Can stress cause Hashimotos flareup?

Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis – 5 Causes, Symptoms and Solutions

Your thyroid gland controls a number of bodily functions. When it is not operating as it should, it can cause widely divergent symptoms that a conventional general practitioner may not easily trace back to the cause. By learning what is causing your symptoms, we can help you identify the best treatment to put your body back in balance.

Hypothyroidism Vs Hyperthyroidism

When your thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone, the result is hyperthyroidism. The most common cause of hyperthyroidism is Graves’ disease, which is an autoimmune disorder.

Hypothyroidism, by contrast, occurs when thyroid function is depressed and the gland does not produce enough of the hormones that it needs to.

What is Hashimoto’s?

Hashimoto’s disease is a condition that causes the immune system to attack the thyroid gland. The resulting inflammation can suppress your thyroid function and lead to hypothyroidism. Hashimoto’s is the most prevalent cause of hypothyroidism.

How is Hashimoto’s diagnosed?

Many people do not notice the signs or symptoms of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis right away. The disease often progresses slowly and often is not caught right away, even if you are getting regular physicals.

Hashimoto’s disease is diagnosed through hormone tests and antibody tests. Your practitioner may also order imaging studies of your thyroid. Antibody tests are used to detect the presence of autoimmune disorders; people who have Hashimoto’s may have antibodies against thyroid peroxidase, which is an enzyme that is found in the thyroid gland, and against thyroglobulin, which is a protein produced by the thyroid gland.

The hormone screening test will look at hormones such as thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels. However, it is possible to have normal readings of TSH levels, yet still, be suffering symptoms of Hashimoto’s. Because of this, we look at all symptoms and complete thyroid lab workup to determine possible causes.

Hashimoto’s Symptoms

Symptoms of Hashimoto’s may at first seem unconnected. You may feel increasingly fatigued, no matter how much rest you get. Because your thyroid plays a part in your metabolism, you may experience unexplained weight gain. Other symptoms include:

• constipation.
• pale, dry skin.
• hypersensitivity to cold.
• brittle nails.
• hair loss.
• puffiness in your face.
• muscle aches and stiffness.
• joint pain.
• muscle spasms.
• menstrual irregularities.

5 Possible Causes

People who have one autoimmune disorder are at a higher risk of developing others. Scientists do not know for sure what causes Hashimoto’s disease. A few of the possible causes of this disorder:

Heredity

If you have a relative who has had Hashimoto’s, Graves’ disease or another autoimmune disorder, you are more likely to develop it yourself. This higher risk level means that you should have regular thyroid function screenings even if you have never been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s.

Virus or Bacteria

Some scientists believe that an infection with a virus or bacteria may later cause your body to attack the thyroid gland.

Stress

High stress levels have been associated with a higher risk of autoimmune responses. If you suffer from chronic stress, it can serve as a trigger for Hashimoto’s or Graves disease.

Radiation Exposure

People who are exposed to high levels of environmental radiation are more likely to develop Hashimoto’s disease.

Other Environmental Triggers

There is some evidence that some of the chemicals that we are exposed to can have a disruptive effect on the endocrine system. These can include solvents, chemical exposure at work and even certain household cleaners.

Our Approach and Solutions

We believe in treating the whole patient and finding the causes of their health-related issues. Only through identifying the underlying causes can we help you avoid further autoimmune issues in the future.

One of the first steps is to address potential issues with your diet that could be causing or exacerbating your hypothyroidism. Many foods are inflammatory; for instance, some individuals cannot process foods like gluten, red meat, and simple sugars well, and suffer from digestive issues as a result. We’ll help you build a diet rich in fresh vegetables, lean proteins and other foods that can fight inflammation and reduce your chances of developing autoimmune flare-ups.

Supplements can also be highly valuable in the fight against Hashimoto’s. Some individuals will find that they are lacking in certain nutrients. Supplementing can help you get the vitamins and minerals you need for higher energy and better health.

Last, we will help identify the toxins in your life that are harming your health and contributing to Hashimoto’s symptoms. Reducing alcohol consumption and replacing it with healthier, hydrating beverages can improve your health and help battle inflammation. We will also help you discover if there are household chemicals that could be causing endocrine issues and help you identify better options for a healthier home.

