Hashimoto's Thyroiditis

What is Hashimoto's thyroiditis?

Hashimoto's thyroiditis, also called Hashimoto's disease or chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation of your thyroid gland. With an autoimmune disease, your body's immune system mistakenly attacks your own body tissues the way it would normally attack invading germs.

If you have Hashimoto's thyroiditis, the immune system attacks the thyroid, making it unable to release enough hormones. This can then cause hypothyroidism. Symptoms of Hashimoto's disease are often the same as those for hypothyroidism and commonly include:

• Weight gain
• Fatigue
• Muscle weakness
• Depression
• Increased sensitivity to cold

For some people, the immune system's attack on the thyroid can cause it to initially overcompensate with thyroid hormones and become overactive (hyperthyroidism) before slowing down. When this happens, it's called Hashitoxicosis. Hyperthyroidism can cause weight loss, sweating, anxiety and a rapid heart rate.

Some people with Hashimoto's thyroiditis may also notice a lump in the front of the neck, called a goiter.