Doctors for treatment of Graves' disease

Causes

Graves’ disease is caused by a malfunction in the body’s disease-fighting immune system. It’s unknown why this happens.

Normally, the immune system produces antibodies designed to fight a specific virus, bacteria, or other foreign substance. In Graves’ disease, for reasons that are not entirely clear, the immune system produces antibodies against part of the cells in the hormone-producing gland (thyroid) located in the neck.

Normally, thyroid function is regulated by a hormone released by a tiny gland at the base of the brain (pituitary gland). The antibody associated with Graves’ disease — thyrotropin receptor antibody (TRAb) — acts like the regulatory pituitary hormone. That means that TRAb overrides the normal regulation of the thyroid, causing an overproduction of thyroid hormones (hyperthyroidism).

Symptoms

Common signs and symptoms of diffuse toxic goiter include the following:

• anxiety and irritability;
• fine tremors of hands or fingers;
• sensitivity to heat, excessive sweating;
• weight loss despite normal nutrition;
• enlarged thyroid gland (goiter);
• changes in menstrual period;
• erectile dysfunction or decreased libido;
• frequent bowel movements;
• bulging eyes (ophthalmopathy);
• increased fatigue;
• thickened, red skin, usually on the lower legs or upper feet (dermopathy);
• rapid or irregular heartbeat;
• sleep disturbance.