This article discusses how you might learn your hypothyroidism is from Hashimotos disease.
It also shares aspects of managing the condition.
Autoimmune conditions are those in which the immune system acts abnormally, attacking healthy tissue in the body.
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Another name for Hashimotos is chronic autoimmune thyroiditis.
In Hashimotos disease, the immune system gets inappropriately activated against part of thethyroid gland.
Antibodies against parts of the thyroid gland may form, and the gland may become inflamed.
In turn, it may not produce as much thyroid hormone as usual.
With Hypothyroidism, How Do You Know If You Have Autoimmune Disease?
Some people who have hypothyroidism from Hashimotos disease dont realize that they have an autoimmune condition.
They may have just been told that they have hypothyroidism without a more complete explanation.
Ask you healthcare provider for the cause of yourhypothyroidism.
If you are diagnosed with Hashimotos disease, you do have a kind of autoimmune disease.
However, its a little more complicated than that.
A small percentage of people may have Hashimotos without positive antibodies.
Some people are positive for antibodies even when they dont have symptoms of hypothyroidism.
Do I Need a Medication for Hypothyroidism?
Youll need to discuss your health with a medical professional.
If your symptoms, exam, and tests indicate hypothyroidism, youll want to pursue treatment to feel better.
The standard of treatment for hypothyroidism is Synthroid (levothyroxine).
Most people with hypothyroidism from any cause will need such treatment.
However, treating the underlying cause of hypothyroidism might be sufficient in a few cases.
Or, someone deficient in iodine might receive iodine supplementation to treat their hypothyroidism.
Unfortunately, scientists havent yet developed treatments to address the underlying cause of theautoimmune responseto reverse the disease.
For now, the best approach is replacing the low thyroid hormone.
This differs from the treatment approach for many other autoimmune conditions, such asrheumatoid arthritisorlupus.
Using T3
Scientists arent clear on the use of additional thyroid hormones in treating hypothyroidism.
Subclinical Hypothyroidism
Subclinical hypothyroidismis another evolving topic.
People with subclinical hypothyroidism often dont have symptoms, although they may be more prone to problems like depression.
And around 50% of them have positive TPO antibodies.
In other words, they have subclinical hypothyroidism from Hashimotos disease.
You might need to get a referral from a primary care physician first.
So, there isnt clear evidence that they are safe and effective.
Be especially cautious with herbal or other oral products.
Some people have hypothyroidism but dont realize that its from Hashimotos, an autoimmune disease.
Youll need the help of a healthcare professional to determine the right treatment.
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