What You Need To Know About Hashimotos Thyroiditis

Hashimotos thyroiditis also known as Hashimotos disease, is an autoimmune disease in which the immune cells of the body damage the thyroid gland and result in its chronic inflammation.

Over time, this reduces the thyroid’s ability to make hormones, and leads to a gradual decline in function and eventually an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism). 

Where is the thyroid gland?

A small butterfly-shaped gland, it sits in front of your throat. It’s job is to secrete thyroid hormones into the bloodstream, which are then carried to every tissue in the body. 

What do thyroid hormones do?

These hormones help the body control the pace of your metabolism, that is, they help keep the brain, heart, muscles and other organs working as they should so that we can maintain energy levels, help control our body temperature so we don’t feel cold or too warm, assist in controlling body weight, and play an important role in psychological health and fertility.

Who gets Hashimotos Thyroiditis?

It can present at any age, but most commonly appears between the ages of 30 to 50 and is more common in women than men. 

What causes Hashimotos disease? 

The cause is unknown, but researchers believe that genetic and environmental factors combined, cause the immune system to attack against the thyroid gland. 

Who is at risk? 

Your risk of getting Hashimotos is higher if you have:

• Another autoimmune disease
  (such as rheumatoid arthritis, coeliac disease, type 1 diabetes etc)

• Have a family history or recently had a baby (post-partum thyroiditis - some women have thyroid problems during pregnancy and in instances where the thyroid does not return to normal after 12-18 months after symptoms, post partum). 

If you find yourself feeling run down or fatigued for any unexplained reason, discuss with your doctor about checking your thyroid function, which can be done by a routine blood test.