Understanding Autoimmune Thyroid Disease: Symptoms & Causes

Autoimmune thyroid disease (ATD) includes a hyperactive thyroid gland caused by Graves' Disease and a hypoactive thyroid gland caused by Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. Symptoms may be subtle, and women are at greatest risk for ATD.

Causes

• ATD occurs when the body's own immune system produces auto-antibodies that damage thyroid tissue, causing the gland to release too much or too little thyroid hormone.

Graves' Disease

• Symptoms of Graves' Disease include a goiter (enlarged thyroid), increased heartbeat, bulging eyes, irritability, increased appetite and weight loss.

Hashimoto's Thyroiditis

• Symptoms of Hashimoto's Thyroiditis include goiter, fatigue, weight gain, dry skin and hair, cold intolerance, slow heartbeat, reactive hypoglycemia and constipation.

Hashimoto's Encephalitis

• Hashimoto's Encephalitis is a rare complication of Hashimoto's thyroiditis and causes changes in consciousness, seizures, tremors and stroke-like episodes. The disease course can be progressive or relapsing.

Related Conditions

• Rheumatic diseases, endocrine disorders and other autoimmune diseases are common in patients with ATD.