Graves Disease

Coutii Healthy - Graves disease is one type of disorders of the immune system that became a common cause of hyperthyroidism or an excess of thyroid hormone production. In people with Graves, the immune system protects the body should instead attack the thyroid gland (autoimmune). This makes the thyroid gland produce thyroid hormone in an amount more than the body needs.

Thyroid hormones regulate many functions of the body, including the nervous system, brain development, and body temperature. However, the levels of thyroid hormone are too much in the body can cause serious disturbances in the heart, the muscle, the bone, the menstrual cycle, eyes, skin, and fertility problems.

Graves Disease Symptoms

A number of symptoms that appear on disease Graves are:

• The enlargement of the thyroid gland (goiter)
• Tremor in hands or fingers
• Heart palpitations (heart palpitations)
• Erectile dysfunction (impotence)
• Declining sex passion
• Changes in menstrual cycle
• Losing weight without losing your appetite
• The volatile mood
• Difficult sleeping (insomnia)
• Diarrhea
• Hair loss
• Easily tired
• Sensitive to hot air

In addition to the above symptoms, some 30 percent of sufferers experienced a number of typical symptoms of Graves, i.e. Graves and oftalmopati Graves dermopati. The symptoms of Graves oftalmopati occur due to inflammation or disorders of the immune system, which affects the muscles and tissues around the eye. The symptoms include:

• Prominent eyes (exophthalmos)
• Eyes feel dry
• Pressure or pain in the eyes
• Swollen eyelids
• Eye flush which can be caused by inflammation
• Sensitive to light
• Double vision from one object (monocular)
• Loss of vision

While Graves dermopati more rarely found. The symptoms are a skin to Redden and thicken, and usually occur in areas of bone dry or at the top of the foot. Soon meet the doctor for symptoms of the disease saw Graves and get an accurate diagnosis.

The Cause Of The Disease Graves

The disease occurs due to disorders of the Graves of the function of the immune system. In normal conditions, the body produces antibodies to fight viruses or bacteria that invade the body. On diseases of the Graves, the immune system produces antibodies thus TSI (thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulins), which attacks the cells of the thyroid is healthy. However, it is not yet known why it could happen.

Graves Disease Risk Factors

Anyone can be afflicted by the disease Graves. However, some of the following factors can make a person more at risk of experiencing disease Graves:

• Gender. Women are more at risk of developing Graves than men.
• Age. Graves disease is more common in people under the age of 40 years.
• Genetic. Graves disease history in the family can lead the family member became more vulnerable developing Graves.
• Other autoimmune disease. Have other autoimmune diseases like type 1 diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis are also at risk of incurring disease Graves on that person.
• Stressed out emotionally or physically. Illness or event that causes stress, hardness, can trigger the disease gene in people with Graves that are prone to this disease.
• Smoking. Smoking can affect the immune system. For smokers who are suffering from the disease Graves, will be increasingly at risk exposed Graves oftalmopati.
• Pregnancy. Pregnancy or post-natal childbirth in women with a gene that vulnerable, can increase the risk of developing Graves.

Graves Disease Diagnosis

Graves disease diagnosis begins by asking the symptoms arising as well as a history of the disease has ever suffered. The doctor will check the pulse and blood pressure, as well as see signs harmonic. The doctor will also check the thyroid gland in the neck, to check whether the enlargement occurs. Some other tests that can be run is:

• Blood tests. The doctor will do blood tests to check the thyroid hormone levels, hormone levels and pituitary or pituitary hormone which regulates the production of the thyroid gland, that is TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone). Sufferers of Graves have TSH levels are lower than the normal range, as well as thyroid hormone level is higher.
• Radioactive iodine uptake test. Iodine is required by the body to make thyroid hormone. So in this examination will use the help and see radioactive iodine substance simply applied in the thyroid gland through a special camera. The doctor will give a bit of radioactive iodine and measure simply applied in the thyroid gland. This inspection will help the doctor determine whether hyperthyroidism caused by Graves disease or by other diseases.
• Imaging tests. Imaging tests done to see enlargement on the thyroid gland. An ULTRASOUND may be an option for patients who are pregnant. When necessary, the doctor will run the Imaging tests, such as CT scan or MRI.