Summing Up

Even if tests from other healthcare practitioners have come back normal, you may still be suffering from Hashimoto’s disease. A normal basic thyroid screening is just one diagnostic tool; we look at all of your symptoms and we order comprehensive testing to arrive at a correct diagnosis and create a personalized treatment plan. If the symptoms of Hashimoto’s reflect symptoms that you have experienced, get in touch for a consultation today.

When is Hashimoto’s thyroid surgery recommended?

Hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid, is a common problem. the most common cause of hypothyroidism is Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Hypothyroidism is treated by thyroid hormone and returning thyroid hormone levels to the normal range usually resolves symptoms in most patients. However, in some patients, symptoms may persist despite what appears to be adequate treatment based on blood tests of thyroid function. This raises the possibility that some symptoms may be related to the autoimmune condition itself

What is Hashimoto’s Thyroid?

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune condition where your immune system attacks healthy thyroid cells. Indeed Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune disorder where antibodies attack the thyroid, causing inflammation and destruction of the gland. Characteristic of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis are high antibodies to thyroid peroxidase (TPO Ab) on blood tests. Some studies suggest that TPOAb may cross-react with tissues other than the thyroid and may contribute to inflammation and general symptoms. Indeed, some patients with high TPOAb levels and normal thyroid hormone levels (without medication) will present with symptoms similar to those of patients with hypothyroidism. If persistent symptoms in patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis are caused by the active autoimmune process rather than by thyroid hormone status, removing the thyroid gland through surgery may reduce the levels of the TPOAb and improve some symptoms.

What Are the Symptoms (and Causes) of a Hashimoto’s Flare-Up?

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune condition where your immune system attacks healthy thyroid cells.

When Hashimoto’s thyroiditis flares up, you may begin to feel some of the symptoms of hypothyroidism. These can include things like:

• fatigue
• aches and pains in your muscles and joints
• constipation
• unexplained weight gain
• skin that’s pale and dry
• enlarged thyroid (goiter)
• sensitivity to cold
• hair that’s dry or brittle
• hair loss
• brittle nails
• muscle weakness
• slow heart rate (bradycardia)
• problems with memory
• depression
• irregular or heavy menstrual periods

The conventional treatment for hypothyroidism, including Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, is to use a medication called levothyroxine to replace the missing thyroid hormone. Levothyroxine is a synthetic version of thyroid hormone.

Sometimes factors like stress and other medications can affect the function of your thyroid or of your levothyroxine absorption. This can cause your hypothyroidism symptoms to flare up.

What is the treatment for Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis?

• Thyroid Hormone Replacement

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis that causes hypothyroidism is treated with a medication called levothyroxine. This is a synthetic version of thyroid hormone that helps replace the hormones that your thyroid isn’t producing.

The proper dose of levothyroxine is different for everyone. If you’re taking the correct dose of levothyroxine, you shouldn’t experience a flare-up.

Since a variety of factors can impact your thyroid as well as the effectiveness of levothyroxine, it’s important to have your thyroid levels checked regularly. These factors include:

You should have your thyroid levels checked once or twice per year.

When the inflammatory condition is very severe, some doctors consider a short duration of steroid therapy. Alternative medical approaches such as gluten free and avoidance of food coloring in exacerbation of Hashimoto’s disease has been advocated as well.

Thyroid Surgery may play a role in the management of patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis:

When is Hashimoto’s thyroid surgery recommended?

• symptomatic thyroiditis

• thyroid enlargement and producing symptoms from its size
• mood or hormonal dysfunction.
• A thyroid nodule is present and an FNA is suspicious for thyroid cancer
• The inflammatory condition has exhausted medical management and causing tenderness and pain in the neck or referred pain to the surrounding area. This is a rare event.

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis surgery should only be performed by highly expert thyroid surgeons. An occasional thyroid surgeon should not do this surgery.

Lifelong thyroid hormone replacement medication is almost certainly needed after thyroid surgery when Hashimoto’s disease is present.

References