Hashimoto’s disease is the result of a swelling on the thyroid located in the front portion of the neck. The swelling leads to a goiter that can cause trouble in swallowing and some other complications. It is caused when the immune system attacks the tissues around the thyroid, this is a hormonal condition as the attack prevents the thyroid for creating new hormones. The causes of this disease include genes, hormones, excess iodine content in the body, and/or exposure to radiation.

The common symptoms include a swelling on the thyroid, fatigue, weakness, depression, weight gain, and joint or muscle pain.

Diagnosis

If you have had a thyroid problem in the past, your doctor will test you for Hashimoto’s disease. He will also test you if you feel tired, constipated, have dry skin or a sore throat. For the exact diagnosis, you will have to take a blood test to measure the levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSD). These tests include:

A hormone test. A blood test is ideal for you to indicate if you have Hashimoto’s disease or not, the test can determine the amount of hormones being produced by your thyroid or your pituitary glands. If the count of the hormones produced by your thyroid is low, you might have Hashimoto’s disease. Subsequently, this will lead to a rise in your TSD as the pituitary gland will force your thyroid gland to produce more hormones.

An antibody test. One of the causes includes involvement of abnormal antibodies, as Hashimoto’s disease is an autoimmune disorder. The blood test tries to identify the growth of antibodies that prevent the thyroid from producing hormones. These antibodies go against thyroid peroxidase.

Treatment

If your doctor does not see a hormone deficiency, it is likely that he will suggest an observation for some days. If the doctor asks you to adopt medication, this might mean that you would have to take them for the rest of your life. Here are some other treatments.

Synthetic Hormones. If there is a hormonal deficiency, you might have to replenish these hormones. This activity generally involves a daily use of synthetic thyroid hormone levothyroxine.

Dosage monitoring. You will have to constantly have your dosage monitored by your doctor as he will have to check to check for the right amount of hormone levothyroxine needed by your body. An excessive amount of it could harm your body while a deficiency will not help in eradicating Hashimoto’s disease.