Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Symptoms, Causes

 
Overview
Also called chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis or autoimmune thyroiditis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is the most common chronic thyroid disease in the United States. The condition is inherited. It affects approximately 14 million Americans. The prevalence among women is about 7 times more than men. It is characterized by the production of immune cells, as well as autoantibodies by the immune system. These can damage the thyroid, compromising their ability to produce thyroid hormone. As a result, hypothyroidism occurs when the body is unable to produce enough thyroid hormones. Goiters may also form as a result of the thyroid’s enlargement.
 
Hashimoto first described the disorder in four patients. In these patients, the thyroid glands were characterized by diffuse lymphocytic infiltration, parenchymal atrophy, and fibrosis. Since Hashimoto’s original description, clinical and pathologic studies of the disease have since appeared in the literature. Classically, the disease appears as a diffuse and painless enlargement of the thyroid glands in middle-aged or young women. For many years, the disease was thought to be uncommon. However, it has become one of the most common thyroid disorders.
 
 
Symptoms
Although a person may already have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, the disease may not manifest for many years. The diagnosis only becomes apparent once the thyroid gland enlarges prominently, causing the patient to seek consult. Sometimes, the disease is discovered during routine blood tests. However, when symptoms develop, they are usually experienced as localized pressure on the neck caused by the enlarged thyroid gland or by low levels of thyroid hormone. Thus, the first sign of the disease may be a painless swelling on the lower part of the neck. Over time, the enlargement may become visible, prompting consult. Once the thyroid gland enlarges enough, it causes pressure on surrounding structures, which may cause difficulties in swallowing.
 
Aside from this, patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis may also develop symptoms that are not specific to the disease but are related to hypothyroidism. These include fatigue, forgetfulness, drowsiness, difficulty learning, dry, brittle nails and hair, dry, itchy skin, puffy face, weight gain, sore muscles, increased probability of miscarriages, increased sensitivity to medications, and heavy menstrual flow.
 
Enlargement of the thyroid caused by Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, as well as hypothyroidism, tends to progress in many patients. This leads to worsening of symptoms over time. Patients with these findings should receive adequate treatment with thyroid hormone. Optimal treatment with thyroid hormone will be able to stop many of the symptoms associated with hypothyroidism. They may also cause shrinkage of the enlarged thyroid gland.
 
 
Causes
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is primarily an attack on the immune system. The attacks are particularly aggressive and destructive. Grave’s disease, another autoimmune disease, is similar to Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. The difference is in the characteristics of the immune attack. There are two reported varieties of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis: atrophic and goitrous.
 
In a number of studies, associations between cytotoxic T cell antigen-4 (CTLA-4) and autoimmune diseases were found. CTLA-4 is a major negative regulator of immune functions associated with T-cells.
 
With regard to environmental factors, deficient in selenium have been implicated as causes for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. High iodine intake and pollutants such as tobacco smoke are also causes. Chronic hepatitis C, as well as certain drugs, are implicated in the acquisition of the disease. Long-term exposure to high levels of iodine increases the level of iodination of thyroglobulin. This increases its antigenicity, which leads to autoimmune responses in individuals who are already susceptible to the disease. Selenium deficiency, on the other hand, causes the decreased activity of selenoproteins, raising the concentration of hydrogen peroxide. This promotes inflammation and leads to Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
 
The process of autoimmunity and inflammation may be triggered by environmental pollutants such as tobacco smoke, as well as metals, solvents, and polychlorinated biphenyls.
 
You can read the article in its entirety at The Health Magazine here: https://www.healthmagaz.com/autoimmune-disorders-and-diseases/hashimotos-thyroiditis/hashimotos-thyroiditis-symptoms-causes-risks-complications-diagnosis-and-treatment/