Graves' disease
Graves' disease occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks your thyroid gland and causes it to overproduce the hormone thyroxine. This higher thyroxine level then leads to physical symptoms such as increased heartbeat, muscle weakness, disturbed sleep, and irritability.
It can also affect the eyes, causing bulging eyes. It can also affects other systems of the body, including the skin, heart, circulation and nervous system. This condition appears suddenly, and may develop at any age. Graves' disease is more common in women and usually begins after age 20. It affects up to 2% of the female population and sometimes appears after childbirth.
Signs and Symptoms of Graves’ Disease
Graves' disease symptoms may include:
- Fatigue
- A rapid or irregular heartbeat
- A fine tremor of your hands or fingers
- An increase in perspiration
- Sensitivity to heat
- Weight loss, despite normal food intake
- Brittle hair
- Enlargement of your thyroid gland (goitre)
- Change in menstrual cycles
- Frequent bowel movements
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Difficulty sleeping
- Bulging eyes
What causes Graves’ Disease?
Graves' disease is an auto-immune disorder, in which the body produces antibodies to the receptor for thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). These antibodies cause hyperthyroidism because they bind to the TSH receptor and chronically stimulate it, causing an abnormally high production of T3 and T4. This in turn causes the clinical symptoms of hyperthyroidism, and the enlargement of the thyroid gland visible as goitre.
What triggers this autoimmune response is not known exactly. It is now believed that Graves’ disease has a strong hereditary component. There appears to be a genetic predisposition to develop Graves’ disease, suggesting that some people are more prone than others to develop Graves’ disease. A particular locus called HLA DR has been identified as playing a significant role.