Graves Disease - Symptom, Causes, Treatment of Graves Disease
Graves Disease is a disease that affects the thyroid gland. For an unknown reason. thyroid-stimulating antibodies develop in the blood and cause the gland
to produce grossly excessive amounts of thyroid hormones.
The characteristic symptoms of Graves disease (called Basedow's disease in Europe) are GOITRE (swelling of the thyroid gland). exophthalmos ( protruding eyeballs) and (rarely) swelling in front of the knees from thickening and coarsening of skin and underlying tissues by the accumulation of a jelly-like fluid. These symptoms are
associated with other indications of thyroid hormone excess such as nervousness, increased activity, sweating, palpitations., insomnia and weight loss in spite of increased appetite.
The diagnosis of Graves Disease is confirmed by finding the culprit antibody and high levels of thyroid hormones in the blood. Initial treatment is with drugs that reduce thyroid hormone production, but long-term control usually involves surgical removal of part or all of the thyroid gland or giving a single dose of radioactive iodine, which is concentrated in the thyroid and
destroys the overactive gland.
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