Autoimmune thyroid disease. Treatment of autoimmune thyroiditis - what does modern medicine offer? Autoimmune thyroid diseases: causes of development

Autoimmune thyroiditis is a pathology that affects mainly older women (45-60 years old). Pathology is characterized by the development of a strong inflammatory process in the area of ​​the thyroid gland. It occurs due to serious malfunctions in the functioning of the immune system, as a result of which it begins to destroy thyroid cells.

The susceptibility to pathology of older women is explained by X-chromosomal disorders and negative influence estrogen hormones on the cells that form the lymphoid system. Sometimes the disease can develop, both in young people and in young children. In some cases, pathology is also found in pregnant women.

What can cause AIT, and can it be recognized independently? Let's try to figure it out.

What it is?

Autoimmune thyroiditis is an inflammation that occurs in the tissues of the thyroid gland, the main cause of which is a serious malfunction in the immune system. Against its background, the body begins to produce an abnormal large amount of antibodies, which gradually destroy healthy cells thyroid glands. Pathology develops in women almost 8 times more often than in men.

Reasons for the development of AIT

Hashimoto's thyroiditis (the pathology got its name in honor of the doctor who first described its symptoms) develops for a number of reasons. The primary role in this matter is given to:

• regular stressful situations;
• emotional overstrain;
• an excess of iodine in the body;
• unfavorable heredity;
• the presence of endocrine diseases;
• uncontrolled reception;
• the negative impact of the external environment (this can be bad ecology and many other similar factors);
• malnutrition, etc.

However, do not panic - autoimmune thyroiditis- it is reversible pathological process, and the patient has every chance to improve the functioning of the thyroid gland. To do this, it is necessary to reduce the load on its cells, which will help reduce the level of antibodies in the patient's blood. For this reason, it is very important timely diagnosis diseases.

Classification

Autoimmune thyroiditis has its own classification, according to which it happens:

1. Bezbolev, the reasons for the development of which have not been fully established.
2. Postpartum. During pregnancy, a woman's immunity is significantly weakened, and after the birth of a baby, on the contrary, it is activated. Moreover, its activation is sometimes abnormal, since it begins to produce an excessive amount of antibodies. Often the result of this is the destruction of "native" cells of various organs and systems. If a woman has a genetic predisposition to AIT, she needs to be extremely careful and carefully monitor her health after childbirth.
3. Chronic. In this case, it is about genetic predisposition to the development of the disease. It is preceded by a decrease in the production of body hormones. This state is called primary.
4. Cytokine-induced. Such thyroiditis is a consequence of taking interferon-based drugs used in the treatment of hematogenous diseases and.

All types of AIT, except for the first, are manifested by the same symptoms. The initial stage of the development of the disease is characterized by the occurrence of thyrotoxicosis, which, if not diagnosed and treated in time, can turn into hypothyroidism.

Stages of development

If the disease was not detected in a timely manner, or for some reason it was not treated, this may be the reason for its progression. The stage of AIT depends on how long ago it developed. Hashimoto's disease is divided into 4 stages.

1. eutheroid phase. Each patient has its own duration. Sometimes it may take several months for the transition of the disease to the second stage of development, in other cases, several years may pass between the phases. During this period, the patient does not notice any special changes in his state of health, and does not go to the doctor. Secretory function is not broken.
2. At the second, subclinical, stage, T-lymphocytes begin to actively attack follicular cells, leading to their destruction. As a result, the body begins to produce a much smaller amount of the hormone St. T4. Euteriosis is maintained by a sharp increase in TSH levels.
3. The third phase is thyrotoxic. It is characterized by a strong jump in the hormones T3 and T4, which is explained by their release from destroyed follicular cells. Their entry into the bloodstream becomes a powerful stress for the body, as a result of which the immune system begins to rapidly produce antibodies. With a drop in the level of functioning cells, hypothyroidism develops.
4. The fourth stage is hypothyroid. The functions of the thyroid gland can recover themselves, but not in all cases. It depends on the form of the disease. For example, chronic hypothyroidism can proceed for quite a long time, passing into an active stage, replacing the remission phase.

The disease can be both in one phase and go through all the stages described above. Predicting exactly how the pathology will proceed is extremely difficult.

Symptoms of autoimmune thyroiditis

Each of the forms of the disease has its own characteristics of manifestation. Since AIT does not pose a serious danger to the body, and its final phase is characterized by the development of hypothyroidism, neither the first nor the second stages have any clinical signs. That is, the symptoms of the pathology, in fact, are combined from those anomalies that are characteristic of hypothyroidism.

Listed below are the symptoms of autoimmune thyroiditis thyroid gland:

• intermittent or permanent depression(a purely individual sign);
• memory impairment;
• problems with concentration;
• apathy;
• constant drowsiness or feeling tired;
• a sharp jump in weight, or a gradual increase in body weight;
• deterioration or complete loss of appetite;
• slow heart rate;
• chilliness of hands and feet;
• loss of strength even with good nutrition;
• difficulties with the performance of ordinary physical work;
• inhibition of the reaction in response to the impact of various external stimuli;
• fading of hair, their fragility;
• dryness, irritation and peeling of the epidermis;
• constipation;
• decrease in sexual desire, or its complete loss;
• violation menstrual cycle(development of intermenstrual bleeding, or complete cessation of menstruation);
• swelling of the face;
• yellowness skin;
• problems with facial expressions, etc.

Postpartum, silent (asymptomatic), and cytokine-induced AIT are characterized by alternating phases of the inflammatory process. At the thyrotoxic stage of the disease, the manifestation of the clinical picture occurs due to:

• sharp weight loss;
• sensations of heat;
• increase in the intensity of sweating;
• feeling unwell in stuffy or small rooms;
• trembling in the fingers;
• abrupt changes in the psycho-emotional state of the patient;
• increased heart rate;
• seizures;
• deterioration of attention and memory;
• loss or decrease in libido;
• rapid fatigue;
• general weakness, which even good rest does not help to get rid of;
• sudden bouts of increased activity;
• problems with the menstrual cycle.

The hypothyroid stage is accompanied by the same symptoms as the chronic stage. Postpartum AIT is characterized by the manifestation of symptoms of thyrotoxicosis in the middle of 4 months, and the detection of symptoms of hypothyroidism at the end of 5 - at the beginning of 6 months of the postpartum period.

With painless and cytokine-induced AIT, no special clinical signs are observed. If ailments, nevertheless, appear, they have an extremely low degree of severity. With an asymptomatic course, they are detected only during a preventive examination in a medical institution.

What does autoimmune thyroiditis look like: photo

The photo below shows how the disease manifests itself in women:

Diagnostics

Before the appearance of the first alarming signs of pathology, it is almost impossible to detect its presence. In the absence of ailments, the patient does not consider it appropriate to go to the hospital, but even if he does, it will be almost impossible to identify the pathology with the help of tests. However, when the first adverse changes in the functioning of the thyroid gland begin to occur, a clinical study of a biological sample will immediately reveal them.

If other family members suffer or have previously suffered from similar disorders, this means that you are at risk. In this case, it is necessary to visit a doctor and undergo preventive examinations as often as possible.

Laboratory studies for suspected AIT include:

• a general blood test, which establishes the level of lymphocytes;
• a hormone test to measure serum TSH;
• immunogram, which establishes the presence of antibodies to AT-TG, thyroperoxidase, as well as to thyroid hormones of the thyroid gland;
• fine needle biopsy, necessary to determine the size of lymphocytes or other cells (their increase indicates the presence of autoimmune thyroiditis);
• Ultrasound diagnosis of the thyroid gland helps to establish its increase or decrease in size; with AIT, a change in the structure of the thyroid gland occurs, which can also be detected during an ultrasound scan.

If the ultrasound results indicate AIT, but clinical tests refute its development, then the diagnosis is considered doubtful, and does not fit into the patient's medical history.

What will happen if not treated?

Thyroiditis can have unpleasant consequences that vary for each stage of the disease. For example, in the hyperthyroid stage, a patient may experience a heart rhythm disorder (arrhythmia), or heart failure may occur, and this is already fraught with the development of such a dangerous pathology as myocardial infarction.

Hypothyroidism can lead to the following complications:

• dementia;
• infertility;
• premature termination of pregnancy;
• inability to bear fruit;
• congenital hypothyroidism in children;
• deep and prolonged depression;
• myxedema.

With myxedema, a person becomes hypersensitive to any downward temperature changes. Even a banal flu, or another infectious disease suffered during this pathological condition may cause hypothyroid coma.

However, you should not worry much - such a deviation is a reversible process, and is easily treatable. If you choose the right dosage of the drug (it is prescribed depending on the level of hormones and AT-TPO), then the disease may not remind you of itself for a long period of time.

Treatment of autoimmune thyroiditis

Treatment of AIT is carried out only at the last stage of its development - with. However, in this case, certain nuances are taken into account.

So, therapy is carried out exclusively with overt hypothyroidism, when the level of TSH is less than 10 mU / l, and St. T4 is reduced. If the patient suffers from a subclinical form of pathology with TSH of 4-10 mU / 1 l and with normal values ​​of St. T4, then in this case, treatment is carried out only if there are symptoms of hypothyroidism, as well as during pregnancy.

Today, the most effective in the treatment of hypothyroidism are medical preparations based on levothyroxine. A feature of such drugs is that their active substance is as close as possible to the human hormone T4. Such funds are absolutely harmless, so they are allowed to be taken even during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The drugs do not cause side effects, and, despite the fact that they are based on a hormonal element, they do not lead to an increase in body weight.

Levothyroxine-based drugs should be taken "in isolation" from other medications because they are extremely sensitive to any "foreign" substances. Reception is carried out on an empty stomach (half an hour before meals or the use of other drugs) with the use of copious amounts of liquid.

Calcium supplements, multivitamins, iron-containing drugs, sucralfate, etc. should not be taken earlier than 4 hours after taking levothyroxine. The most effective means based on it are L-thyroxine and Euthyrox.

Today, there are many analogues of these drugs, but it is better to give preference to the originals. The fact is that they have the most positive effect on the patient's body, while analogues can only bring a temporary improvement in the patient's health.

If from time to time you switch from originals to generics, then you should remember that in this case a dosage adjustment will be required. active ingredient- levothyroxine. For this reason, every 2-3 months it is necessary to take a blood test to determine the level of TSH.

