A common autoimmune condition that you may not have heard of
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune condition which affects the thyroid gland. This means that there is destruction of the thyroid gland by the body’s immune system, leading to a low functioning thyroid (hypothyroidism).
It is estimated to be present in up to 12% of the population and is one of the most common autoimmune conditions. It is up to 20 times more common in women than in men.
The most common symptoms include:
- Fatigue
- Constipation
- Weight gain
- Cold intolerance
- Dry/brittle skin and nails
- Heavy and/or irregular periods
- Depression
- Memory loss and brain fog– Hair loss
Thyroid gland enlargement, called a goitre. This can be seen as a visible lump in the neck and can cause swallowing or breathing difficulties.
Hashimoto’s is also associated with other autoimmune disease. Unfortunately, when you have one autoimmune disease you are at more risk of developing another, such as coeliac disease.
How do you treat Hashimoto’s
Unfortunately, Hashimoto’s is not a curable condition. You can however improve symptoms significantly.
The most common treatments are:
Thyroid hormone replacement therapy with a medication called levothyroxine. Surgery on the thyroid gland may be indicated if it has become enlarged and is causing damage to surrounding structures.
Underlying factors which may be contributing to Hashimoto’s include:
- Stress
- Smoking
- Blood sugar imbalances
- Gut health
- Nutritional deficiencies such as iron, selenium, zinc, vitamin A, iodine
- Environmental toxins such as mercury, arsenic and cadmium
- Infections such as Epstein-Barr virus
At Mosaic Medical, we use a combination of both conventional medicine (using thyroid hormone replacement therapy if indicated), as well as functional medicine. Functional medicine focuses on identifying and optimising factors which are driving disease. It is important to identify the root cause in order to improve symptoms as well as to prevent another autoimmune condition occurring.
