Auto Immune conditions

What tests do you need to have done The doctor will conduct some of the following:  Physical examination to identify goiter and other physical signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism.  Laboratory tests may check the following: Antithyroid Antibodies: These are proteins produced by our immune system that destroy thyroid tissue. Increased antithyroid antibodies provide the most specific laboratory evidence of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, but they are not present in all cases.  TSH (…

Symptoms Many people with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis have no symptoms for years. An enlarged thyroid, called a goiter, is often the first sign of disease. The goiter may cause the front of the neck to look swollen. If large, it may cause a feeling of fullness in the throat or make it hard to swallow. It rarely causes pain. Hashimoto’s disease progresses slowly, leading to a drop in thyroid hormones. Symptoms of an underactive thyroid include: Fatigue  (a state of physical and/or mental…

Are you at risk of getting Hashimoto’s disease?  Many factors are thought to play a role in causing Hashimoto’s disease. These include: Genes: Family members may have Hashimoto’s disease or other autoimmune diseases. Gender: Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is 7 times more common in women than men. Pregnancy: Pregnancy affects the thyroid. Some women have thyroid problems after having a baby, which usually go away. But about 20 percent of these women develop Hashimoto’s thyroiditis in later years…

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, also called Hashimoto’s disease, is an autoimmune disease in which the thyroid is attacked by the body’s immune system, causing symptoms of hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid gland). It is most common among middle-aged women. What is the thyroid gland? The thyroid is a 2-inch-long, butterfly-shaped gland weighing less than 1 ounce. Located in the front of the neck below the larynx, or voice box, it has two lobes, one on either side of the windpipe. The thyroid makes…

Can I eat cabbage or broccoli? Can I eat miller? Nutritionist Kohila Govindaraju brings you up to speed on ‘goitrogenic foods’ and answers diet questions for persons with hypothyroidism.   What is hypothyroidism: This is a condition in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone. The thyroid gland is a small butterfly-shaped gland situated at the base of the front of your neck. Its major function is to produce thyroid hormones, which play many roles…

Alka Dhupkar, 32, has been living with Psoriasis, a chronic skin condition for 20 years. She says, “We should accept our skin disease and then, as a normal person, we can think and plan our life.” She shares her story and learnings. Please tell us a bit about your condition: I have had psoriasis since I was 13. Currently I have developed psoriatic arthritis on my left leg and patches around bones mainly. On the scalp also I have psoriasis patches. The psoriasis I had 20 years…

Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body (skin, joints, and/or organs inside the body). Chronic means that the signs and symptoms tend to last longer than six weeks and often for many years. Lupus affects about 5 in 10,000 people.  Who is affected by lupus? Most often, lupus starts in people in their 20s and 30s. It occurs 10 times more often in women than in men. The disease is more common in some ethnic groups, mainly blacks and…

India and South-east Asia has high incidence of anaemia. Family practitioner Dr Gita Mathai tells you all you need to know about this often-silent threat that can pose many complications.  What is anaemia? Anaemia (or Anemia) is a generic term for low haemoglobin in the blood from any cause. It is not a disease by itself. It can occur in different forms and be caused by many factors.  Anaemia is diagnosed when the haemoglobin value checked in the laboratory is…

Celiac disease is a relatively new health disorder in India and experts claim that only a handful of patients are diagnosed. Majority of patients are still undiagnosed. In its press statement, Department of Biotechnology (DoB) said almost one per cent of north Indian population is suffering from the disease in which the inner lining of the small intestine (where food is digested and absorbed) gets damaged and food is not absorbed properly. Non-absorption of food leads to weight loss, prolonged…

is a long-term (chronic) lung disease that inflames and narrows the airways. The airways are tubes (bronchial) that carry air in and out of the lungs. For people with asthma, the airways are sensitive and react to various substances. If they react, the airways become inflamed and narrow, so less air reaches the lungs.  Around 200 to 250 million people are affected worldwide and nearly 250,000 people die per year from asthma. In Asia the rate of asthma is lower when…