1. Revealing the Medical History
A physician begins to identify thyroid autoimmune disorders by taking a complete medical history and inquiring about the medical history of immediate family members. This step is important since thyroid autoimmune disorders are thought to run in families. Many signs and symptoms of thyroid autoimmune disorders are not overtly visible, so the patient must report these symptoms to the doctor.
2. Signs of Hypothyroidism
Certain symptoms are indicative of an underactive thyroid, which may result from thyroid autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto's disease. People with this condition often report feeling excessively tired. In addition, they may experience increased sensitivity to cold, muscle pain, muscle weakness, depression and constipation. When completing the physical examination, the doctor may examine the skin for signs of paleness or dryness. The doctor may also look for signs of a puffy face, which typically results from increased weight gain due to water retention.
3. On the Look Out for Graves' Disease
Graves' disease is another common thyroid autoimmune disease. This disease results in over activity of the thyroid gland. If the doctor suspects Graves' disease, she'll look for reports of certain symptoms, such as increased anxiousness and irritation, trouble sleeping, excess sweating, fatigue and difficulty with heat. During the physical examination, the doctor examines the thyroid to determine if it's swollen. She'll also listen to the heart to check for an irregular heartbeat. A thorough examination of the hands and fingers reveals signs of tremors. In addition, the doctor checks current weight against previously recorded weight to determine if there has been unexplained weight loss. Since Graves' disease may cause anomalies of the eyes, the doctor carefully examines the eyes for bulging, excess watering, redness and swelling. Finally, the doctor examines the hair for signs of brittleness and the skin for signs of redness.
4. Taking a Sample of Blood
By sending a sample of blood to the lab for testing, the doctor obtains additional information that helps him to identify thyroid autoimmune diseases. Specifically, the doctor seeks information about levels of the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroxine. When TSH is high, the doctor may suspect Hashimoto's disease or an underactive thyroid; however, if low TSH levels accompany high levels of thyroxine, the doctor may suspect Graves' disease or an overactive thyroid.
5. Radioactive Iodine Uptake
Since the production of thyroxine requires iodine, doctors sometimes opt to give the patient a small amount of radioactive iodine. This allows the doctor to observe the rate at which the radioactive iodine is absorbed by the patient's thyroid gland. Too little or too much uptake may indicate thyroid autoimmune disease.