Nutrition for AIT

Treatment of the disease (or a significant slowing of its progression) will give better results if the patient avoids foods that harm the thyroid gland. In this case, it is necessary to minimize the frequency of consumption of products containing gluten. The following are under the ban:

• cereal crops;
• flour dishes;
• bakery products;
• chocolate;
• sweets;
• fast food, etc.

In this case, you should try to eat foods enriched with iodine. They are especially useful in the fight against the hypothyroid form of autoimmune thyroiditis.

With AIT, it is necessary to take the issue of protecting the body from the penetration of pathogenic microflora with the utmost seriousness. You should also try to cleanse it of the pathogenic bacteria that are already in it. First of all, you need to take care of cleansing the intestines, because it is in it that active reproduction occurs. harmful microorganisms. To do this, the patient's diet should include:

• dairy products;
• Coconut oil;
• fresh fruits and vegetables;
• lean meat and meat broths;
• different types of fish;
• seaweed and other algae;
• germinated cereals.

All products from the above list help to strengthen the immune system, enrich the body with vitamins and minerals, which, in turn, improves the functioning of the thyroid gland and intestines.

Important! If there is a hyperthyroid form of AIT, all foods containing iodine must be completely excluded from the diet, since this element stimulates the production of hormones T3 and T4.

In AIT, it is important to give preference to the following substances:

• selenium, which is important in hypothyroidism, as it improves the secretion of the hormones T3 and T4;
• vitamins of group B, which contribute to the improvement of metabolic processes and help maintain the body in good shape;
• probiotics, important for maintaining intestinal microflora and preventing dysbacteriosis;
• adaptogen plants that stimulate the production of T3 and T4 hormones in hypothyroidism (Rhodiola rosea, reishi mushroom, ginseng root and fruits).

Treatment prognosis

What's the worst you can expect? The prognosis for AIT treatment is generally quite favorable. If persistent hypothyroidism occurs, the patient will have to take drugs based on levothyroxine for the rest of his life.

It is very important to monitor the level of hormones in the patient's body, so every six months it is necessary to take a clinical blood test and ultrasound. If a nodular seal in the thyroid area is noticed during an ultrasound examination, this should be a good reason for consulting an endocrinologist.

If during the ultrasound an increase in nodules was noticed, or their intensive growth is observed, the patient is prescribed a puncture biopsy. The resulting tissue sample is examined in the laboratory in order to confirm or disprove the presence of a carcinogenic process. In this case, ultrasound is recommended to be performed every six months. If the node does not tend to increase, then ultrasound diagnostics can be performed once a year.

The thyroid gland is not the most big organ human body, while it is the most important part the entire endocrine system, the main purpose of which is the synthesis of hormones vital for the body, allowing organs to carry out physiological functions. Failure of this the most important body causes, the symptoms of which make themselves felt from the very beginning. And treatment in this case is simply necessary. There are two types of hormones produced by the thyroid gland: thyroxine and triiodothyronine. Thyroxin plays a more important role, since it is he who affects the metabolic process and is involved in the work of the muscular system, cardiovascular system and affects the normal functioning of the brain.

Autoimmune diseases are called diseases associated with the consequences of the process of excessive activity of the human immune system, leading to the fact that the cells of the body begin to fight with their own cells, considering them hostile. In the event of such a scenario, the body begins to fight with its own tissues, which leads to the occurrence of autoimmune inflammation, also known as thyroiditis.

Modern medicine distinguishes two characteristic types of autoimmune thyroid diseases. In the first case, the disease is accompanied by hyperthyroidism or excess hormone. The result of this is development. Second characteristic appearance disease reduces the process of hormone synthesis. A prime example similar situation is chronic Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

Graves' disease: symptoms

This disease, caused by an increased content of thyroxine, is accompanied by visible symptoms in the form of bulging, which occurs due to the pathological growth of fiber located behind the eyeball. Also, the disease among the characteristic symptoms has sudden loss weight, tremor of the limbs, palpitations and causeless irritation.

Hashimoto's disease, which occurs as a result of insufficient synthesis of the necessary hormones, is accompanied by such symptoms: a feeling of lethargy, excessive dryness of the skin and the process of dying nerve endings extremities, resulting in a feeling of constant coldness. Women aged 30 to 50 are at risk, while the presence of family members who have had the disease in the family increases the likelihood of its development.

Autoimmune thyroid diseases: causes of development

The reason leading to the development of such ailments is the inability of the immune system to correctly identify the cells of the human body. In a normal state, the immune system is the main "guardian" human health, instantly affecting infections or pathogenic bacteria penetrating the body, which helps to transfer diseases faster and easier. In the course of its functioning, the immune system promotes the synthesis special kind proteins called antibodies. Under certain pathological situations, they begin to destroy cells own organism, which is why they are called autoantibodies. This type of antibody is able to affect most organs, which is the cause of violations of their normal functioning and the fulfillment of their intended purpose. The result of such destructive activity is an autoimmune disease.

The most common autoimmune disease affecting thyroid gland is an autoimmune thyroiditis, which occurs due to insufficient content of T-lymphocytes in the body, which leads to lymphoid infiltration tissues or, in other words, biological fluid begins to accumulate in the tissue cells, in this case lymph, leading to an increase in the volume of the affected organ and an increase in its density., while the treatment becomes more complicated.

The causes of this disease are considered to be a genetic disorder that leads to a defect in human immunity, which becomes the cause of morphological transformations of varying severity in the cells of the thyroid gland and other glands of the endocrine system. The full process of the onset of the disease is not known. The only thing that is reliably known is an increase in the risk of the disease in the event of a similar illness in relatives. Also, the causes that accelerate the development of the disease are various damage to the gland, such as injuries to the front of the neck or wounds.

The main symptoms of autoimmune thyroiditis are coarsened facial features, weight gain, memory problems that begin to lapse, speech difficulty and voice changes, shortness of breath during physical activity, and a slow heart rate. The representatives of the weaker sex, who have become victims of the disease, have additional symptoms: infertility and menstrual irregularities. Since the disease has a large number of symptoms, many of which cannot be called unique, the correct diagnosis of the disease can be difficult.

Diagnosis, symptoms and treatment of autoimmune thyroid diseases

Most frequent method The diagnosis of thyroiditis is a simple palpation, since the development of the disease leads to an increase in the thyroid gland and forms the so-called "nodular goiter". With advanced cases of the disease, this neoplasm is determined visually. Also among the diagnostic methods are an analysis of the hormones of the thyroid gland, gonads, pituitary and adrenal glands, conducting ultrasound diagnostics and determining the presence of autoantibodies in human blood.

Most often, it is conservative in nature and consists in suppressing foci of inflammation, competent correction of hormonal changes, and local elimination (treatment) of individual manifestations of the disease, such as increased sweating, heart rhythm disturbance, and a feeling of unreasonable anxiety. In case of complications, a surgical process called thyroidectomy is performed and this treatment is less safe.

In a short time and most importantly, Monastic Tea will help to effectively cure the thyroid gland. This product contains only natural ingredients, which have a complex effect on the focus of the disease, perfectly relieve inflammation and normalize the production of vital hormones. As a result, all metabolic processes in the body will work correctly. Thanks to the unique composition of "Monastic tea" it is completely safe for health and very pleasant to the taste.

Each person should be attentive to their state of health and, if symptoms occur that may indicate an autoimmune inflammation process in the thyroid gland, contact a specialist immediately. Correctly diagnosing an autoimmune disease is possible with the appointment of a full spectrum diagnostic procedures, with a timely diagnosis, you can choose the optimal and effective treatment. It should also be remembered that the prevention of the disease will bring a greater effect than its treatment.

Autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) is a consequence of active protection immune system relative to the body's own cells. Such disorders are accompanied by a completely predictable picture: tissues are taken for foreign elements, and the consequences of the internal struggle with them are usually expressed in the form of inflammation (thyroiditis). Despite the rather modest size of the thyroid gland, this organ is responsible for the production of hormones. For example, the synthesis of thyroxin is considered one of the most important processes in the human body, regardless of age. With an insufficient amount of one or another component, the whole body suffers, so such diseases can have serious consequences. For example, in children and adolescents, iodine deficiency is expressed through a developmental delay, in adults - a decrease in intelligence and memory. And when the state is neglected, it will completely result in pathology.

Classification and forms of AITG

Despite the wide variety of subtypes of diseases, it is customary to distinguish only two groups among autoimmune abnormalities:

• excessive concentration (Graves' disease);
• insufficient concentration (myxedema and Hashimoto's disease).

In addition, thyroiditis includes a decent list of diseases that are of the same nature. For example, in chronic or lymphomatous, there is a violation of the structure of the thyroid gland, which they prefer to refer to the type of "Hashimoto's goiter". The most studied is postpartum: it occurs most often and provokes the reactivation of immunity in women during pregnancy. Painless or silent is considered to be an analogue of postpartum. True, they cannot at the moment associate it with any reasons - they are unknown to science. But cytokine-induced thyroiditis occurs due to the treatment of hepatitis C or blood diseases.

In addition to species, autoimmune diseases of the gland have a certain form. It appears as follows:

• latent: absence clinical symptoms, normal dimensions of the thyroid gland, no seals, functions are not impaired, symptoms of hypothyroidism are sometimes observed;
• hypertrophic: a noticeable increase in the butterfly-shaped organ, the formation of nodes, tasks are performed poorly, the patient's condition worsens;
• atrophic: a decrease in the mass of the gland, vivid signs, mass destruction of thyrocytes is possible.

The reasons for the appearance of AITG can be very different, but scientists still managed to derive a certain formula. So, the list of negative effects on human health certainly includes stress and an abundance of conflict situations. Further note the high level of solar activity and radiation. Heredity, a gene predisposition to iodine deficiency also falls into a problematic company.

Symptoms of thyroid disease

For some manifestations, it is difficult to determine the nature of the disease. Taking into account different speed spread of the disease and its impact on other functions of the body, it is impossible to establish clear “SOS” signals, because for each person they occur in a different order. However, the main complaints may center around clear signs in the early stages, such as:

• insomnia and fatigue;
• tachycardia;
• nervous excitability;
• sudden weight loss;
• decrease in concentration;
• failure of menstruation;
• violation of potency;
• painful swallowing;
• heat intolerance;
• chills;
• trembling of the limbs;
• numbness of hands and feet;
• constant thirst, dryness;
• disorder of housing and communal services;
• swelling of the face and neck;
• hoarseness.

