Hypothyroidism: Potential Symptoms and Causes of an Underactive Thyroid Gland Written by Priyathama Vellanki MD Hypothyroidism is a thyroid disease that affects people globally.
An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) is when your thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough of the hormone thyroxine (also called T4). Most cases of an underactive thyroid are caused by the immune system attacking the thyroid gland and damaging it, or by damage that occurs as a result of treatments for thyroid cancer or an overactive thyroid.
If you have an autoimmune thyroid condition (Hashimoto's thyroiditis or Graves' disease), a healthy immune system is vital. Learn to care for yours.
Many people with thyroid disease don’t really make a connection between the health of their thyroid and the immune system. But when you have a thyroid autoimmune disease, you don’t have a problem with your thyroid, you have a problem with your immune system attacking the thyroid.
Feb 27, 2018 … That means it is caused by a malfunction in your immune system. Instead of protecting your thyroid tissue, your immune cells attack it.
Feb 2, 2018 … If your thyroid becomes inflamed, you have thyroiditis. Sometimes it … Doctors don't fully understand why your immune system misfires this way.