Autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's disease)

Dr. Anurag Shahi (AIIMS)MBBS,MD

August 05, 2020

October 14, 2021

Autoimmune thyroiditis
Autoimmune thyroiditis

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland present in the throat below your Adam’s apple. It helps in the regulation of various body functions.

The thyroid gland produces two hormones, T4 (thyroxine) and T3 (triiodothyronine) which are maintained by the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). Any fluctuation in the levels of thyroid hormones is captured by the level of TSH in your blood: in the absence of thyroid hormones, the levels of TSH spike, and in the presence of extra hormones, the levels of TSH drop.

Thyroid dysfunction in the body could either be hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. 

  • In hypothyroidism, there is reduced production of thyroxine hormone in the body. This slows down the metabolism resulting in weight gain and intolerance to cold.
  • In hyperthyroidism, there is excess production of thyroxine hormone in the body which speeds up the metabolism resulting in weight loss and intolerance to heat.
  • Autoimmune thyroiditis, also known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Hashimoto’s disease and chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, is the third type of thyroid dysfunction which occurs when the immune cells mistakenly attack the thyroid gland. This attack by the body’s own immune system damages the gland, thus the gland becomes inefficient at making the thyroid hormone, resulting in hypothyroidism. 

The symptoms of autoimmune thyroiditis are similar to that of hypothyroidism:

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is diagnosed with the help of thyroid function test, thyroid ultrasound and antithyroglobulin antibody test

The treatment of autoimmune thyroiditis depends on how much of the gland is damaged by the immune cells. The treatment usually involves the intake of synthetic thyroid hormone, levothyroxine, to maintain the levels of thyroid hormone in the body.

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Symptoms of autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's disease)

Not all people with autoimmune thyroiditis present with symptoms, as the symptoms only appear when the immune cells have damaged enough of the thyroid gland.

However, some people may present with enlargement of the thyroid gland, which is medically called a goitre. Goitre is usually painless but it can make your neck look swollen. It can make it difficult to swallow. If left untreated, goitre can choke the person as well.

Other symptoms of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis may start developing with time. Some of these symptoms are: 

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Causes of autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's disease)

Autoimmune thyroiditis or Hashimoto’s disease is an autoimmune disease, which means that the body’s own immune system starts attacking healthy cells and organs in the body.

Normally, these immune cells protect the body against infections caused by bacteria, viruses and other harmful substances. In Hashimoto’s disease, large numbers of lymphocytes (white blood cells which are part of the immune system) make antibodies against the thyroid gland, which then attack and damage the thyroid tissue.

Due to this continuous attack, the thyroid gland becomes inflamed and is no longer viable to make thyroid hormone. Ultimately, this disease leads to hypothyroidism in the body.

Autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's disease) risk factors

Though this disease can afflict anyone, there are some known risk factors:

  • Gender: Researchers have observed that women are eight times more likely to get Hashimoto’s disease than men.
  • Age: Though the disease can occur at any age, it usually appears between the ages of 40 years and 60 years.
  • Family history: People with a family history of Hashimoto’s disease are also prone to get affected by the disease.
  • Other autoimmune diseases: People with other autoimmune diseases are also prone to get Hashimoto’s disease. Some of these autoimmune diseases are:
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How to prevent autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's disease)

Autoimmune thyroiditis cannot be prevented as it can occur to anyone and is an unpredictable action of the immune system.

Autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's disease) diagnosis

In order to diagnose autoimmune thyroiditis, the doctor would perform a physical exam and would also take a detailed medical history. The doctor would then order some blood tests which may include:

  • Thyroid function test: This test is done to find out the levels of T3, T4 and TSH in the body. High levels of TSH hormone in the body indicate that the thyroid gland is not producing enough T4 hormone (thyroxine).
  • T4 test: The doctor may also prescribe T4 test to determine the levels of T4 hormone in the body.
  • Antithyroglobulin antibody test: This test is specifically done to check for the presence of antibodies against thyroid peroxidase or thyroglobulin, medically called the thyroperoxidase antibodies (TPO). The presence of antibodies determines autoimmune thyroiditis. 
  • Thyroid ultrasound: The doctor may recommend an ultrasound of the thyroid gland to check the size and appearance of the thyroid and to determine if there are any nodules or growths in the neck area.
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Treatment of autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's disease)

The treatment of autoimmune thyroiditis usually depends on the extent of damage to the thyroid gland. If the gland is not damaged enough to cause hypothyroidism, the doctor simply monitors the person to see if the disease gets worse. If the thyroid gland is damaged to an extent that it causes hypothyroidism, the doctor would prescribe thyroid medication, available in the form of levothyroxine, to maintain the levels of thyroid hormones in the body. 

Levothyroxine is similar to the T4 hormone produced in the body and is taken in the morning before breakfast. The dose of the medicine would depend upon the levels of TSH in the body. The doctor would also test the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone every six months. 

The doctor would also suggest some dietary changes which may help in better absorption of levothyroxine. (Read more: Diet for hypothyroidism)



Doctors for Autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's disease)

Dr. Narayanan N K Dr. Narayanan N K Endocrinology
16 Years of Experience
Dr. Tanmay Bharani Dr. Tanmay Bharani Endocrinology
15 Years of Experience
Dr. Sunil Kumar Mishra Dr. Sunil Kumar Mishra Endocrinology
23 Years of Experience
Dr. Parjeet Kaur Dr. Parjeet Kaur Endocrinology
19 Years of Experience
Consult a Doctor

Medicines for Autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's disease)

Medicines listed below are available for Autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's disease). Please note that you should not take any medicines without doctor consultation. Taking any medicine without doctor's consultation can cause serious problems.

Medicine Name

Price

₹300.0

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