If a patient notices ASTC problems late and delays a visit to an endocrinologist, then the disease will certainly continue to spread and sooner or later the next second batch will come. symptoms:

• pain in the neck;
• brittle hair;
• slow heartbeat;
• depression;
• weight gain;
• memory and hearing impairment;
• joint pain;
• constipation;
• coarsening of the skin of the hands;
• lethargy;
• frequent fainting;
• constantly feeling cold.

With a thyroid gland, the thyroid gland is destroyed slowly: a similar process can drag on for 10 years before you identify the origins. It is almost impossible to find the cause of the violations on your own, so you need to undergo a special examination and be registered with an experienced doctor.

Phases of autoimmune thyroid disease

Almost all types of thyroiditis have a common sequence of processes occurring in the central organ. On the initial stage destructive level develops. Then it goes into a transitional period. However, in most cases, everything ends with a complete or partial restoration of thyroid function. But this circuit has such cycles:

• euthyroid: over the course of several years, gradual malfunctions of the gland may occur;
• subclinical: cell destruction occurs, the amount of “energy” released decreases, but due to the increased production of thyroid-stimulating hormone, the gland continues to function;
• thyrotoxic: the production of antibodies to cells begins, the volume of productivity becomes critical;
• hypothyroid: lasts for a year, then comes the restoration of the gland, although sometimes hypothyroidism remains persistent.

Treatment of ASTC

Ordinary treatment is within the conservative framework, but does not bring the desired effect. In severe cases, they resort to surgical intervention, which can also be avoided. Recently, scientists have found that the main cause of autoimmune thyroid diseases is a violation of the DNA structure: a violation of the macromolecule and entails all other violations. At the moment, one of the best immune drugs is called "Transfer Factor", which restores the damaged code chain. The list of its undoubted advantages is attributed to the absence of negative consequences, contraindications, dependence or addiction, as well as age restrictions. It has no analogues yet.

However, no matter what drugs you use, it is important to remember that the excessive content of additional hormones in them leads to the excretion of potassium and calcium salts from the body, which affect the tissues of the heart and other organs. Therefore, it is important to consult a specialist in order to avoid other troubles or deceit due to an imaginary recovery when fighting only external signs of thyroid disease.

Sincerely,

Autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT)- chronic inflammation of the thyroid tissue, which has an autoimmune genesis and is associated with damage and destruction of the follicles and follicular cells of the gland. In typical cases, autoimmune thyroiditis has an asymptomatic course, only occasionally accompanied by an enlarged thyroid gland. Diagnosis of autoimmune thyroiditis is carried out taking into account the results of clinical tests, ultrasound of the thyroid gland, data histological examination material obtained from a fine needle biopsy. Treatment of autoimmune thyroiditis is carried out by endocrinologists. It consists in correcting the hormone-producing function of the thyroid gland and suppressing autoimmune processes.

The clinical picture of thyrotoxicosis in autoimmune thyroiditis is usually observed in the first years of the development of the disease, is transient, and as the functioning thyroid tissue atrophies, it passes for some time into the euthyroid phase, and then into hypothyroidism.

Postpartum thyroiditis usually presents with mild thyrotoxicosis at 14 weeks postpartum. In most cases, there is fatigue, general weakness, weight loss. Sometimes thyrotoxicosis is significantly pronounced (tachycardia, a feeling of heat, excessive sweating, tremor of the limbs, emotional lability, insomnia). The hypothyroid phase of autoimmune thyroiditis appears on the 19th week after childbirth. In some cases, it is combined with postpartum depression.

Painless (silent) thyroiditis is expressed by mild, often subclinical thyrotoxicosis. Cytokine-induced thyroiditis is also usually not accompanied by severe thyrotoxicosis or hypothyroidism.

Diagnosis of autoimmune thyroiditis

Before the onset of hypothyroidism, it is quite difficult to diagnose AIT. Endocrinologists establish the diagnosis of autoimmune thyroiditis according to the clinical picture, laboratory data. The presence of autoimmune disorders in other family members confirms the likelihood of autoimmune thyroiditis.

Laboratory studies for autoimmune thyroiditis include:

• general blood analysis- an increase in the number of lymphocytes is determined
• immunogram- characterized by the presence of antibodies to thyroglobulin, thyroperoxidase, the second colloid antigen, antibodies to thyroid hormones of the thyroid gland
• determination of T3 and T4(general and free), serum TSH levels. An increase in the level of TSH with a normal content of T4 indicates subclinical hypothyroidism, an elevated level of TSH with a reduced concentration of T4 indicates clinical hypothyroidism
• Thyroid ultrasound- shows an increase or decrease in the size of the gland, a change in structure. The results of this study complement the clinical picture and other laboratory findings.
• fine needle biopsy of the thyroid gland- allows you to identify a large number of lymphocytes and other cells characteristic of autoimmune thyroiditis. It is used in the presence of evidence of a possible malignant degeneration of a nodular formation of the thyroid gland.

Criteria for the diagnosis of autoimmune thyroiditis are:

• increased levels of circulating antibodies to the thyroid gland (AT-TPO);
• ultrasound detection of hypoechogenicity of the thyroid gland;
• signs of primary hypothyroidism.

In the absence of at least one of these criteria, the diagnosis of autoimmune thyroiditis is only probabilistic. Since an increase in the level of AT-TPO, or a hypoechoic thyroid gland, by itself does not yet prove autoimmune thyroiditis, this does not allow an accurate diagnosis. Treatment is indicated for the patient only in the hypothyroid phase, so there is usually no urgent need for a diagnosis in the euthyroid phase.

Treatment of autoimmune thyroiditis

Specific therapy for autoimmune thyroiditis has not been developed. Despite modern achievements medicine, endocrinology does not yet have effective and safe methods for correcting the autoimmune pathology of the thyroid gland, in which the process would not progress to hypothyroidism.

In the case of the thyrotoxic phase of autoimmune thyroiditis, the appointment of drugs that suppress the function of the thyroid gland - thyrostatics (thiamazole, carbimazole, propylthiouracil) is not recommended, since with this process there is no hyperfunction of the thyroid gland. With severe symptoms of cardiovascular disorders, beta-blockers are used.

With manifestations of hypothyroidism, replacement therapy with thyroid hormone preparations of thyroid hormones - levothyroxine (L-thyroxine) is individually prescribed. It is carried out under the control of the clinical picture and the content of TSH in the blood serum.

Glucocorticoids (prednisolone) are indicated only with the simultaneous course of autoimmune thyroiditis with subacute thyroiditis, which is often observed in the autumn-winter period. To reduce the titer of autoantibodies, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used: indomethacin, diclofenac. They also use drugs for the correction of immunity, vitamins, adaptogens. With hypertrophy of the thyroid gland and severe compression of the mediastinal organs by it, surgical treatment is performed.

Forecast

The prognosis for the development of autoimmune thyroiditis is satisfactory. With timely treatment, the process of destruction and decrease in thyroid function can be significantly slowed down and a long-term remission of the disease can be achieved. Satisfactory health and normal performance patients in some cases persist for more than 15 years, despite the emerging short-term exacerbations of AIT.

Autoimmune thyroiditis and elevated titer of antibodies to thyroperoxidase (AT-TPO) should be considered as risk factors for future hypothyroidism. In the case of postpartum thyroiditis, the likelihood of its recurrence after next pregnancy in women it is 70%. About 25-30% of women with postpartum thyroiditis later have chronic autoimmune thyroiditis with a transition to persistent hypothyroidism.

Prevention

If autoimmune thyroiditis is detected without impaired thyroid function, it is necessary to monitor the patient in order to detect and promptly compensate for the manifestations of hypothyroidism as early as possible.

Women who are carriers of Ab-TPO without changes in thyroid function are at risk of developing hypothyroidism in the event of pregnancy. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor the condition and function of the thyroid gland as early dates pregnancy and after childbirth.

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autoimmune thyroid disease treatment

Autoimmune thyroiditis: treatment, symptoms, causes

The thyroid gland is an organ of internal secretion, one of the most important regulators of metabolic processes occurring in the human body. He is very sensitive to external and internal influences. Violation of its work immediately affects the state of integumentary tissues, weight, cardiac activity, the ability to become pregnant and bear a child; it can be seen "from afar", looking at the change in behavioral reactions and speed of thinking.

20-30% of all diseases of the thyroid gland is a disease called "autoimmune thyroiditis". Autoimmune thyroiditis of the thyroid gland is an acute or chronic inflammation of the tissue of an organ associated with the destruction of its cells by its own immune system. The disease is more common in women; for a long time it proceeds without visible symptoms, so it can be suspected only with a planned ultrasound scan and the determination of antibodies to gland peroxidase in the blood. Treatment is selected by an endocrinologist, focusing on the stage of the process. Autoimmune thyroiditis can be cured both completely and its activity can be controlled with the help of permanent reception drugs: it all depends on the type of disease. The disease has a benign course.

Name decoding

The word “autoimmune” refers to a situation where inflammation is caused by the own immune system, attacking an organ (in this case, the thyroid gland). Why is this happening?

All cells - both microbial and "native" to the body must "introduce themselves". To do this, on their surface, they expose an "identification mark" in the form of special, specific proteins. They decided to call such proteins "antigens", and other proteins produced by the immune system to eliminate them - "antibodies". Immune cells in the blood vessels every second approach each cell and check it for danger to the body precisely for such autoantigens, comparing them with their “list”. As soon as the immune system ceases to do this normally (due to a violation of the quality of lymphocytes or a decrease in the number of its “army”), tumors appear, because in the process of division, “wrong” (atypical) cells appear in any tissue. But it's not about that now.

Even before the birth of a person, lymphocytes undergo specific preparation, as a result of which they receive a "list" of antigens of their cells, by which they pass and do not produce antibodies. But not all of our organs (or their departments) normally have “permitted” antigens. In this case, the body surrounds them with a barrier of special cells that prevent lymphocytes from approaching and checking. identification marks". Such a barrier is surrounded by: the thyroid gland, the lens, the male genital organs; such protection is built around a child growing in the uterine cavity.

With the destruction - temporary or permanent - of the barrier around the thyroid gland, autoimmune thyroiditis occurs. Genes are to blame for this, which tell lymphocytes increased aggressiveness. Women are more likely to get sick, since estrogens, unlike male hormones, affect the immune system.

Statistics

Covering almost a third of all thyroid diseases, autoimmune thyroiditis occurs in 3-4% of all inhabitants of the Earth. At the same time, for the above reasons, the disease is more common in women, and the incidence rate increases with age. So, pathology can be detected in every 6-10th sixty-year-old lady, while 1-12 out of 1000 children are sick.

