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[S1218]Symptoms Of Graves Disease

by Brue Baker, Bru

There is more to your thyroid gland than what I will explain to you here, I just want to keep it simple so you can understand graves disease. Your thyroid gland is in your neck and produces two types of thyroid hormones.

These hormones are vital for your metabolism running properly and your growth. Graves disease comes into play when your thyroid doesn't produce enough or it produces too much of thyroid hormones your body needs. When your body doesn't produce enough of the hormones it is called hypothyroidism.

When your thyroid doesn't produce enough of the thyroid hormones then you may:
* Feel depressed
* Feel Anxious
* Have a slower then usual heartbeat
* Feel sluggish

What if Your Thyroid Produces Too Much of the Hormones?

On the other end of the spectrum your thyroid can also produce too much of the thyroid hormones. This is known as hyperthyroidism. This type of graves disease occurs most often.

There are also symptoms associated with hyperthyroidism. Someone starting to suffer from this type of graves disease will experience:
* Hot flashes
* A faster then usual heartbeat
* Nervousness

How is This All Related To My Eyes?

Graves disease becomes a serious eye problem because of the painful symptoms it can cause. While the conditions and symptoms can vary in intensity, one of the most noticeable and the most common symptoms of the graves disease eye problem is the protrusion of your eye(s).

When your eye is protruded, your eyelid is pulled back and all the muscles and the tissues that are around the eye area swell up. This is what causes the pain and the eye problem.

Is This Disease Treatable?

Although the graves disease eye problem is a serious condition that can cause a lot of pain, stress, embarrassment, and suffering it is treatable. There are many ways to treat this condition. The most common methods are:
* Lubricants
* Steroids
* Eye surgery
* Radiation to the eye

The only downside to treating the graves disease eye problem is that it can take anywhere from six months to a year for the treatment to work. The exact amount of time needed to get rid of the problem depends upon the specific person and their case.

If you think you may have graves disease or would like more information talk to your local doctor. Good luck on your journey towards health and wellness!

Graves' disease is named after Robert Graves, the 19th century Irish physician who first discovered the condition. Graves' Disease is caused by a generalized over activity of the thyroid gland, and is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. In this condition, the thyroid gland is diffusely enlarged and hyperactive, producing excessive thyroid hormones. It has lost the ability to respond to the normal control by the pituitary gland via TSH.

Although Graves' disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism, not all patients suffering from hyperthyroidism have Graves' disease and not all patients with Graves' disease suffer from hyperthyroidism.

It is believed that the triggers for this disease include stress, smoking,radiation to the neck, medications, and infectious
organisms such as viruses.

If you are reading this page you are probably wondering if you have Graves' Disease and Hyperthyroidism. Most people have just a few of the symptoms, but they are very representative and evident, for example, heart palpitations when they are not a result of normal physical activity, menstrual period that has been one and the same for years and now you are experiencing changes, losing a lot of weight without any particular reason. In those cases- I would say trust your intuition and if you think that something may be wrong, it's better to check it and find out earlier than later. If you find that you have 3-5 of these symptoms present, you should inform your doctor and insist on further tests.

1. Excessive sweating

2. Heat intolerance

3. Increased bowel movements

4. Tremor (usually fine shaking)

5. Rapid heart rate

6. Weight loss

7. Decreased concentration

8. Pretibial myxedema (lumpy, reddish-colored thickening of the skin, usually on the shins)

9. Weakness

10. Shortness of breath

11. Double vision

12. Muscle wasting

13. Mental impairment, memory lapses, diminished attention span

14. Brittle nails

15. Diminished sex drive

16. Abnormal breast enlargement (men)

17. Goiter (enlarged thyroid gland)

18. Nervousness, agitation

19. Trembling hands

20. Irritability

21. Fatigue

22. Insomnia (inability to get enough sleep)

23. Diarrhea

24. Protruding eyeballs (Graves' disease only)

25. Decrease in menstrual periods (oligomenorrhea), Irregular and scant menstrual flow (Amenorrhea)

26. Eye irritation

27. Change in the sex drive

28. Hair loss

29. Increased sweating

30. Heat intolerance

31. Unexplained weight loss despite increased appetite

32. Itchy skin, hives

33. Heart palpitations

34. Memory loss

35. Restlessness

36. Tachycardia (rapid heart rate: 100-120 beats per minute, or higher)

37. Arrhythmia (irregular heart beat)

38. Elevated blood pressure

39. Erratic behavior

40. Chronic sinus infections

41. Eye pain, irritation, or the feeling of grit or sand in the eyes

42. Swelling or redness of eyes or eyelids/eyelid retraction

43. Sensitivity to light

44. Difficulty conceiving/infertility/recurrent miscarriage

45. Hypertension

46. Lumpy, reddish skin of the lower legs (pretibial myxedema)

47. Smooth, velvety skin

48. Increased appetite

49. Increased energy

50. Muscle weakness (especially in the large muscles of the arms and legs) and degeneration

Many people experience other symptoms, that are not listed here and are not very typical for this disease. In many cases, before discovering the correct diagnose, the patients were treated for panick attacks, different mental problems or for heart problems. When considering Graves' Disease or Hyperthyroidism, a blood test should be performed in order to determine if TSH, FT3 and FT4 are within the normal range.

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About Author

Both Brue Baker & Svetla Bankova are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Brue Baker has sinced written about articles on various topics from Food And Drink, Nutrition and Alternative Medicine. Brue M. Baker, is an expert on natural health and fitness who has helped people from across the world sky-rocket their health and well-being. Rather than hitting your head against a wall trying to find unbiased health information let Brue take you by the. Brue Baker's top article generates over 49500 views. to your Favourites.

Svetla Bankova has sinced written about articles on various topics from Health. Svetla Bankova is a former Graves’ Disease patient and she cured herself even though the disease is considered “incurable” with alternative methods and natural cures. She is an author of 4 books about Graves' Disease.. Svetla Bankova's top article generates over 1900 views. to your Favourites.