Klaus Tiedge/Getty
What Is the Thyroid?
The thyroid is responsible for producing thetriiodothyronine(T3) and thyroxine (T4) hormones.
Hashimoto’s Disease
Hashimoto’s diseaseis a long-lasting form of lymphocytic thyroiditis.
Klaus Tiedge/Getty
It is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the United States, mainly affecting females.
With Hashimoto’s, the immune system mounts a response against its own thyroid antigens.
Does Iodine Deficiency Cause Hashimoto’s?
Illustration by Brooke Pelczynski for Verywell Health
Iodine deficiencyis associated with Hashimoto’s but why the autoimmune disorder occurs is still unknown and under study.
Symptoms
Hashimoto’s disease typically leads to symptoms of low thyroid function that develop over time.
Not everyone has symptoms, but they include:
Females may experience heavy and/or irregular menstrual periods.
Blood tests that check for thyroid hormone levels and other factors can be used to make an initial diagnosis.
The presence of anti-TPO and anti-Tg is typically detected with Hashimoto’s disease.
Treatment
Hashimoto’s disease treatmentis focused on normalizing thyroid hormone levels.
Synthroid (levothyroxine) is the first-line treatment and likely will be needed across a lifetime.
Your thyroid hormone levels will need to be checked periodically to see if the dose needs adjustment.
In rare cases, large goiters can make it difficult to swallow or breathe normally.
In such cases, they can be removed surgically.
Small goiters require no treatment and may resolve on their own once hormone levels are normalized.
Generally speaking, your diet does not influence hypothyroidism and neither will it offer benefits.
Some people trydesiccated thyroid extractpowder from cows and pigs.
Older adults and those with underlying heart disease may need to be cautious with medication.
Thyroid dysfunction often occurs in people diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
Most people return to normal thyroid function within a year but in some cases, thyroid dysfunction continues.
Other instances can occur outside of pregnancy and are referred to as sporadic or silent thyroiditis.
In most cases, silent thyroiditis will resolve.
Summary
Lymphocytic thyroiditis is an autoimmune disorder affecting the thyroid gland.
Typically, medication is effective in managing the condition.
Subacute lymphocytic thyroiditis is a self-limiting condition with milder symptoms that typically lasts for a few months before resolving.
Talk to your healthcare provider if you experience symptoms that may be thyroid-related.
They can help to diagnose and treat your symptoms.
American Thyroid Association.Thyroid function tests.
American Thyroid Association.Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
Lebiedzinski F, Lisowska KA.Impact of vitamin D on immunopathology of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis: from theory to practice.Nutrients.
2024 Spring;15(2):340-346. doi:10.22088/cjim.15.2.340
Northwestern Medicine.Myths about diet and your thyroid.
American Academy of Family Physicians.Hypothyroidism: Diagnosis and treatment.
Biondi B.Subclinical hypothyroidism in patients with obesity and metabolic syndrome: A narrative review.Nutrients.
2017;21(2):346-360.