Disease classification

1. Chronic autoimmune thyroiditis or Hashimoto's disease. It is this that is often referred to simply as “autoimmune thyroiditis” and it is precisely this that we will consider as a disease with classical stages. It is a disease with a genetic basis. Its course is chronic, but benign. To maintain a normal quality of life, you will have to constantly take hormone replacement therapy.

Hashimoto's disease is also called lymphomatous goiter, as the gland enlarges due to edema resulting from a massive attack of its tissue by lymphocytes. Often there is a combination of this pathology with other autoimmune diseases, if not in this person, then in this family. So, Hashimoto's thyroiditis is often combined with type I diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, damage to the lining cells of the stomach, autoimmune inflammation of the liver, and vitiligo.

1. Postpartum thyroiditis: Inflammation of the thyroid gland develops around 14 weeks after delivery. It is associated with a special reaction of the immune system: during pregnancy, it has to be suppressed so as not to destroy the child (the fetus is inherently alien), and after childbirth, it can be excessively reactivated.
2. Painless form of autoimmune thyroiditis. This is a disease with an unknown cause, but the mechanism of development is identical to postpartum.
3. Cytokine-induced form. It develops when the thyroid gland is “bombarded” with cytokine substances that appear in the body in large quantities when long-term treatment with interferon preparations is carried out - injectable “Laferon”, “Viferon” (this is how viral hepatitis C is usually treated before cirrhosis, some blood diseases) .

Depending on the degree of enlargement of the gland, there is another classification of autoimmune thyroiditis. Based on this, the disease can be:

• Latent: the thyroid gland may be slightly enlarged or be normal. The level of hormones and, accordingly, the function of the gland are not changed.
• Hypertrophic: the size of the organ is increased or completely ( diffuse form), or in one/several places (nodular thyroiditis).
• Atrophic: the size is reduced, the amount of hormones produced is reduced. This is hypothyroidism with autoimmune thyroiditis.

Causes of pathology

In order for any of the autoimmune thyroiditis to develop, only a defect in the genes encoding the activity of the immune system is not enough. As trigger factor, which a person considers the cause of his illness, can be:

• previous influenza, less often other respiratory viral diseases, as well as mumps and measles;
• taking large amounts of iodine;
• chronic infection in the body: chronic tonsillitis, untreated caries, chronic sinusitis;
• living in poor environmental conditions, when a lot of chlorine or fluorine enters the body;
• selenium deficiency in the soil in the region of residence
• ionizing radiation;
• psychoemotional stress.

Stages and symptoms

Hashimoto's thyroiditis is divided into several stages. One smoothly flows into the other.

Euthyroid stage

Hashimoto's disease begins with the fact that immune cells begin to "see" thyroid cells, thyrocytes. These are foreign structures for them, so they decide to attack thyrocytes and, with the help of chemical substances, dissolved in the blood, call for this purpose to their fellows. They attack thyrocytes, producing antibodies against them. The latter may be different amount. If there are few of them, few cells of the gland die, the euthyroid phase of the disease is maintained, the levels of all hormones are not changed, there are symptoms only due to an increase in the gland:

• the thyroid gland becomes visible;
• it can be probed, while it is determined;
• it becomes difficult (like a "lump in the throat") to swallow, especially solid food;
• a person gets tired when doing less work than before.

subclinical stage

The same symptoms of autoimmune thyroiditis are observed in the subclinical phase of the disease. At this time, the number of cells in the gland decreases, but those that should be at rest are included in the work. This happens due to thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH).

Thyrotoxicosis

If there are too many thyroid-stimulated antibodies, the thyrotoxic phase develops. Its signs are as follows:

• fast fatiguability;
• irritability, tearfulness, anger;
• weakness;
• hot flushes;
• sweating;
• a perceived increase in heart rate;
• tendency to diarrhea;
• decrease in sexual desire;
• difficult to be in a hot climate;
• violation of the menstrual cycle.

If the disease occurs in a child, at this stage, attention is most often drawn to the fact that he becomes very thin and does not gain weight, despite increased appetite.

Hypothyroidism

When antibodies destroy a large volume of the working area of ​​the gland, the last phase of autoimmune thyroiditis occurs - hypothyroidism. Its signs are:

• weakness;
• depression, apathy;
• slowing down speech and reaction;
• weight gain with poor appetite;
• the skin becomes pale, swollen, yellowish color and dense (does not fold);
• puffy face;
• constipation;
• a person freezes quickly;
• hair falls out more;
• hoarse voice;
• menstruation rare and scanty;
• brittle nails;
• joint pain.

In a child, hypothyroidism is manifested by weight gain, memory impairment, he becomes more phlegmatic, remembers material worse. If the disease develops at an early age, mental development is significantly behind the due.

Postpartum thyroiditis

In this case, at 14 weeks after birth, symptoms of mild hyperthyroidism appear:

• fatigue;
• weight loss;
• weakness.

They can intensify up to the appearance of a feeling of heat, a feeling of a strong heartbeat, insomnia, rapid mood swings, trembling of the limbs. By the end of 4 months postpartum (about 5 weeks after the onset of the first signs), symptoms of hypothyroidism appear, which are often attributed to postpartum depression.

Painless thyroiditis

It is characterized by mild hyperthyroidism: slight irritability, sweating, increased heart rate. All this is attributed to overwork.

Cytokine-induced thyroiditis

Against the background of the injection of "Alveron", "Viferon" or other interferons, symptoms of both increased and reduced thyroid function may occur. Usually they are expressed slightly.

Autoimmune thyroiditis and fertility

Autoimmune thyroiditis at the subclinical, euthyroid and thyrotoxic stages does not interfere with conception, which cannot be said about the stage of hypothyroidism, because thyroid hormones affect ovarian function. If adequate treatment with synthetic hormones is carried out at this stage, then pregnancy will occur. At the same time, there is a danger of miscarriage, since antibodies to the gland, the production of which does not depend on the amount of L-thyroxine (or Euthyrox) taken, negatively affects the ovarian tissue. But the situation is corrected under the condition of progesterone replacement therapy, which will maintain the pregnancy.

A woman with thyroiditis should be observed by an endocrinologist during the entire gestation period. In a hypothyroid state during this period, he should increase the dose of thyroxin (the need for thyroid hormones of two organisms - mother and child - increases by 40%). Otherwise, if a small amount of thyroid hormones remains in the mother's body during pregnancy, the fetus may develop severe pathologies, sometimes incompatible with life. Or he will be born with congenital hypothyroidism, which is tantamount to severe mental retardation and metabolic disorders.

If autoimmune thyroiditis is suspected, such a diagnosis is carried out. A blood test for hormones is performed:

• T3 - common and free,
• T4 - common and free,

If TSH is elevated, and T4 is normal, this is a subclinical stage, but if the level of T4 decreases with elevated TSH, it means that the first symptoms should already appear.

The diagnosis is established on the basis of a combination of such data:

• Increased level of antibodies to the thyroid enzyme - thyroid peroxidase (AT-TPO) in the analysis of venous blood.
• On ultrasound of the thyroid gland, its hypoechogenicity is determined.
• Decreased concentrations of T3, T4, elevated TSH levels.

Only one indicator does not allow making such a diagnosis. Even an increase in AT-TPO only indicates that a person has a predisposition to autoimmune damage to the gland.

If the thyroiditis is nodular, each node is biopsied to visualize signs of thyroiditis and to rule out cancer.

Complications

At different stages thyroiditis - various complications. So, the hyperthyroid stage can be complicated by arrhythmia, heart failure, and even provoke myocardial infarction.

Hypothyroidism can cause:

• infertility;
• habitual miscarriage;
• congenital hypothyroidism in a newborn child;
• dementia;
• atherosclerosis;
• depression
• myxedema, which looks like intolerance to the slightest cold, constant drowsiness. If in this state sedatives are introduced, severe stress is obtained, or an infectious disease develops, a hypothyroid coma can be provoked.

Fortunately, this condition responds well to treatment, and if you take drugs in a dose adjusted to the level of hormones and AT-TPO, you can not feel the presence of the disease for a long time.

The diet should be normal in terms of calories ( energy value not less than 1500 kcal), but it is better if you calculate it according to Mary Chaumont: (weight * 25) minus 200 kcal.

The amount of proteins should be increased to 3 g per kg of body weight, and saturated fats and easily digestible carbohydrates should be limited. You need to eat every 3 hours.

What you can eat:

• vegetable dishes;
• red fish in a baked form;
• fish fat;
• liver: cod, pork, beef;
• pasta;
• dairy;
• legumes;
• eggs;
• butter;
• cereals;
• bread.

Salty, fried, spicy and smoked foods, alcohol and seasonings are excluded. Water - no more than 1.5 l / day.

We need unloading - once a week or 10 days - days on juices and fruits.

Treatment

Treatment of autoimmune thyroiditis is completely medical, depending on the stage of the disease. It is prescribed at any age and does not stop even during pregnancy, unless, of course, there are indications. Its purpose is to maintain the level of thyroid hormones at the level physiological values(their control is carried out once every 6 months, the first control - after 1.5-2 months).

In the stage of euthyroidism, treatment is not carried out.

How to treat the stage of thyrotoxicosis, the doctor decides. Usually thyreostatics, such as Mercazolil, are not prescribed. The treatment is carried out symptomatically: for tachycardia, beta-blockers are prescribed: Atenolol, Nebivolol, Anaprilin, with severe psycho-emotional excitability - sedatives. If a thyrotoxic crisis occurs, therapy is carried out in a hospital with the help of injectable glucocorticoid hormones (Dexamethasone, Prednisolone). The same drugs are administered if autoimmune thyroiditis is combined with subacute thyroiditis, but the treatment is carried out at home.

In the stage of hypothyroidism, a synthetic T4 (thyroxine) called "L-thyroxine" or "Eutiroks" is prescribed and, if there is a shortage of triiodothyronine, its analogues created in the laboratory. The dosage of thyroxin for adults is 1.4-1.7 mcg / kg of weight, in children - up to 4 mcg / kg.

Thyroxine is prescribed for children if there is an increase in TSH and a normal or low level of T4, if the gland is increased by 30 or more percent of age norm. If it is enlarged, its structure is heterogeneous, while AT-TPO is absent, iodine is prescribed in the form of potassium iodide at a dosage of 200 mcg / day.

