What is Hashimoto’s Thyroid Disease?
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune thyroid disease, which is one of the leading causes of hypothyroidism or underactive thyroid functioning. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis causes primary hypothyroidism, where the underactivity is due directly to poor thyroid functioning, rather than an interference with thyroid-pituitary regulating mechanism. Since Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is one of the organ specific types of autoimmune disease, the dysfunction results from the body’s immune system ‘attacking’ the thyroid gland, when lymphocytes penetrate the thyroid gland and cause significant inflammation. This autoimmune thyroid disease affects more women than men and there is strong evidence to suggest a genetic link to this form of thyroiditis, although the presence of other organ specific autoimmune diseases, like type I diabetes, may also be a consideration when assessing family history.
continue reading Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis – Autoimmune Thyroid Disease
