{"id":732,"date":"2022-04-05T14:30:00","date_gmt":"2022-04-05T21:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.thyroidaware.com\/za\/?post_type=post_thyroid&#038;p=732"},"modified":"2025-02-05T11:32:59","modified_gmt":"2025-02-05T19:32:59","slug":"about-graves-disease","status":"publish","type":"post_thyroid","link":"https:\/\/www2.thyroidaware.com\/za\/thyroid\/about-graves-disease\/","title":{"rendered":"About Graves&#8217; Disease"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-electviolet-color has-text-color\">Like Hashimoto\u2019s thyroiditis, Graves\u2019 disease is an autoimmune disease that leads to a generalised overactivity of the entire thyroid gland. <sup>1<\/sup>&nbsp;About 25\u201340% of Graves\u2019 disease patients show signs of a clinically relevant Graves\u2019 ophthalmopathy (inflammation and bulging of the eyes).<sup>3<\/sup>&nbsp;However, Graves\u2019 disease accompanied by moderate to severe Graves\u2019 ophthalmopathy, only occurs in fewer than 5% of patients.<sup>2<\/sup><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:18px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Who is at risk?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Women under 40 years of age are especially prone to developing Graves\u2019 disease.<sup>3<\/sup>&nbsp;Smokers are more likely to have Graves\u2019 disease and are more likely to have eye problems than non-smokers.<sup>3<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Symptoms of Graves\u2019 disease<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This disease can go unnoticed for a long time, but you may experience some of the following symptoms:<sup>1,4<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Fast heart rate<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Nervousness and\/or irritability<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Anxiety<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Difficulty sleeping<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Weight loss without dietary change<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Muscle weakness, especially of the upper arms and thighs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Increased sweating<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Frequent bowel movements<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lighter or less frequent menstrual periods<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Trembling hands<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Thinning of the skin&nbsp; &nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fine brittle hair<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Symptoms of Graves\u2019 ophthalmopathy include:<sup>1<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Red or inflamed eyes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tissue swelling around the eyes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bulging eyes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Very rarely, diminished or double vision<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Diagnosing Graves\u2019 disease<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your doctor cannot tell from the symptoms alone whether you have Graves\u2019 disease. Physical examinations and blood tests are needed for a definite diagnosis.<sup>1<\/sup>&nbsp;Indicators include low levels of TSH and elevated levels of free thyroxine.<sup>5<\/sup>&nbsp;In order to determine the extent of your hyperthyroidism, a triiodothyronine test will also be performed. If hyperthyroidism, enlarged thyroid gland, and eye problems described above coexist, the diagnosis of Graves\u2019 disease appears self-evident.<sup>5<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Treatment of Graves\u2019 disease<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your doctor will discuss with you the best treatment options to prevent the thyroid gland from producing excess thyroid hormones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Anti-thyroid drugs allow control of hyperthyroidism by inhibiting the thyroid hormones\u2019 synthesis in thyroid glands. They should be taken for at least 6 months to 2 years .<sup>5<\/sup>&nbsp;In a small number of patients, the disease may permanently resolve.<sup>5<\/sup><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Destroying thyroid tissue by radioactive iodine radiation is another option, but it will take 6\u201318 weeks before the benefit is reached.<sup>5<\/sup><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The third option is to remove parts of or the whole thyroid gland by surgery.<sup>5<\/sup><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The last two options may provoke hypothyroidism in the long run.<sup>5<\/sup>&nbsp;Your thyroid hormone levels will then be restored to normal by taking appropriate medication.<sup>1<\/sup>&nbsp;If you suffer from the symptoms of Graves\u2019 disease (such as fast heart rate, anxiety, heat intolerance and trembling hands) then your doctor may temporarily prescribe beta-blockers, which will make you feel better within a short time.<sup>4,5<\/sup>&nbsp;Regular check-ups guarantee long-lasting treatment success<sup>1<\/sup>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Useful websites<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thyroid.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">http:\/\/www.thyroid.org<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Patient information on thyroid health published by the American Thyroid Association.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thyroid-fed.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">www.thyroid-fed.org<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Patient information from Thyroid Federation International.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.merckserono.de\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">www.merckserono.de<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Therapiegebiete\/Endokrinologische Erkrankungen\/Schilddr\u00fcse\/Brosch\u00fcren \u201eIhr Hashimoto Ratgeber\u201c und \u201eIhr Basedow Ratgeber\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n      <section class=\"reference-content\">\n        <div class=\"ref-header\">\n          <a class=\"collapsed\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapseExample\" role=\"button\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapseExample\">\n            <i class=\"fas\"><\/i>\n            References          <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"collapse content-collapse\" id=\"collapseExample\">\n          <div class=\"row\">\n            <div class=\"col-12 text-reference\">\n              <ol>\n<li>American Thyroid Association. Graves\u2019 disease. Available at\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thyroid.org\/what-is-graves-disease\/\">http:\/\/www.thyroid.org\/what-is-graves-disease\/<\/a>. Last accessed February 2025.<\/li>\n<li>Daumerie C. Epidemiology. In: Wiersinga WM, Kahaly GJ (eds): Graves\u2019 Orbitopathy: A Multidisciplinary Approach \u2014 Questions and Answers. Basel: Karger, 2010: 33\u201339<\/li>\n<li>Mayo Clinic. Graves\u2019 disease. Risk factors. Available at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/diseases-conditions\/graves-disease\/symptoms-causes\/syc-20356240\">https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/diseases-conditions\/graves-disease\/symptoms-causes\/syc-20356240<\/a>. Last accessed February 2025.<\/li>\n<li>American Thyroid Association. Hyperthyroidism. Available at\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thyroid.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/patients\/brochures\/ata-hyperthyroidism-brochure.pdf\">http:\/\/www.thyroid.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/patients\/brochures\/ata-hyperthyroidism-brochure.pdf<\/a>. Last accessed February 2025.<\/li>\n<li>Ginsberg J. Diagnosis and management of Graves\u2019 disease. CMAJ 2003; 168: 575\u2013585<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/section>\n\n\n\n<p>GL-NONE-00212<br>Date of Prep: February 2025<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Like Hashimoto&#8217;s thyroiditis, Graves&#8217; disease is an autoimmune disease that leads to a generalised overactivity of the entire thyroid gland&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":805,"template":"","category_thyroid":[7],"class_list":["post-732","post_thyroid","type-post_thyroid","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category_thyroid-the-thyroid"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>About Graves&#039; Disease - Sud\u00e1frica<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www2.thyroidaware.com\/za\/thyroid\/about-graves-disease\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"About Graves&#039; 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