When the diagnosis of autoimmune thyroiditis is established to a person living in an area with iodine deficiency, physiological doses of iodine are used: 100-200 mcg / day.

Pregnant women are prescribed L-thyroxine if TSH is more than 4 mU / l. If they have only AT-TPO and TSH is less than 2 mU/L, thyroxine is not used, but TSH levels are monitored every trimester. In the presence of AT-TPO and TSH 2-4 mU/l, L-thyroxine is needed in prophylactic doses.

If thyroiditis is nodular, in which cancer cannot be ruled out, or if the thyroid gland compresses the organs of the neck, making breathing much more difficult, surgical treatment is performed.

Forecast

If treatment is started on time, before the death of more than 40% of the thyroid cell mass, the process can be controlled and the prognosis is favorable.

If a woman has already developed thyroiditis after childbirth, the probability of its occurrence after the next birth is 70%.

One third of cases of postpartum thyroiditis transforms into a chronic form with the development of persistent hypothyroidism.

Disease prevention

It is impossible to prevent the transmission of a defective gene. But to control the function of your own thyroid gland, it is planned (especially if there is a tendency to gain weight or, conversely, to thinness), once a year, it is worth donating blood for T4 and TSH. It is also optimal to undergo an ultrasound of the gland every 1-2 years.

A routine examination for T4, AT-TPO and TSH is especially needed in the event of pregnancy. These tests are not included in the list of mandatory studies, so you need to ask for a referral yourself, from an endocrinologist.

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Autoimmune thyroiditis treatment with traditional and alternative medicine

According to doctors, the percentage of various thyroid pathologies has recently increased significantly, so in this article we will consider autoimmune thyroiditis treatment. different ways, and the most important - effective recommendations alternative medicine about the factors influencing the development of the disease and its treatment. You will learn about the mechanism of AIT, its signs and diagnostic methods. This is, in fact, a review article on the treatment of Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

What do we know about the thyroid gland? Everyone immediately comes to mind the concept of Graves' disease. In fact, there are much more thyroid diseases, and not all of them are reduced to the formation of a goiter on the neck, their symptoms are much more extensive. Today we will get acquainted with the most "incomprehensible" of them - autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT).

Autoimmune thyroiditis: signs, causes and mechanism of AIT

For the first time, the world learned about its existence at the beginning of the 20th century thanks to the works of the Japanese doctor Hashimoto (Hashimoto). The Japanese described the characteristic symptoms he identified in 4 test patients.

Due to this, this disease received his name and became known as Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

Autoimmune thyroiditis - what is it. Signs, photo

Hashimoto saw under a microscope in the tissues of the thyroid gland accumulations (infiltrates) of affected lymphocytes, plasma cells and connective tissues (focal fibrosis). And in 1956, when medical science made a big leap forward, antibodies to the gland's own proteins were found in the blood of patients. And thyroiditis began to be called "autoimmune".

The main signs of Hashimoto's thyroiditis are visible under a microscope:

• the presence of dead cells in the tissues of the thyroid gland (lymphocytes and plasma cells)
• proliferation of connective tissue (focal fibrosis)
• detection of antibodies to thyreglobulin (AT TG) in the blood

What does "autoimmune" mean? If the word "immune" is more or less clear, then "auto" can be translated from Latin as "own". As a result, we get some process directly related to the immune system of our own body. With the concept of "thyroiditis" everything is also quite simple: "thyroid-" is associated with the Latin name of the thyroid gland (looking thyroid), and "-it" means inflammation.

If the body is damaged by autoimmune thyroiditis, antibodies - substances designed to protect the body from harmful agents, cease to "recognize" their own organ and begin to "attack" thyroid cells.

As a result, the necessary cells are destroyed, and connective tissue takes their place. The production of hormones weakens, and the patient develops a state of hypothyroidism (the prefix "hypo-" indicates a decrease).

This process is clearly seen in the photo:

Here are some photos of patients with this disease - in varying degrees of development and damage to the thyroid gland:

Photo of the initial stage - slight redness skin in the area of ​​the gland:

Photo of further tissue growth, an increase in the thyroid gland is observed:

A photo of a more severe stage - an asymmetric enlargement of the gland, noticeable without palpation:
Severe stage of development of autoimmune thyroiditis:

As can be seen from the photo, the disease tends to slowly progress, destroying the thyroid gland first, and then the whole body. With atrophic thyroiditis, the change in the gland is not externally displayed.

Causes: what causes the disease

There are enough reasons that provoke the occurrence of Hashimoto's thyroiditis. What factors influence the trigger mechanism of autoimmune thyroiditis? Among them are:

• damage to the immune system: poor ecology, indiscriminate use of drugs, malnutrition, etc.
• long-term stressful conditions: shocks, anxieties and experiences
• hereditary endocrine diseases in the family: not only AIT, but also diabetes mellitus, Basedow's disease
• excess of iodine ingested with food or drugs
• uncontrolled use of interferon and other antiviral drugs, especially in the treatment of acute viral infections and even prophylactically

However, not everything is so bad. A number of prominent representatives of medicine believe that the autoimmune process is a reversible phenomenon. In the initial stages, as the patient's condition improves, after the excess load on the gland cells is eliminated, the content of antibodies in the blood gradually decreases. And the thyroid gland begins to work normally. Therefore, it is so important to diagnose thyroiditis in time.

Perhaps you will find useful articles on related topics - the treatment of the thyroid gland in women or the function of the thyroid gland in the body, and also - what will not treat the thyroid gland. Problems with the thyroid gland often lead to various pathologies in the joints, so I recommend that you familiarize yourself with such a phenomenon as synovitis of the knee joint and bursitis of the knee joint symptoms and treatment. Interesting recommendations await you in the article Restless Leg Syndrome causes and treatment.

Stages and symptoms of the development of autoimmune thyroiditis

There are several stages in the development of AIT. Each stage has its own symptoms. Let's talk about them briefly.

1. Hyperthyroidism is observed in the initial stage of development of AIT and lasts from a month to six months. During this period, a large amount of thyroid hormones T3 and T4 is observed in the blood.

Why this happens: antibodies in large quantities destroy thyroid cells and hormones that the cell managed to synthesize before its destruction enter the intercellular space. They get into the blood. What symptoms occur:

• pain in the region of the gland
• high levels of hormones cause nervousness and irascibility
• soreness and swelling in the throat, as if something were in the way
• before bed - lump in throat
• excessive sweating
• rapid pulse
• menstrual cycle failure

2. Euthyroidism is characteristic of the second stage of development of Hoshimoto's goiter. It is very similar in symptoms to the condition healthy person: the amount of hormones in the blood has leveled off, the inconveniences listed above have disappeared and the person often calms down - nothing bothers. But this is very misleading.

During this period, neoplasms appear in the gland in the form of cysts and nodes, which gradually increase in size. The thyroid gland continues to be asymptomatically destroyed by the immune system. It can change size: increase, decrease or remain unchanged. Sometimes a slight redness is noticeable in the area of ​​​​the location of the gland - in front of the neck.

3. Hypothyroidism - the third stage of development of AIT. It is characterized by a significant reduction in the production of thyroid hormones, which are so necessary for normal metabolism and maintaining the state of the body in terms of high energy and a beautiful appearance.

The main symptoms of autoimmune thyroiditis at the stage of development of hypothyroidism:

• despondency, feeling of hopelessness
• susceptibility to depression
• performance deterioration
• possible memory lapses
• impotence, weakness, slowness and fatigue
• metabolic disorders: excess weight and the appearance of edema, poor thermoregulation of the body
• dry skin and areas with its roughness - on the knees and elbows (hyperkeratosis)
• bad hair and brittle nails
• cysts form on the female reproductive organs and in the mammary glands
• unbalanced menstrual cycle
• early menopause
• there is a breakdown in the entire metabolism of the body
• shortness of breath with any physical activity
• possible heart failure, bradycardia
• atherosclerosis at a fairly young age

The earlier the disease is detected, the easier the treatment. This must be remembered and, at the slightest suspicion, undergo the prescribed tests and diagnosis.

Autoimmune thyroiditis treatment and diagnosis

Autoimmune thyroiditis treatment of this disease can be started only after a thorough diagnosis. As practice shows, early stages autoimmune thyroiditis does not manifest itself in any way. That is, the disease does not have its own specific symptoms.

Therefore, autoimmune thyroiditis is diagnosed by the following factors:

• the amount of antibodies to thyroglobulin and TPO proteins (thyroid peroxidase) exceeds the norm
• fibrosis of the thyroid gland

In order to exclude other diseases of the thyroid gland and make an accurate diagnosis, not only a clinical examination (examination and palpation) is necessarily carried out, but also tests are given:

• for antibodies to thyroglobulin and TPO
• on hormones T3, T4 and TSH

Sometimes they resort to a biopsy: a piece of the thyroid gland is taken for research; thus exclude the diagnosis of nodular goiter. To find out the size of the gland and the presence of nodes, an ultrasound is done. Also, the endocrinologist will definitely find out from the patient whether any of his relatives suffer from autoimmune diseases.

Patients develop symptoms of hypothyroidism as fibrosis progresses. The thyroid gland is changing. According to the type of lesion of the gland, two forms of thyroiditis are distinguished:

• hypertrophic - the thyroid gland is enlarged, patients feel a lump in the throat, difficulty swallowing, and sometimes breathing
• atrophic - the gland, on the contrary, is reduced or its size is within the normal range

Just like no specific symptoms AIT, there is no specific treatment. Doctors have not yet found methods that can effectively block the autoimmune process and the subsequent development of hypothyroidism.

Traditional method of treatment of AIT

Modern medicine offers two ways to tame a formidable disease - hormone treatment and surgery. Replacement of thyroid hormones with synthesized hormones is preferable to surgical operation. With increased thyroid function, the doctor prescribes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that block the production of antibodies. With an integrated approach to treatment, vitamin complexes and remedies that correct immunity are also used.

If the function of the thyroid gland is depressed (lowered), synthetic hormones are prescribed for its treatment.

Hormone therapy and anti-inflammatory drugs

At the stage when hypothyroidism has already developed, doctors prescribe the following hormonal drugs:

• Levothyroxine
• Thyroidin
• Triiodothyronine
• Thyreotom
• Thyreocomb

The most common treatment is Levothyroxine. The dosage is selected for each individually. The clinical efficacy of the drug - a decrease in the symptoms of hypothyroidism, is observed 3-5 days after the start of administration. Replacement therapy can last several months, years or a lifetime.

