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The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website. Skip to main content. Hormonal system endocrine. Home Hormonal system endocrine. Thyroid - Hashimoto's disease. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet.
On this page. The symptoms and signs vary depending on individual factors including the severity of the condition, but may include: Unrelenting fatigue Feeling the cold Constipation Swollen face Dry, coarsened skin Dry hair that is prone to breakage, hair loss Voice changes, such as persistent hoarseness Fluid retention oedema Sudden weight gain that cannot be explained by dietary or lifestyle changes High blood cholesterol Stiff and tender joints, particularly in the hands, feet and knees Cognitive changes, such as depression or forgetfulness Enlargement of the thyroid gland goitre In women, heavy menstrual bleeding menorrhagia.
It's important to make sure you're receiving the correct dose of medicine. Over time, the dose you need to adequately replace your thyroid function may change. Hashimoto's disease is an autoimmune disorder in which your immune system creates antibodies that damage your thyroid gland. Doctors don't know what causes your immune system to attack your thyroid gland. Some scientists think a virus or bacterium might trigger the response, while others believe a genetic flaw may be involved. A combination of factors — including heredity, sex and age — may determine your likelihood of developing the disorder.
Left untreated, an underactive thyroid gland hypothyroidism caused by Hashimoto's disease can lead to a number of health problems:. Myxedema miks-uh-DEE-muh. This rare, life-threatening condition can develop due to long-term severe hypothyroidism as a result of untreated Hashimoto's disease. Its signs and symptoms include drowsiness followed by profound lethargy and unconsciousness. A myxedema coma may be triggered by exposure to cold, sedatives, infection or other stress on your body.
Myxedema requires immediate emergency medical treatment. Birth defects. Babies born to women with untreated hypothyroidism due to Hashimoto's disease may have a higher risk of birth defects than do babies born to healthy mothers. Autoimmune thyroid disease AITD is the most common organ-specific autoimmune disorder. This leads to infiltration of the gland by T cells and B cells that produce antibodies specific for clinical manifestations of hyperthyroidism in Graves' disease GD and chronic autoimmune thyroiditis cAIT.
It's thought that heredity may play a role for many people who develop autoimmune diseases, which in addition to Hashimoto's thyroiditis and Graves' disease include rheumatoid arthritis , Crohn's disease , and multiple sclerosis , among others. Another theory is that infection by a virus or bacterium triggers the response. Most scientists agree it isn't possible to "boost" the immune system, largely because it has many moving parts that must work together. As a resource from Harvard Medical School explains: "It's especially complicated because there are so many different kinds of cells in the immune system that respond to so many different microbes in so many ways.
There are things you can do to help your immune system function at its best. The most important way to keep the immune system strong and balanced is to maintain a healthy lifestyle overall. This is true even for people who are living with a thyroid autoimmune disease. That said, these simple and straightforward strategies will go a long way toward making sure your immune system is as supported as possible.
It's likely you've heard these tips for eating well, but they bear repeating—and following—especially in this context:. Research has found that the billions of healthy bacteria that live in the gut work directly with the immune system to help to support and regulate the immune response.
There's much to be learned about this complex and important relationship, particularly as it might or might not apply to preventing and treating specific diseases, such as autoimmune thyroid disease. However, it's safe to say that including foods that contain healthy bacteria, such as yogurt with live cultures and fermented foods like kombucha and kim chi Korean pickled vegetables , may be helpful for the immune system.
Getting plenty of exercise certainly is essential to overall health. How physical activity might affect the immune system, in particular, isn't well-known. One hypothesis is that the improvement in blood circulation that results from regular exercise may help immune system cells move through the body more efficiently.
It's no secret that sleep deprivation can take a toll on a person's health, including how well the immune system works. Sleep deprivation is associated with impairment of the immune system, while adequate sleep has been shown to help support immune system functioning.
The National Sleep Foundation recommends that most adults under age 65 get between seven and nine hours of good quality sleep each night. While it's unlikely that the immune system will take a hit after a single anxiety-provoking situation or event, scientists looking at the relationship between stress and immunity do suspect that chronic stress may take a toll on the immune system over time. What will relieve stress for one person may not do the same for another, but there are many options to explore, including meditation, deep breathing, exercise, and hobbies.
There are a variety of supplements and herbal products that claim to support or improve the immune system. The best-known examples are:. Some have been shown in studies to alter the immune system, but none have been found to actually improve or boost immunity in ways that prevent illness or infection.
In addition, some herbs and supplements may interfere with the medical management of your condition as well as your thyroid function.
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