What is Hashimoto’s Disease?

Hashimoto’s disease is a condition in which your immune system attacks your thyroid gland, which produces hormones that coordinate many of your body’s functions.

When I was in my early forties I had trouble losing weight. I tried everything, but couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me. One blood test finally revealed that my thyroid was low. After spending years struggling to figure out mysterious muscle aches, weight gain, and fatigue, I was finally able to restore balance in my body.

I do not believe that your body would attack itself without provocation – so there must be a reason it is attacking your thyroid. For most people, this is either a hidden infection, an allergy, or a toxicity problem.

Hashimoto’s disease symptoms

The resulting inflammation from Hashimoto’s disease, also known as chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, often leads to an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism), leading to a variety of symptoms – some subtle and some not so subtle. While Hashimoto’s is most common among affects middle-aged women, it also can occur in adults of any age, as well as in children.

In fact, over the past 2 years, I’ve diagnosed several teens with the condition, simply because I went to the trouble to look for it.

Hashimoto’s disease typically progresses slowly over years and causes chronic thyroid damage, leading to a drop in thyroid hormone levels in your blood. The signs and symptoms are mainly those of an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism).

According to MayoClinic.com, the signs and symptoms of Hashimoto’s disease include:

• Fatigue and sluggishness
• Anxiety
• Sleep problems
• Increased sensitivity to cold
• Constipation
• Pale, dry skin
• A puffy face
• Hoarse voice
• Unexplained weight gain
• Muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness, especially in your shoulders and hips
• Pain and stiffness in your joints and swelling in your knees or the small joints in your hands and feet
• Muscle weakness, especially in your lower extremities
• Excessive or prolonged menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia)
• Depression

I do not agree that your thyroid is normal simply because your TSH is “normal”. Also, there are treatment options beyond simply taking thyroid medication.

Do you suspect you may be suffering from Hashimoto’s disease? Do you have more questions about what is Hashimoto’s disease, and how to treat it without prescription medications? If so, click here to contact Dr. Shiroko today.