Diseases Associated With Hypothyroidism
Hyporthyroidism is a condition that is marked by insufficient production of thyroid hormones by the thyroid glands. Although iodine deficiency could cause this condition, most of the time it's a consequence of an underlying illness. Most of them are autoimmune conditions, in which the immune system assaults the person's own parts of the body, and in the case of hypothyroidism, the thyroid gland. Hypothyroidism is definitely a serious health concern as it involves other systems of the body. Here are a few of the ailments that are frequently connected with hypothyroidism.
Graves' disease is an autoimmune condition that is indicated by hyperthyroidism, the opposite disorder of hypothyroidism, in which the thyroid glands makes excessive thyroid hormones. People that have Graves' disease have a malfunctioning immune system that creates antibodies that mimic thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), causing the thyroid gland to produce too much. The treatment of Graves' disease involves the use of antithyroid medications, iodine-131 (a radioisotope of iodine), or thyroidectomy, which essentially inhibits or completely eliminates the thyroid gland. Consequence this will lead to the hypothyroid state of those who have Graves' disease.
One more autoimmune condition that is associated with hypothyroidism is Hashimoto's thyroiditis. It is among the most common cause of hypothyroidism in North America. In this ailment, the immune system directly assaults the thyroid gland, mistaking it as a foreign body and causing its destruction. In this case, antibodies like leukocytes invade thyroid peroxidase, thyroglobulin, and TSH receptors. This can lead to the inflammation and subsequently, the destruction of the thyroid gland hence developing the hypothyroid state. It is also believed that this ailment is genetic.
Yet another autoimmune condition that is also related with hypothyroidism is Addison's disease. Addison's disease is an endocrine problem wherein the adrenal glands make insufficient quantities of cortisol and aldosterone. At times, this disorder occurs together with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. This condition is called Schmidt's syndrome. In addition to the symptoms of Addison's disease and Hashimoto's thyroiditis, individuals who have Schmidt's syndrome can also acquire immunoglobulin A deficiency, vitiligo, sarcoidosis, type 2 diabetes, alopecia, myasthenia gravis, Graves' disease, pure red cell aplasia, or pernicious anemia.
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Nice flow to your article. I hadn't realized that many conditions were tied, in part anyway, to hypothyroidism.
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