Graves Disease Symptoms

Graves disease is a type of hyperthyroidism, which is caused by over activity of the thyroid gland. Graves disease is triggered by a process in the human body’s immune system that protects us from foreign bodies such as bacteria and viruses. The immune system uses substances called anti-bodies, which are produced by the blood cells called lymphocytes, to destroy the foreign bodies. A number of individuals inherit an immune system which can cause problems in this process. Their lymphocytes create anti bodies that act against their own tissues, thus stimulating or damaging them. In Graves disease, these anti bodies line the surface of the thyroid gland cells and stimulate them to over produce hormones, which results in an over-active thyroid. While it has long been suspected that Graves disease can be set off by emotional trauma such as the loss of a loved one, many patients who develop the disease no report no severe stress in their lives.

Graves Disease Side Effects

Graves disease can also have an effect on various parts of the body, like the nervous system, eyes, hair, skin, digestive system, and reproductive system. The disease is less common in men than it is in women, and occurs most frequently between the ages of 20 and 40. It is also an hereditary disease, and medical examinations of the affected individual’s family members will most likely reveal more individuals with thyroid problems.

The most common symptoms of Graves’ disease are:
• Enlarged thyroid gland
• Nervousness
• Heat intolerance
• Weight loss
• Sweating
• Diarrhea
• Tremors
• Palpitations
• Protrusion of the eyeballs (Caused by swelling of the tissue behind the eyeball)

Graves disease is the only type of hyperthyroidism that leads to inflammation of the eyes, swelling of the tissue around the eyes, and bulging of the eyes. The cause of these problems, however, is still unknown. The eye symptoms generally occur about 6 months prior to or after the diagnosis of Graves disease has been made. Rarely do the eye problems occur after the disease has been treated. The severity of the eye condition is not related to the severity of the hyperthyroidism. A very small portion of individuals that have had Graves disease also face the problem of double or diminished vision at a much later stage. It is not known why, but it has been noticed that the eye problems are more common in people that smoke cigarettes than in those that do not.