Since the disease progresses slowly, therapeutic measures initiated in time effectively slow down the process. And over time, a long-term remission is achieved.

The use of such drugs reduces goiter, prevents thyroid insufficiency and lowers the level of its hormones. At the same time, blood lymphocytes are neutralized, which are capable of provoking the destruction of the thyroid gland.

The dosage is determined strictly individually. If thyroiditis is subacute, then the inflammatory process is first removed. As a result, swelling and pain are reduced. Your doctor may prescribe a steroid drug called prednisolone. The duration of treatment depends on the nature of the disease.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can also reduce progressive processes in the thyroid gland. In parallel, they will create an immunosuppressive effect. But all this works only with a mild form of the disease.

With the proper approach to treatment, recovery occurs after a short time. But there are protracted cases and even relapses. If the disease passes without symptoms, then it must be remembered that it occurs spontaneously and it is necessary to block its development.

Surgical method problem solving

There are times when surgery is needed. The doctor prescribes surgical intervention only in exceptional cases: when the disease is combined with a large goiter. It can put pressure on the neck organs and interfere with breathing. The same situation occurs with the rapid progression of goiter or the absence of results during six months of treatment. Surgery on the thyroid gland is possible in two cases:

• if a large goiter has developed, squeezing neighboring organs
• if there is suspicion malignant tumor glands on the background of AIT

Complete removal of the gland (thyroidectomy) is used in extreme cases. For example, if the thyroid gland is completely affected by fibrosis. It is possible to remove one of the affected lobes. More often performed partial removal affected tissue (resection) while preserving the active part of the gland.

Treatment of autoimmune thyroiditis with computer reflexology

The method of computer reflexology makes it possible to completely restore the thyroid gland and its functions without hormones and operations.

The essence of the method is to use the knowledge of oriental medicine, that the nervous, immune and endocrine systems are one. Almost all thyroid diseases begin with a primary failure in the immune system, and not in the endocrine system.

The ability to influence negligible doses of direct current on biologically active points, and through them the autonomic network of nerve endings - on the human brain restores the function of the thyroid gland (regardless of whether it is lowered or increased).

What it gives in practice:

• nodular formations and cysts gradually resolve
• stops hormonal disbalance and the background of thyrohormones is normalized, the body itself begins to produce hormones in the right amount
• makes it possible to completely stop taking hormonal drugs (if taken)
• menstruation is restored in women and it is possible to give birth to a healthy child

As a result, there is a gradual restoration of the immune system, which means that the main cause of autoimmune thyroiditis is eliminated. I suggest you watch the video private clinic Gavrilova, which tells about similar treatment.

Great Method restoration of many body functions. Unfortunately, this is alternative medicine and wide application she does not find. Applied in private practice.

Nutraceuticals or dietary supplements - Endorm treatment

Recently, a lot of reviews about the treatment with Endorm have appeared on the Internet. Endorm is new non-hormonal remedy from components plant origin.

According to the manufacturers, an active substance, Albinin, was synthesized from the medicinal plant Potentilla white, which normalizes the production of hormones and restores not only the functioning of the thyroid gland, but also its structure.

The drug is also effective for the treatment of autoimmune thyroiditis. But, like any dietary supplement, Endorm is not perceived by traditional medicine as a medicine.

Treatment of autoimmune thyroiditis with homeopathy

If you do not want to take hormones for the rest of your life and suffer from their side effects, then turn to homeopathy. According to experts practicing the classical teachings of Hahnemann, homeopathy seems to have been created for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. Since classical homeopathy does not treat a specific disease, but heals the body at a subtle level, restoring the immune, endocrine and other systems.

Homeopaths believe that traditional medicine does not even try to treat autoimmune thyroiditis, but only diagnoses and prescribes doses of hormones. Doctors do not care what the patient feels: whether he suffers or not. The main thing for them is to cure the disease, not the person himself.

Surgical treatment is especially detrimental to the body. After removing the nodes from the thyroid gland, you can expect their appearance in other organs, for example, in the uterus or chest in women. After all, all processes in our body are interconnected. If there are problems with the functioning of the thyroid gland, then the probability of pathology is high. reproductive system and vice versa.

Homeopathic treatment is strictly individual. Each patient chooses his own drug in accordance with his constitutional type. There are no "tablets for the thyroid gland", "pills for the head."

There is no universal scheme for the treatment of autoimmune thyroiditis. And the choice of drug depends on the expressed symptoms and characteristics of each person. But one chosen homeopathic remedy will have a complex effect on the body.

How quickly will recovery come? Despite the fact that the drug begins to act immediately, it can take years for a complete cure.

It depends on the stage of AIT and the duration of previous hormonal therapy. For some, this will seem like a long time. But remember that conventional medicine believes that autoimmune thyroiditis is incurable. Homeopathy, without surgery and hormones, even in an advanced case, will help alleviate unpleasant symptoms and stop the progress of the disease.

Best effect when using homeopathy, it is observed in patients whose disease period does not exceed 3 years. A year later, their tests for antibodies to the thyroid gland are negative. And recurrence of AIT is not observed.

Alternative medicine about the treatment of autoimmune diseases

There is an interesting program for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, developed by the academician of the EAEN, the chief immunologist of the Irkutsk region Gorodisky B.V. I will give the most important points from his speeches. I believe that this information will be useful for patients with autoimmune thyroiditis.

We are on the rise in autoimmune diseases

The immunologist believes that these diseases are like an iceberg - we see only a small part, the rest of the diseases are hidden and have not yet shown themselves, but the process has long been launched. And in the near future there will be a big surge in these diseases.

This is evidenced by the high level of registered antibodies - against almost every organ or organ system.

Cause of outbreak

The main reason for this surge is the involution of the adrenal glands, their atrophy, which will lead to an increase in autoimmune diseases.

These are not diseases of the thyroid gland, joints or pancreas - this is a serious systemic disease of the whole organism, which is based on the sixth degree of pollution and damage to the body.

The mechanism of the onset of the disease, the factors that affect it

There is a complex mechanism of violations here - between the onset of the disease and its clinical manifestation, 8-10 years can pass.

The process has been going on for a long time, thyroid cells are being destroyed, antibodies have been working for destruction for a long time, but we don’t even know about it until the number of damaged cells reaches a critical amount, and the body is simply no longer able to produce thyroid hormones or any others. Begins to show clinical picture autoimmune organ damage. If at the beginning of the disease it is possible to correct the work of the gland, now it is much more difficult.

What is characteristic of an autoimmune disease at the stage of clinical manifestation:

1. 6 degree of pollution of the body 2. serious violations pineal gland 3. interhemispheric asymmetry, reaching up to 70% - 70% of the hemisphere do not understand each other and cannot work as a paired organ

4. Disturbances in the hypothalamic region, as a result of which the immune system, the autonomic nervous system suffer, metabolism and thermoregulation are disturbed.

The immune system has decided to destroy its own body - how does this happen? The development of autoimmune diseases is influenced by various factors, which we will discuss below.

What factors can cause autoimmune diseases

Hoshimoto's thyroiditis is a complex systemic disease. Its development can provoke any of the following factors. 1. Failure in the ratio of cells of the immune system. The mechanism is the same as with allergies - the balance between the cells of the immune system - helpers, killers and suppressors is disturbed. How it works in practice:

1. There are few or no T-suppressors, which means that they cannot slow down the process of destruction and maintain immunity.
2. Cells that produce immunoglobulins begin to produce them against their own tissues, and not against microbes, as is normal. They produce them against cells of the heart, liver, cells of the pancreas or thyroid gland.
3. Antibodies sit on the cells of these organs, killers rush to them and begin to destroy them.

This is how the autoimmune process develops. And try to stop him!

2. Enzyme disorders are a prerequisite for autoimmune diseases. In the development of an autoimmune disease, the gastrointestinal tract is of great importance. The body lacks enzymes - after 40 years, we have only 20% of the necessary enzymes. There is nothing left to digest food. You need to eat less meat, heavy foods that require a large number enzymes. There are enough enzymes in green leafy vegetables. They should be consumed with meat. We eat meat and potatoes. Therefore, we accustom ourselves to eat meat with enzymes - with large quantity greenery.

This is an extremely important factor. And it is difficult to influence it - many damages to the human genetic apparatus at the genome level occur at the enzymatic level. Outwardly, this manifests itself in increased pigmentation or depigmentation of the skin, the appearance of some nodules on the bones that were not there before. And the reason is that some gene is turned off, the enzyme is not formed - a metabolic disorder begins.

Therefore, enzymatic disorders are of great importance. Everything is built on enzymes today, any process depends on their presence. There are 40 thousand enzymes in our body. Mankind has studied only 4 thousand. Micronutrients are also important. They take part in the synthesis of enzymes.

3. Streptococcus, as the cause of the destruction of membranes in cells. His chemical composition very similar to all the basement membranes on which cells sit inside the vessels, in the joint, in the heart, in the kidneys. Immunity, seeking to deal with streptococcus, begins to destroy all basement membranes. Where did streptococcus come from? With tonsils and tonsillitis. Glomerulonephritis is formed in the kidneys, protein appears, red blood cells - a real inflammation occurs.

Streptococcus is present in the body of many people. It is in the tonsils, in the blood, in the joints - it is everywhere! And in the treatment of autoimmune diseases, the first thing to do is to remove it. To do this, stop eating sweets. Streptococcus loves him very much. Sweet in the body with an autoimmune disease should not be. We refuse muffins, sweets and chocolate, otherwise there will be no effect from the treatment.

Curative fasting is very effective - during fasting, we lose weight due to the fact that microbes die. They are not fed. And they are dying by the billions. Already on the second day of fasting there is an intense intoxication. The body gets really bad. Microbes die by the kilo. It is possible to help the body eliminate toxins faster by increasing water intake and doing enemas or taking appropriate preparations such as chitosan.

4. Deficiency of silicon in the body. It is important to take care of a sufficient amount of silicon in the body. It is important for the normal functioning of the pineal gland, which is made of silicon. In its absence or shortage, metabolism in the body is disrupted, joints are destroyed, the charge of cell membranes changes from negative to positive (normally, cell membranes are negatively charged).

It is silicon that gives a negative charge to the membrane - the outer surface of the cells is lined with sialic (or silicic acids - this is the same thing). Proteins combined with silicon give sialic acids. No silicon - no negative charge of cell membranes.

