Graves Disease

Graves Disease

WHAT IS GRAVES DISEASE

First diagnosed by Sir Robert Graves in the early ninetheen century as the most common yet puzzling hyperthyroid pathology, is now believed to be an autoimmune disease. Autoimmunity is a weird phenom itself that occurs when the body produces antibodies and Tc cells that destroy its own tissues. If a diseased form is created , then it is known as an autoimmune disease, such as Graves disease which is started by the thyroid gland producing excessive amounts of thyroxine. Patients with this condition have abnormal amounts of antibodies in the serum of their blood that mimic TSH which continuosly stimulates TH release. Graves disease can occur by men or women but is more common in women after the age of 20 :(

SYMPTOMS

Elevated metabolic rates

Sweating

Tachycardia & Arrhythmia

Nevousness

Weight loss despite adequate food intake

Exophthalmos-protusion of the eyeballs may occur if the tissue behind the eyes becomes edematous and then fibrous.

TREATMENTS

There is no way you can stop your immune system from attacking your thyroid gland but treatments for graves diaease can ease symptoms and decrease production of thyroxine. One form is surgical removal of the thyroid gland or Radioctive iodine which will selectively destroy active thyroid cells . Left untreated can lead to serious complications and even death!

But once it is detected it is easily fixedby treatment.

http://webmd.com/

http://mayoclinic.com/