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Autoimmune Connection

© Keri

Graves' Disease and Hashimotos Thyroiditis, the most common causes of thyroid disease, are both autoimmune diseases. In both disease processes, the thyroid is under friendly fire. Normally, the immune system responds only to intruders that pose a threat or danger. In autoimmune disease, the body turns this defense sytem internally and begins to attack and destroy its own cells.

Seventy-fine percent of diagnosed autoimmune diseases occur in women, most often in the childbearing years and no one knows why. As a woman, you are 50 times more likely to develop Hashimotos thyroiditis than a man is and 7-10 times more likely to develop Graves' disease.

Autoimmune disease is not common in the general population. The most common forms of the disease are thyroid disease, insulin dependent diabetes and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Together autoimmune diseases represent the fourth largest cause of disability among women in the United States.

Autoimmune disease is among the most poorly understood and poorly recognized category of illness. The diseases range from benign to severe, even life threatening. Autoimmune disease can be organ specific like Graves' disease or non-organ specific like lupus (SLE). Endocrine glands like the thyroid, pancreas, and adrenal glands are frequently effected. Some illnesses fall between the two and some cannot yet be categorized. Because of this the symptoms over lap and may vary greatly in different individuals with the same illness.

The ability to develop an autoimmune disease is a genetically dominant trait that is present in about 20 percent of the population. However, not everyone with the trait develops an illness and all family members may not develop the same type of illness. Researchers suspect that some sort of triggering mechanism such as virus, bacteria, toxins, and or some drugs plays a part. Clusters of different illnesses occur in families. For instance, you grandmother may have rheumatoid arthritis, your mother insulin dependent diabetes and you get Graves' disease. Sounds like a twisted lottery, doesn't it?

It is important to know your genetic history. If your parents, siblings or children have an inherent disease, you have a 50% chance of inheriting the gene. Your chances diminish with each generation. For instance, you have a 25% chance if your grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces or nephews were effected and a 12.5% chance if it effected your great-grandparents or cousins. It is important for families to share information about autoimmune diseases and other inherent illness. It may help a family member who is experiencing medical problems that are difficult to diagnose.