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The body sometimes produces substances called antibodies, which are defense chemicals activated in response to invaders. Antibodies are usually made only to deal with foreign substances such as viruses, bacteria, and things like pollen. In patients who have hypothyroidism, the antibodies and the cells that make them are directed against the body's own cells, in this case the thyroid cells. This is called auto-immune destruction, and is almost impossible to prevent or reverse, so once thyroid cell damage occurs in this way, it is usually permanent.
Symptoms of Hashimoto’s disease
Symptoms that those people afflicted with Hashimoto’s disease may have are varied. Because the thyroid gland may become swollen due to Hashimoto’s disease, a patient may have a feeling of fullness or tightness in the throat. Trouble swallowing food or liquids is also common. A patient might notice a swelling or bump (goiter) in the front of the neck. Tiredness, forgetfulness, depression, coarse dry skin, slow heartbeat, weight gain, constipation and intolerance to cold are also symptoms of Hashimoto’s disease. Many people with this disease have no symptoms at all, and ordinary blood test may just show that the thyroid hormones are out of balance without correctly pinpointing the underlying problem.
Who gets Hashimoto’s disease?
Although Hashimoto’s disease can affect people of all ages, it is most common in women between 30 and 50 years of age. If someone in your family has had thyroid disease, you may have an increased risk for Hashimoto’s disease, but no one is entirely sure why people get this disease.