Ive heard Graves Disease described as an autoimmune disorder. What does that mean?
It means that the disease is caused by a malfunctioning of the immune system of the body – the very system which also protects us from such unpleasant things as bacteria and cancer cells. The immune system works by producing antibodies (also known as immunoglobulins or lymphocytes) which attack and destroy many bad elements in the body, such as virus, bacteria, etc.. The problem is that sometimes this good defense system gets confused and starts attacking good cells. In Grave’s Disease, antibodies are produced that attack some of the proteins on the surface of thyroid cells. In response, the thyroid cells produce too much thyroid hormone, which, in turn, overstimulate the thyroid. How common is an autoimmune problem that results in some form of hyperthyroidism? This condition is not common. About 10 percent of the population inherits an immune system that can make problems for the thyroid and only one in ten of these will ever have a problem. Just what causes this problem in the immune
