Graves Disease – Pictures, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

Graves Disease – Pictures, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment
Graves’ disease is an immune system disorder characterized by excess production of thyroid hormones or hyperthyroidism.Generally,the functioning of the various body systems is controlled by the thyroid hormones, so the signs and symptoms of this disease differat times and affects the entire health. Graves’ disease is not life-threatening and mostly affects thefemales whose age isless than forty.However, treatments will lessen the symptoms and thyroid levels.

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2 Causes of Graves’ disease

3 Treatment of Graves’ disease

4 Graves Disease Pictures

Symptoms of Graves’ disease

Some of the symptoms of Graves’ disease are as follows:

• Enlargement of thyroid gland


• Excess exhaustion or weariness


• Petulance


• Irregular or fast heartbeat


• Anxieties


• Abnormal sleep habits


• Sudden loss of weight


• Increase in perspiration


• Irritable bowel habits


• Diarrhea


• Increase in sensitivity to heat


• Lessened libido


• Changes in menstrual cycle


• Hands or fingers can develop fine quiver

Graves’ dermopathy
It is an uncommon type of Graves’ disease and its symptoms are:

• Increased thickness of the skin


• Redness of the skin, mostly over the feet

Graves’ ophthalmopathy
A person suffering from Graves’ disease is also likely to suffer from another disorder known as ‘Graves’ opthalmopathy. It affects around 50% of the patients and also causes inflammation of tissues and muscles close to eyes. It may lead to some malfunctioning of the immune system as well. Some of its signs and symptoms are:

• Double vision


• Puffed up eyes


• Dry eyes, irritability


• Swollen eyes


• Excess tearing of eyes


• Pain in eyes


• In rare cases, blurred or diminished eyesight or corneal ulcers


• Inflammation of eyes


• Redness of eyes


• Fixed stare, no free eye movements


• Sensitivity to light

Various complications come up with Graves’ disease like weakening of bones, cardiac defects, problems during pregnancy, and thyroid storms.

Causes of Graves’ disease

Some of the causes of Graves’ disease are:

• The immune system creates antibodies to fight bacteria, germs and microorganisms, thereby guardingour health. Malfunctioning of the immune system causes Graves’ disease. When a person suffers from this disease, the immune system produces another antibody known as ‘thyrotropin receptor antibody or TRAb’. This antibody counteracts the effects of a protein found in cells of the thyroid gland. However, the real cause for malfunctioning of the immune system is not known.


• This disease affects the patient’s health adversely. It is because the thyroid hormones control various functions of body like body temperature, cardiac system, muscle strength, the metabolic process, menstruation process, and the nervous system.


• Causes for Graves’ ophthalmopathy


•  The real reason is not known; however, research shows that the TRAb antibody gets attached to the tissues near the eyes which elicitsan immune system reaction. This further leads to inflammation and other signs of the disease.

Any person may suffer from Graves’ disease; still there are some risk factors that add to the susceptibility of this disease. These include:

• Hereditary reasons


• Females are mostly affected, especially women of forty years or below


• Pregnancy or recent delivery


• Smoking


• Excess physical and emotional stress


• Presences of other autoimmune disorders like serious diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis

Treatment of Graves’ disease

The main aim of Graves’ disease treatment is to control and balance the levels of thyroid and reduce the effects of excess thyroid hormones. Some of the treatment options are as follows:

• Beta blockers: Beta blockers can be used to obstruct the effects of excess level of thyroid hormones. This will bring relief from conditions such as anxieties, muscle weakness, cardiac problem, etc.


• Radioactive iodine therapy: Radioactive iodine therapy includes intake of oral radioactive iodine. The thyroid gland makes use of iodine to produce hormones and therefore additional radioactive iodine leads to tearing down of the excess thyroid gland cells. However, it also has few side effects such as temporary decrease in the level of testosterone, tender feeling in neck,and increase in the hormones levels of the thyroid glands for a short period. It also increases the risk of being affected by Graves’ ophthalmopathy. This therapy leads to lessening of the thyroid hormones. Therefore in future, the patient may be required to go for thyroid replacement therapy to have normal levels of hormones.


• Surgery: In this procedure the thyroid gland is removed. This treatment option also includes various risks. Therefore surgery must be carried out only as the last remedy. Surgical removal of the thyroid gland will also result in thyroid replacement therapy for life.


• Anti-thyroid drugs: Anti-thyroid drugs affect the capability of thyroid glands to use iodine that creates hormones. These drugs have to be taken for a long time for good results. It can also be taken to increase the effectiveness of radioactive iodine therapy. This therapy also includes some side effects such as rash formation, joint pains, and liver abnormalities.


• To treat Graves’ ophthalmopathy drugs such as corticosteroids can be taken, or orbital radiotherapy or eye surgery can be done.

Graves Disease Pictures