Hashimoto's thyroiditis: symptoms and treatment

Every eighth woman in the age after sixty years is faced with such a disease as Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Symptoms and treatment of this disease, as well as its causes and signs will be described in detail in this article. Very often, this ailment causes great anxiety, which makes patients come to the endocrinologist. However, in fact, the disease is benign, so with proper treatment, there is absolutely nothing to be afraid of.

What is Hashimoto's thyroiditis?

Symptoms and treatment of this ailment will be described below. In the meantime, you need to figure out what it is. For the first time this disease was discovered and described by the Japanese doctor Hashimoto. In honor of it, it got its name. However, in medicine, this disease has another name - autoimmune thyroiditis.

This disease is considered chronic. As a result, cells of the thyroid gland begin to disintegrate under the influence of antithyroid autoantibodies.

The main causes of the disease

In fact, the disease Hashimoto's thyroiditis, the symptoms and treatment of which will be described in detail in this article, may appear due to a variety of factors. And, according to scientists, there is still no direct fault of the person himself. Most patients have a genetic disposition to thyroiditis, since scientists were able to detect some types of genes responsible for the transmission of this disease. Therefore, if your relatives suffer from this pathology, then there is a high probability that you too will be.

Very often, the disease Hashimoto's thyroiditis is preceded by the transferred stress condition.

Also, according to statistics, it was found that this disease is much more likely to affect women, especially after fifty years of age. But now pathologies are often seen in people of adolescence, as well as in babies.

Also, living in areas with poor ecology will contribute to the development of Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Symptoms and treatment (photos you can see in this article) allow you to quickly identify the disease and begin to effectively fight it. Viral and infectious diseases can start the disease.

The important role of the immune system

Do not forget that immunity is a function of the body, protecting it from alien organisms and various diseases. If this system fails, then in the body of a person susceptible to autoimmune thyroiditis, antibodies to the cells of the thyroid gland begin to be produced. Such a process leads to the destruction of these cells.

Symptoms of the disease

Hashimoto's thyroiditis (symptoms and treatment, reasons - this is information that can help each patient to take the path to recovery) has a fairly wide range of symptoms with varying degrees of severity. Very often patients complain of constant fatigue and very fast fatigue. In some patients, heart palpitations, loss of clarity of mind and a state of increased nervousness were noted.

If the thyroid gland produces a very large amount of thyroxine hormones, then the metabolism is markedly accelerated in patients, so the symptoms of the disease will be: very fast weight loss, excessive sweating, as well as diarrhea and irritability. So, if thyroxine is produced in large numbers in the case of Hashimoto's thyroiditis (the symptoms and methods of treatment are described in the article), then the immune system begins to actively attack the thyroid gland.

If, on the contrary, this gland produces insufficient amount of a hormone, then the patient has weight gain, very fast fatigue, a constant depressed mood, constipation and slow heartbeat beating.

Conducting diagnostics

Hashimoto's thyroiditis (symptoms and treatment of the disease is not always easy to establish) occurs when the thyroid gland is not working properly. It is possible to detect this disease only when carrying out special laboratory tests. If relatives have any autoimmune abnormalities, then you must go through a complete list of laboratory tests. Pay attention to their list:

- General analysis, which allows to reveal the level of lymphocytes in the blood.

- Immunogram, with which you can determine the presence of antibodies to thyroid hormones, as well as to thyroglobulin and thyroid peroxidase.

- Be sure to make an ultrasound of the thyroid gland. It will help determine its size, as well as show changes in its structure (if any).

- Pass the analysis determining the level of hormones T3, T4 and thyreotropic.

- In some cases, a fine needle biopsy is also performed to help identify the increased number of lymphocytes and other cells that are characteristic of a disease such as Hashimoto's autoimmune thyroiditis. Symptoms and treatment, signs of an ailment can be determined only by an experienced specialist.

How is the treatment performed?

