Our immune system is full of mystery. Among other things, when it starts attacking itself, we can't help but wonder why such a thing would happen, why would the most important system in our body do such a thing? Hashimoto's disease, for example, is caused when our immune system attacks the thyroid gland with various antibodies. The disease is more common in women, for reasons that are not yet known to medicine. Why does this happen, what are the symptoms and what are the treatment options? All of these are discussed in this article.
How the disease affects the thyroid gland
Our immune system has different mechanisms. When our bodies are healthy and balanced, these same mechanisms work in sync against factors that can pose a danger to the healthy functioning of our thyroid cells. The immune system is able to distinguish between thyroid cells and foreign cells such as viruses and bacteria, so that the immune response is activated only against foreign agents. If a person suffers from Hashimoto's disease, it means that this defense mechanism is working poorly, and the immune system is simply unable to make this distinction between the different types of cells. The result is that the system attacks healthy cells in the thyroid gland.
When this happens, we may suffer from different and strange phenomena that vary from person to person:
- A feeling of bloating all over the body and especially in the abdomen
- Constipation
- Rapid obesity
- Moods
- Intolerance to cold
- Fatigue, lack of energy and motivation
- Weakened nails
- Muscle and joint pain
- Irregular menstruation and severe pain
- General weakness
At a later stage, additional symptoms may appear, such as:
- Increased swelling in the neck area, especially in the thyroid area
- Lack of appetite
- Hair Loss
- Hoarseness
- And
How can the disease be treated?
Conventional treatment aims to artificially control hormone levels in the body, especially if thyroid It does not set aside enough trusts. The problem here is that the problem is not directly treated, but only the result of the disease, i.e., a decrease in the level of hormones. If it is thyroid cancer, the treatment will be based on surgery to remove the gland as well as complementary treatment with radioactive iodine, if it is a malignant tumor.
It is important to note that each treatment is personalized to the patient, according to the type and size of the tumor, the age and gender of the patient, as well as the patient's general state of health. Thus, if you have recently started to feel that something is wrong with your body, it is worth checking the matter quickly and preventing a situation in which a disease develops. There is no doubt that any of the above symptoms may surprise us even on a clear day, simply because our body is tired. However, you should be as vigilant as possible and remember that if the condition worsens or continues for too long, you should contact a doctor immediately and treat the problem.