Graves Disease Complications

The Graves disease not immediately dealt with can led to complications that can harm, namely:

• Disorders of the heart. When left without handling, disease Graves can lead to arrhythmias, changes to the structure and function of the heart, as well as a decrease in the ability of the heart to pump blood throughout the body.
• Bone loss or osteoporosis. The amount of thyroid hormone is too much can affect the body's ability in absorbing calcium into the bones. This leads to reduced bone strength so the brittle is made easy.
• Disorders of pregnancy. Some of the Graves disease complications that can occur during pregnancy, such as preterm birth, fetal thyroid dysfunction, decreased fetal development, high blood pressure in the mother (preeclampsia), of heart failure in the mother, to the miscarriage.
• Thyroid crisis (thyroid storm), the condition in which the thyroid hormones are produced quickly and redundant. This condition is caused by hyperthyroidism are not immediately addressed, and is of a very dangerous condition. Some of the symptoms of thyroid crisis, among other things, excessive perspiration, diarrhea, fever, vomiting, delirious, seizures, low blood pressure, heart pounding, jaundice, and comma. Immediately to the hospital in order to get the handling when you experience the symptoms above.

Graves Disease Treatment

Graves disease treatment aims to reduce excess production of thyroid hormones and their impact to the body. Treatment options include:

• Antithyroid drugs. Antithyroid drugs interfere with thyroid hormone production function which is triggered by iodine. In addition as a single therapy, antithyroid drugs can be consumed before or after undergoing therapy radioactive iodine as a complement. Consultation with a physician is necessary before using this medicine, especially in pregnant women. Some medications including methimazole and propylthiouracil is antitiroid.
• Remedy inhibitor of beta. Inhibitor of beta function inhibit the effect of thyroid hormone on the body, such as irregular heartbeat, anxiety, tremor, excessive sweating, and diarrhea. Propranolol, metoprolol, atenolol, nadolol and belong to the class of drugs.
• Radioactive iodine therapy. This therapy will destroy overactive thyroid and shrink the thyroid gland, so symptoms will diminish gradually. This therapy is not recommended in pregnant women, nursing mothers, as well as sufferers of the trouble with vision, because it can make the symptoms got worse. Because this therapy destroys the thyroid gland, patients may require additional synthetic thyroid hormones to increase the amount of thyroid hormone is reduced due to this therapy.
• Surgery. Surgery is performed by lifting some or all of the thyroid gland patients. These actions risk causing damage to the nerves control the vocal cords. Risk of damage can also occur on the parathyroid glands (small glands-glands near the thyroid gland), which serves to produce the hormone levels in your blood calcium regulator. Just as radioactive iodine therapy, patients may need follow-up therapy in the form of synthetic thyroid hormones to increase thyroid hormone levels are low due to the appointment of the thyroid gland.

Please note, that the success of the treatment of Graves oftalmopati not always in line with the success of treatment of disease Graves itself. Symptoms can worsen oftalmopati Graves in the 3-6 months, and last up to a year, then began to improve.

In the case of Graves, the handling of lightweight oftalmopati enough with granting of artificial tears and lubricants, which can be obtained at the pharmacy. While in more severe cases, the doctor may prescribe corticosteroids or suggest the use of Prism glasses, radiotherapy, to surgical procedures. The method of treatment aims to reduce swelling and impaired vision.

For handling at home, Graves disease sufferer can do several things, like eating and exercise on a regular basis, as well as managing stress well. In the case of Graves oftalmopati, patients can use sunglasses, gave a cold compress on the eye, giving eye drops, elevating the head if it was about to sleep, and stop smoking so that symptoms do not worsen. As for the Graves dermopati, the patient could use ointments corticosteroids, accompanied compress to reduce swelling.

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