The main goal of treating this ailment is to maintain a normal amount of thyroid hormones. If the disease is in the stage of euthyroidism, then medication is usually not prescribed. But here the control over a condition of hormones of a thyroid gland it is necessary to make each half a year.

If the thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones, then the patient is prescribed drugs that can replenish their stores. Very often doctors appoint "Eutiroks" and "L-thyroxine". Dosage is selected strictly by the individual physician, depending on the state of health. Usually, the dosage increases very gradually, under the strict supervision of specialists. As a rule, such drugs are taken for life.

If hormones are produced, on the contrary, in excessively large amounts, then drugs that reduce their production are usually not prescribed. In this case, doctors recommend symptomatic therapy. Drugs and treatment are selected individually.

Principles of treatment

Doctors do not recommend to cope on their own with such a disease as Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Symptoms and treatment, diagnosis are described in detail in this article, so you have the opportunity to see the main aspects of this disease.

Please note that only an experienced endocrinologist can determine the drugs for treatment after your diagnosis is accurately established. In the presence of this disease, experts still do not advise taking various immunomodulators. But from a healthy diet to refuse is definitely not worth it. Eat as many fresh fruits and vegetables as possible. During increased physical exertion, as well as under stressful conditions, it is recommended to drink multivitamin complexes, such as Vitrum or Supradin.

Please note that prolonged intake of iodine-containing substances, including taking baths with iodized salt, will increase the amount of antibodies to thyroid cells.

Forecasts for recovery

Hashimoto's thyroiditis (symptoms and treatment, the causes of the disease you can find in the article) has a favorable prognosis for recovery. If the disease took the form of hypothyroidism, the patient will be forced to drink hormone-containing preparations for life.

Control over hormonal parameters should be done once in six months. In accordance with the results of the analysis, conclusions are drawn about further treatment.

If ultrasound revealed nodal formations that systematically increase in size, then experts recommend conducting a puncture biopsy of the thyroid gland. This is done to exclude malignant tumoral formations. If the diameter of such nodules is less than one centimeter, do not forget to carry out constant monitoring of the thyroid gland.

Why do you need thyroid hormones?

In fact, thyroid hormones are involved in many processes in the body, namely:

- regulate heat exchange;

- responsible for the formation of new cells and for the growth of the whole organism;

- participate in the development of the nervous and sexual systems;

- regulate metabolic processes;

- participate in the formation of blood.

The thyroid gland controls almost all the processes taking place in the body, so when it fails, all the systems of the human body begin to function incorrectly. Since thyroid hormones affect the entire body, it is very difficult to identify the symptoms of the disease Hashimoto thyroiditis. Usually in the early stages of this disease, one can only notice an increase in glandular tissue, as well as an increased level of thyroid hormones produced. That is why this disease is very difficult to start treating.

Thyroiditis in pregnancy

The pregnancy and the simultaneous state of the thyroid gland will first of all depend on the responsible attitude of the future mother to her health and to the health of her future baby. Therefore, all drugs that are prescribed by a doctor, must be taken constantly, on time and in the right dosages. If this is not done, the lives of women and children will be seriously threatened.

If you properly treat and constantly monitor the level of hormones, pregnancy and childbirth proceed easily, and the baby's life will not be threatened.

It should be borne in mind that the change in the hormonal background in the endocrine system very often occurs in pregnant women. Therefore, it is possible to diagnose an autoimmune disease only with the use of microscopic and ultrasound methods.

Thyroiditis in children

Most often this disease can be detected in children before puberty and during it. Since during this period in the endocrine system there are major changes, any breaches of the thyroid gland can arise quite suddenly. However, most often the child's hormonal background is normalized by itself, without the use of special hormonal drugs. In this case, only means with systematic compensation can be used.

But if the doctor prescribed a hormone for the teenager, then the treatment should be carried out with special care, because in this case, after sexual development, the disease must retreat.

In childhood, the disease most often attacks due to malnutrition, poor ecology, stress, and, of course, hereditary factors.

Take care of yourself, and then no diseases will not be terrible to you. Be healthy.