanism involves production of abnormal antibodies. Antibodies found in these autoimmune disorders are completely different because they are targeted on different structures! A blood test may confirm the presence of such specific antibodies targeted against thyrocytes!
Histological examination of the gland is being done when doctors remove small amounts of thyroid tissue, either with a needle biopsy or during surgery. After, the tissue sample is sent to pathologists, which are able to see lymphocyte infiltration, using microscopes.
Complications of untreated Hashimoto’s thyroidsSeveral researches done in the past have proven that untreated Hashimoto’s thyroiditis can lead to several possible complications and health problems, such as:
It is proven that constant stimulation of thyroid by the pituitary gland that TSH may cause the gland to become enlarged. This condition where the thyroid gland is abnormally large is called goiter. Hypothyroidism is one of the most common causes of goiter. The gland is usually firm and rubbery but may range from soft to hard. It is easy to assume that, goiter, besides affecting appearance, may also interfere with swallowing or breathing which could be potentially dangerous!
Because of possible depression problems that may occur in Hashimoto's disease, treating this depression became the primary goal of many therapists! It is also proven that Hashimoto's disease can also cause decreasing in sexual desire and can lead to decreased and slowed mental functioning.
Because high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, found normally in heart patients, can occur in people with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis- experts thing that there could be some connection there.
Long-term hypothyroidism can lead to this rare and possibly life-threatening condition, which is characterized by intense cold intolerance, drowsiness, profound lethargy and unconsciousness.
Babies born to women with untreated Hashimoto's disease may have
Good thing about this is that, if the condition is diagnosed within the first few months of pregnancy and with right therapy- chances of normal development are great.
Treatment of Hashimoto’s thyroiditisThere are several types of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis treatment and the most common and effective is synthetic hormone therapy!
Treatment with synthetic hormonesReplacement therapy with thyroid hormone is very effective treatment and it usually involves daily use of the synthetic thyroid hormone called Levothyroxine (Levothroid, Synthroid).
All the symptoms are usually improving after only several days of usage! It also lowers cholesterol levels. Good thing is also that Levothyroxine causes virtually no side effects when used in the appropriate dose and is relatively inexpensive. Only bad thing about this treatment is that it is usually lifelong.
It is very important that, during the treatment, patient goes every 2-3 months on regular checkups with his doctor because some dosing changes are usual in this therapy and that’s why monitoring of dosage is so important!
Care must be taken if Levothyroxine is being used along with next substances:
Complementary and alternative medicineThese last couple of years, natural extracts containing thyroid hormone made from the thyroid glands of pigs are available and showed great efficacy! Most commons are:
Glandulars are dried concentrates of glands derived from animals. They are also show great effectiveness! Only problem is that these products aren't regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, and their potency isn't guaranteed.
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