Who loves to eat silicon? Microorganisms love it. Trichomonas, streptococcus eats silicon with great pleasure. We almost always miss him physically. It is necessary to use foods that contain silicon: celery and horsetail - they are the leaders in its content, there is it in asparagus, Jerusalem artichoke, bell pepper, potatoes and other vegetables. In cereals, rice, oats, millet and barley are in the lead.

Therefore, alternative medicine believes that no non-steroidal drug or hormonal therapy will cure this. serious illness can not. Only remove the symptoms, and the process of destruction will continue.

Meat with thyroiditis - is it possible or not

Also, with autoimmune thyroiditis, some nutrition points associated with the intake of protein foods are important.

Denatured protein is considered the most harmful at this moment, in simple terms - boiled (baked) meat, especially - taken after 14.00. In the body there is a lack of enzymes for their digestion.

There is another factor. As soon as we have eaten meat, sausage or other product with denatured protein, the level of leukocytes (cells that protect our body) rises in human blood to 200, 300 and more thousand, when the body normally contains 6-10 thousand of them. Why are there so many of them? The body tries to protect itself from poorly digested protein when it has not been broken down into amino acids. This is especially bad if a person is taking immunosuppressive drugs that inhibit the release of white blood cells from the bone marrow.

Therefore, people with an autoimmune disease can take meat from 7 am to 9 am, and then from 12 pm to 2 pm, according to the biorhythms of the stomach and pancreas. Many recommend that during the treatment of exacerbations, switch to vegetable protein- walnut, pine nut, especially - Brazil nut. By eating 4 Brazil Nuts, you can get daily dose Selena. It is especially recommended for men with sexual dysfunctions.

Food foil for AIT

To alleviate the condition, it is possible to use food foil (it has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect), it gives the effect of an energy blanket, which the Germans often use to relieve pain.

We wrap the neck (gland area) with foil at night, fix it - and in the morning it will be in holes. The condition will improve a lot.

How to get rid of streptococcus

A banal tincture of calendula from a pharmacy will help remove streptococcus - he is very afraid of it. It can be used not only externally, but also internally, both for adults and children. Dose - 1 drop per year of life. For an adult, 40 drops three times a day are enough, for small children - 1-2 drops.

For adults, we drip on water, for children - on crackers and dry it naturally for three hours so that the alcohol evaporates. You can do it for the future and work with the child in this way, saving him from streptococcus. Calendula works better than any antibiotic.

You can also buy at the pharmacy a natural broad-spectrum antibiotic Citrosept, obtained from grapefruit seeds by Norwegian scientists. Apply according to instructions.

Streptococcus is afraid of kerosene like incense. A tincture of walnuts on kerosene of a special fraction, which can be bought at a pharmacy or an online store, works well. It's called Todikamp.

Application and local, and inside. It is recommended 1 drop per 2 kg of weight 1-3 times a day 30 minutes before meals, but start with 5 drops (there is an instruction when buying). It can be added to the ointment or the drug itself can be applied to the pharynx, to the joints - its habitats.

It is also necessary to remove the connective tissue that has formed scars as a result of long-term chronic inflammation. This will help enzyme preparations.

Therapeutic fasting with autoimmune thyroiditis

Why is the autoimmune process supported? Because antigens with decayed thyroid cells circulate in the blood. Such patients are collected in private clinics, where they are treated by fasting. Passes in two weeks rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune thyroiditis and other diseases.

Why is this happening: we did not start eating protein, new antigens ceased to be created in the blood, and the body coped with that load - it utilized all the old cells that circulated in the blood. Thus, the inflammatory process stopped - in just two weeks.

Therefore, today there are good clinics that treat autoimmune diseases, no one practically uses anti-inflammatory drugs anymore. Patients are either put on starvation or fed with amino acids and given enzyme preparations. That's all treatment. Next is the restoration of the affected organ or system.

Hirudotherapy

Leeches have proven themselves well in autoimmune processes - hirudotherapy. Leeches introduce into the body about 200 drugs, 6 very strong proteolytic enzymes, hirudotherapy greatly increases our electromagnetic field (in 40 minutes it sometimes increases tenfold).

These activities are sure to lead to an effective result. The cure of the autoimmune process will be better if you use the device that was invented by Gorodisky Bogdan Vladimirovich. This CEM TESN device can perform almost all the described measures to restore an organ affected by an autoimmune disease. Features of therapy with the use of the CEM TESN apparatus - an EHF device - can be found by clicking on the link.

Autoimmune thyroiditis of the thyroid gland: treatment with folk remedies

Phytotherapy for autoimmune thyroiditis cannot replace the main treatment - doctors say so. The practice of alternative medicine says otherwise. But a professional phytoimmunologist should work here. It is used in periods when the course of AIT goes into the following states:

• eutheriosa - the level of thyroid hormones is normal
• subclinical hypothyroidism - the level of hormones T3 and T4 is normal, and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) is slightly elevated

Herbal medicine with phyto-collections

In this case, with the help of herbs, you can try to influence the mechanism of the occurrence of autoimmune aggression.

For these purposes, immunomodulating plants containing an iodine compound - diiodotyrosine are applicable:

• watercress officinalis
• gorse dyeing
• Iceland moss and other lichens: parmelia, cladonia

It should be noted that algae (fucus and kelp), rich in iodides, are contraindicated in the treatment of AIT, as they can provoke further development of the disease. The main principle of herbal treatment for this disease is to avoid herbs and foods that increase the iodine content in the body, causing its overabundance.

Also, as a support for immunity, you can use decoctions, which include:

• meadowsweet (another name is meadowsweet)
• sweet clover
• powerful immunomodulator - echinacea

In thyroiditis, herbal medicine is more often used to relieve individual symptoms. So, with constipation, flaxseed, Icelandic moss, nettle, soapwort, mountaineer, marshmallow and mullein are added to decoctions. Strong laxative herbs (buckthorn, senna) are drunk separately.

Fees must include medicinal plants, contributing to the reduction of viscosity and cholesterol in the blood:

• mountain arnica
• burdock roots
• oat grass
• dandelion roots
• viburnum
• raspberry
• coltsfoot
• peony evasive
• sweet clover

And you can not do without tonics. These include medicinal fruits and herbs growing in the Far East, Altai and Siberia: aralia, eleutherococcus, rosea rhodiola and ginseng.

Also, with autoimmune thyroiditis, the following are used: an aquatic plant - duckweed, knotted boletus and common cocklebur. But do not forget, although herbal medicine sometimes works wonders, such treatment should not be taken as a panacea.

Herbal oil extracts

Oil extracts are used for local application- slight rubbing in the area of ​​the gland. They do it very simply: they take crushed grass mixture or a mono-plant in equal proportions and the same amount vegetable oil. Extraction lasts a month in a warm and dark place. You can shake. After a month, we decant the oil and do it at night nice massage thyroid gland, lubricating the neck with oil externally.

The most useful oil from calendula - it perfectly relieves inflammation. Also used oil string and celandine.

Juice treatment

Traditional medicine advises daily use of beetroot, carrot, lemon juice. Other mixtures of juices are also used. See the recipes for their preparation below: We always start with small dose- two teaspoons, and in the absence negative phenomena- increase their reception.

New research scientists on the connection between the intestine and the brain in autoimmune diseases

Each of us from birth has a certain set of microorganisms. Few of us realize how dangerous altering the gut microbiota can be. Almost 80% of autoimmune diseases are caused by this change in the gut microflora. There is a direct connection between the gut microbiota and the brain, between the microorganisms of our entire body and our behavior. It turns out that microbes throughout the body are responsible for some of the differences that exist between people.

For example, what microorganisms live on our skin determines whether mosquitoes will bite us. Microorganisms on the skin secrete substances that mosquitoes react to. What microbes are found in our intestines depends on how toxic some painkillers will be to the liver, how effective medicines will be for the heart.

The totality of all human microorganisms is, in fact, a separate organ in the human body.

Microbes have a number of functions:

• they help us digest food
• they help train our immune system
• they help us resist disease
• they influence our behavior

As part of the Human Microbiome Project (HMP), the National Institutes of Health (USA) has spent $173 million to study the micro-organisms that live inside and out of humans. They created a map of the settlement of various microorganisms in the human body and conducted a series of experiments to change the microbiota by moving from one person to another.

There have been a number of studies where a change in the microbiota led to the disappearance of a number of diseases. First, the experiments were carried out on mice, and then on human volunteers.

The gut microbiota is often affected by pathogens. Microorganisms alien to a given individual begin to intensively produce foreign signal proteins, leading to a "war" of the immune system.

Various autoimmune diseases occur in exactly the same way, only the strains of pathogens are different. Everything is solved by transplanting the intestinal microbiota, that is, they take its microorganisms from a healthy person and transplant them to patients with autoimmune diseases. Experiments have shown that a person is able to recover very quickly ...

Almost fantastic! Truth? But watch this video and a lot becomes a reality! There is not specifically about autoimmune diseases, but there are a lot of examples with experiments on transplanting the intestinal microbiota or vaginal flora. I just couldn't help but share.

Another interesting fact is that if you are healthy, then even a bad microflora, pathogenic, will be under the control of a healthy biomass of microorganisms and the disease will not be able to develop. There are microbes, but they are suppressed.

In this article, we reviewed autoimmune thyroiditis treatment with traditional methods of modern medicine, the possibility of using homeopathic medicines and herbal medicine from the arsenal of folk remedies, and most importantly, recommendations from alternative medicine about the factors that affect the development of the disease and its treatment. You learned about the mechanism of AIT, its signs and diagnostic methods.

prozdorovechko.ru

What is autoimmune thyroiditis - symptoms and causes of the disease, treatment of the thyroid gland

Given endocrine disease accounts for 1/3 of all thyroid pathologies. The occurrence of the disease often provokes excessive saturation of the body with iodine. This inflammation of the thyroid gland affects men almost 20 times less than women. The typical age of patients is 40-50 years, but young people and even children get sick with it.

Autoimmune thyroiditis - a description of the disease

The disease has another common name - Hashimoto's disease, named after the Japanese discoverer of this disease. So, what is autoimmune thyroiditis (abbreviated as AIT)? Chronic inflammatory disease thyroid gland, as it develops, its cells are destroyed, and the gland atrophies (less often, it grows, forming a diffuse goiter). Gradually, less and less hormones are produced, organ dysfunction occurs.

