- Graves-Basedow disease is an affliction that comes with many symptoms, not all of which may necessarily occur in a person that has the illness. These symptoms include having a hard time sleeping and being constantly tired. A person with Graves' disease can become irritable and have a feeling of anxiety. Signs such as being sensitive to heat, weight loss, sweating more often than normal, a quick heartbeat, more bowel movements than usual, a swollen thyroid and even tremors in the fingers and hands are all associated with Graves-Basedow.
- There are other types of symptoms that can crop up when one has Graves-Basedow disease. An individual with Graves' disease may find that they experience trouble with their eyes. This is called Graves' ophthalmopathy and it makes the eyeballs bulge as the tissues and various muscles located behind the eye become swollen, forcing the eyeball forward. This can dry out the eye--the eye may feel as if it has something in it, is constantly tearing up, is red or inflamed, and may be very sensitive to light. Sometimes ulcers can develop in the eye and there can be blurry or double vision, or the eye can become limited in its movements. A rare symptom of Graves-Basedow disease is the reddening of the skin, usually on a person's shins and tops of their feet; the skin can also become swollen when this occurs.
- The thyroid gland in a human is one of a number of glands that produces hormones. These substances are responsible in many cases for regulating important body functions such as the metabolic and digestive processes. But a person with Graves-Basedow disease has their own immune system manufacture an antibody known as thyrotropin receptor antibody. This antibody attacks the thyroid and causes it to produce too much of a hormone called thyroxine. This means that some of the body's processes go "haywire," with the symptoms of Graves' disease occurring as a result. The exact cause of why this happens is not known, but factors such as sex, heredity, a person's age and stress seem to have something to do with it.
- The treatment for Graves-Basedow disease focuses on improving the symptoms, since there is no way to make the immune system cease its attack on the thyroid gland. Therefore, any treatments attempt to reduce the thyroxine levels or to obstruct its effects. Medications called beta blockers are effective for this purpose, as they impede the hormone and lessen its effects. Anti-thyroid medicines can try to limit the amount of hormone produced in a Graves' disease patient. A treatment that employs radioactive iodine can shrink the overactive thyroid gland and destroy the cells producing too much of the hormones. In some cases, surgery to remove the thyroid is needed, with the individual then having to receive supplemental thyroxine to maintain a normal level of the hormone.
- Graves-Basedow disease does have some serious complications that if left untreated can be dangerous. One is that the hyperthyroidism associated with the condition can lead to a very rapid heart rate. It can also cause heart disease. The development of brittle bones can also occur in a person with Graves' disease, as the body sometimes cannot utilize calcium properly. A condition called a thyrotoxic crisis can happen when all of a person's Graves' symptoms suddenly worsen all at once--a very serious circumstance that requires prompt medical treatment.
