Your doctor will perform a physical exam to see if your thyroid is enlarged. If you think you may have developed Hashimoto's disease, check your diet for food high in iodine. This is especially true between the ages of 40 and 60.Ĭonsumption of iodine is known to increase the chances of developing the condition. Women are significantly³ more likely than men to develop Hashimoto's disease. Several genes² have been shown to increase a person's susceptibility to the disease. Hashimoto's disease can be hereditary, so if you have a family history of it, the chances of it causing your thyroid problems are higher. If your doctor suspects Hashimoto's to be the reason for your thyroid problems, they will likely ask you some questions to determine how at-risk you are for the disease. However, there are some things you can do at home that may help point the doctor in one direction or another. If you're experiencing any of the symptoms of poor thyroid function, a doctor can narrow things down for you. People who suffer from myxedema coma aren't usually unconscious, but they experience extreme lethargy and low body temperature that is considered a medical emergency.īecause the symptoms of Hashimoto's disease are the same as those of many other thyroid conditions, it can be difficult to know without medical advice whether the disease is the cause of the symptoms. In extreme cases, the thyroid produces so little output that it becomes dangerous.Īlthough rare, extreme cases of hypothyroidism can be life-threatening and cause a condition known as myxedema coma. Underactive thyroid presents itself differently from person to person, but a common set of symptoms of the condition include: When this happens, Hashimoto's disease will cause the body to present symptoms of hypothyroidism. Whether it's because of the initial attack on it, or the continued degradation of its function by Hashimoto's, the thyroid can also produce too little hormonal output for the body due to the disease. Common indications of hyperthyroidism include:īeing unusually bothered by the heat or sweating more than usual The symptoms of an overactive thyroid then become potential symptoms of Hashimoto's disease. As your thyroid comes under attack from your immune system due to Hashimoto's disease, it can become overactive. Hyperthyroidism is when your thyroid gland produces more thyroid hormones than your body needs. We'll discuss this test in greater detail later. Goiters aren't always easily visible, but there's a home check you can perform to see if there's any unusual growth on your thyroid. If you have an enlarged thyroid, your doctor will be able to help you find the reasons. Hashimoto's disease is one of the many conditions that may prevent your thyroid from working correctly. Goiters are usually the result of a thyroid that isn't functioning properly. Goiter is the medical term for enlargement of the thyroid. If you suspect you have Hashimoto's disease, below is a list of the symptoms you should look out for: This means that symptoms of overactive thyroid or hyperthyroidism can also be an early sign of Hashimoto's. Instead, the gland can erratically behave as it finds itself under attack.ĭuring these early phases, the gland may produce too much hormonal output. However, in the early phases of the disease, the attacks on your thyroid have not yet degraded its performance. We've talked about how Hashimoto's disease degrades the function of the thyroid and reduces its output, so the symptoms of hypothyroidism could be a reason to evaluate your chances of having Hashimoto's. Instead, the condition is detected by its effect on the thyroid. Hashimoto's disease itself doesn't have any symptoms that are unique to it. While Hashimoto's disease can result in hypothyroidism once the thyroid becomes too damaged, it's not the only cause of hypothyroidism.Īn underactive thyroid can have different causes,¹ so low thyroid output alone isn't enough to diagnose Hashimoto's disease. It's important to note the distinction between Hashimoto's disease and hypothyroidism. Hashimoto's disease versus hypothyroidism This is a condition known as underactive thyroid or hypothyroidism. In the early stages of the disease, the results on thyroid output can be unpredictable, but as the condition of the thyroid worsens, it will be unable to produce enough thyroid hormones to meet the body's needs. As your immune system attacks your thyroid, its function begins to decline. In the case of Hashimoto's disease, the thyroid becomes the target of the immune system's attack. Autoimmune disorders occur when your body's immune system mistakes parts of your body for a threat to your health and attacks them.Īutoimmune disorder can impact almost every part of the body. Hashimoto's disease is an autoimmune disorder.
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