The thyroid gland of a healthy person, absorbing iodine from outside, normally synthesizes the most important hormones for the body with the help of thyroperoxidase: thyroxine, triiodothyronine. When it fails, the immune system produces antibodies that destroy this enzyme and endocrine cells. As a result, an inflammatory process develops: the gland swells, living cells die, their place is taken by coarse connective tissue, unable to perform the function of hormone synthesis.

What are autoimmune thyroiditis, in terms of type classification? There are the following types of the disease:

1. Chronic thyroiditis autoimmune origin, in which primary hypothyroidism develops (deficiency of thyroid hormones).
2. Postpartum thyroiditis, which becomes a consequence of an excessively increased activity of the immune system after oppression during pregnancy.
3. Painless (silent) thyroiditis of the thyroid gland, similar to postpartum, but not caused by pregnancy.
4. Cytokine-induced variant of the disease that develops during long-term treatment with interferons.

The development of all types of autoimmune thyroiditis goes through 4 phases:

• euthyroidism - with preservation of the function of the gland;
• subclinical phase - with a partial violation of the synthesis of hormones;
• thyrotoxicosis - a characteristic feature of which is a high level of the hormone T4;
• hypothyroid phase - when, with further damage to the gland, the number of its cells decreases below a critical threshold.

According to the nature of the course, 3 main forms of autoimmune thyroiditis are distinguished. It:

1. Latent (hidden), in which there may be signs of thyrotoxicosis or hypothyroidism, but thyroid function is not impaired.
2. Hypertrophic - when the gland is enlarged in volume (diffuse form) or nodules form in it ( nodal shape).
3. Atrophic, the most severe type of disease, in which the gland often decreases in volume.

This disease does not always occur, even if there is a hereditary predisposition. Chronic autoimmune thyroiditis can occur only in the presence of provoking factors. It:

• influenza, SARS, sinusitis, tonsillitis, caries;
• excess iodine in drinking water, food;
• overdose of drugs containing iodine;
• elevated radiation background;
• prolonged exposure to the sun;
• severe stress.

Symptoms of autoimmune thyroiditis

At first, they don't exist at all. In the euthyroid and subclinical phases, signs of autoimmune thyroiditis are absent for a long time. Only sometimes patients feel causeless weakness, joint pain, lump in the throat. More severe symptoms autoimmune thyroiditis occur as the gland degrades. In most cases, patients lose excess weight. With an increased level of thyroid hormones, there are:

• cardiopalmus;
• flushes of blood;
• increased sweating;
• trembling of hands, legs;
• insomnia.

Diagnosis and treatment of autoimmune thyroiditis

The disease is detected during the complex laboratory tests and instrumental studies. The endocrinologist prescribes:

• blood tests: general and thyroid hormones;
• immunogram;
• Ultrasound of the thyroid gland;
• histological analysis of gland cells obtained by biopsy.

A reliable diagnosis of the disease can be made only if there are three diagnostic criteria:

• elevated levels of antibodies to thyroid cells;
• hypoechoic gland;
• symptoms of hypothyroidism.

Is there a cure for autoimmune thyroiditis? The disease in the euthyroid phase does not require therapy. Pathology at other stages should be treated by adjusting the content of thyroid hormones to optimal level close to normal. In the hypothyroid phase, patients are treated with L-thyroxine, Iodthyrox, even during pregnancy. At the stage of thyrotoxicosis take:

• Voltaren, Indomethacin - to curb the production of antibodies;
• Dexamethasone, Prednisolone - for crises;
• Anaprilin, Binelol - from tachycardia;
• Valemidin, Afobazol, Phenibut - with neuroses.

Changes in the thyroid gland can deform the proportions of the neck and face. Eliminate cosmetic defects, having corrected the image of a person, the biorevitalization method with the help of injections of hyaluronic acid helps. However, if there are nodes with a risk of developing cancer or if the gland compresses the neck area, making it difficult to breathe, it is required surgical intervention.

How to treat autoimmune thyroiditis with folk remedies

How to cure autoimmune thyroiditis at home? Tested Recipes:

• Pour 50 g of crushed white cinquefoil roots in a thermos with 400 ml of boiling water, insist overnight, filter in the morning. Drink before meals throughout the day for 4 doses for 1 month. Contraindications: hypotension, arrhythmia.
• immature walnuts grind with a meat grinder, add honey (1:1). Eat 1 tsp. three times a day for 2 weeks. After a month break, repeat the course 3-4 times.
• Pour into a thermos 10 g of dry lungwort grass, seaweed, a pinch of red pepper, pour 200 ml of boiling water, insist overnight, filter. Drink throughout the day before meals for 3 doses for 1 month.

Diet for autoimmune thyroiditis

You should abandon fried foods, smoked meats, pickles, hot spices, alcohol. A good diet with weekly fasting days (fruits, juices). Optimal nutrition for autoimmune thyroiditis of the thyroid gland is 5 meals a day. None vegetarian diets, raw foods! Baked meat and fish, legumes, vegetable dishes are especially useful. Water - a maximum of 1.5 liters daily.

Prognosis for autoimmune thyroiditis

The disease can lead to serious complications. Why is autoimmune thyroiditis dangerous in the thyrotoxic and hypothyroid phases? May develop:

• atherosclerosis;
• heart failure;
• miscarriages, infertility;
• myxedema;
• hypothyroid coma;
• depression;
• dementia.

However, if you start treating a patient in time, in whom no more than 40% of thyroid cells have died, the prognosis is quite favorable. Such patients remain functional for more than 10-15 years, although they experience exacerbations of the disease. The likelihood that postpartum autoimmune thyroiditis will develop again after the next birth is approximately 70%.

Learn also what is thyroid euthyroidism - symptoms and treatment of the disease.

Video: autoimmune thyroiditis - symptoms, treatment

Find out more about thyroid treatment for women.

The information presented on the site is for informational purposes only. The materials of the site do not call for self-treatment. Only a qualified doctor can make a diagnosis and make recommendations for treatment based on individual characteristics specific patient.

sovets.net

autoimmune thyroid disease

The increased activity of the immune system, directed against its own body, leads to autoimmune diseases. The immune system detects body cells as foreign and destroys them by producing antibodies. The phenomenon may cover not only certain bodies and tissues, but the whole organism, such diseases are called systemic. Modern medicine has not fully studied the question of why and how exactly an autoimmune disease occurs in the body.

The thyroid gland is a small organ that belongs to the endocrine system. The function of the thyroid gland is to produce hormones designed for physiological processes in the body. In an autoimmune disease localized in the thyroid gland, the normal synthesis hormones.

Classification

The hormone thyroxine, produced by the thyroid gland, is involved in metabolic processes in the body, affects bone growth, muscle function, and brain function. Violation of the synthesis of the hormone leads to the occurrence of an autoimmune disease.

Autoimmune thyroid diseases are usually divided into two types:

Autoimmune thyroiditis is divided into types:

• hypertrophic (goiter, or Hashimoto's disease);
• atrophic.

Thyrotoxicosis

Thyrotoxicosis, or hyperthyroidism, is characterized by a high content of the hormone thyroxine in the body. There is an intoxication of the body with a hormone.

Thyrotoxicosis is not observed by itself, but appears with such thyroid diseases as Graves' disease, thyroiditis, nodular goiter.

Graves' disease (additional names - Graves' disease, diffuse toxic goiter) is an autoimmune disease that occurs with excessive synthesis of thyroxine. At the same time, all metabolic processes in the body are carried out in an accelerated mode. Nutrients from food break down quickly, resulting in weight loss.

Important hallmark ailment is endocrine ophthalmopathy - bulging eyes. This is due to the fact that the fiber behind the eyeball grows. Most often, bulging eyes affect both eyes. Puffy eyes can appear both before the onset of Graves' disease, and after its onset.

More often the disease is observed in women after 40 years.

Most often, Graves' disease is observed in women, the initial symptoms appear after 40 years. These include: rapid pulse, trembling in the hands, excessive sweating. Patients do not tolerate heat well. Along with the disease, changes in behavior and mood come, touchiness, nervousness, and sleep disorders appear.

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism is a condition caused by insufficient synthesis of thyroxine. The initial stages of the disease may be accompanied by symptoms of hyperthyroidism, that is, an increase in thyroxine. With the development of the disease, tissues undergo destructive changes, the level of the hormone first normalizes and then decreases.

Symptoms of thyroiditis, hypothyroidism can be as follows:

• facial features coarsen;
• body weight increases;
• the timbre of the voice changes, fuzzy speech;
• bradycardia, shortness of breath;
• infertility;
• interruptions in the menstrual cycle in women;
• memory deterioration.

With Hashimoto's goiter, the hormone is synthesized in insufficient quantities. The disease is accompanied by dry skin and hair, the innervation of the hands and feet is disturbed. characteristic symptom is a thick neck. The disease is more often recorded among women, symptoms may appear between the ages of 30 and 50 years. It happens that the disease manifests itself at an earlier age, about 18-20 years. A disease or a predisposition to it can be inherited. Patients susceptible to the disease are forced to receive thyroxine all their lives.

Laboratory and instrumental confirmation of the disease

At the appointment, the doctor must examine the thyroid gland by palpation, it can be enlarged. But autoimmune thyroid disease is not defined by appearance alone. Before the appearance of obvious symptoms of the disease, an accurate diagnosis is difficult. But thanks to laboratory tests, it is possible to confirm or deny the presence of pathology.

A complete survey consists of the following activities:

• complete blood count - the number of lymphocytes is counted;
• the level of the hormone in the blood;
• immunogram - a comprehensive analysis of the immune system, most often determined by venous blood;
• ultrasound examination of the thyroid gland;
• biopsy - extraction and study of thyroid tissue cells.

In addition, as a result of the progress of medicine, a fast and reliable diagnostic method has appeared - markers of autoimmune diseases. A complete diagnostic examination is the basis for making a diagnosis and prescribing treatment. Treatment takes place in a medical institution under the supervision of specialists.

Prevention

Doctors recommend periodic thyroid exams. If close relatives have a history of any autoimmune disease, care should be taken to full examination. A blood test for markers of autoimmune diseases will tell you about the presence of certain inflammations in the body. This will help to identify an autoimmune disease in the initial stages and start treatment in a timely manner.

An important role in prevention is the correct treatment of various infectious diseases, especially inflammation of the tonsils - they are part of the immune system. It is important to protect the front of the neck from damage and injury. In addition, it is advisable to go in for sports, harden the body, eat foods rich in vitamins, protect yourself from the sun, moderately consume foods containing iodine.

Symptoms of hypothyroidism