British actress Daisy Ridley has announced she was diagnosed with Graves’ disease last September, having suffered symptoms while filming psychological thriller Magpie.
The 32-year-old isn’t the only famous face to be candid about being diagnosed with the condition.
In 2010, Australian singer-songwriter Sia confirmed in a tweet that she had Graves’ disease. While US rapper Missy Elliott confirmed she first started struggling with the disease since 2008.
Here is all you need to know about the condition:
– What is Graves’ disease?
Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disorder that can cause overactivity of the thyroid – which is a small gland situated in the front of your neck.
The immune system produces antibodies that cause the thyroid to produce too much thyroid hormone.
About four in every five people with an overactive thyroid gland have Graves’ disease, according to the NHS website.
Thyroid hormones control the way your body uses energy, so it affects almost every organ, the National Institutes for Health (NIH) said on its website.
– What are the symptoms?
Common symptoms of the condition include having a fast or irregular heartbeat, fatigue, loss of weight and feeling irritable.
Shaky hands are also a symptom, alongside frequent bowel movements and an enlarged thyroid gland, called a goiter.
Symptoms can develop gradually and may initially be mistaken for anxiety or stress, according to the Graves’ Disease and Thyroid Foundation.
However, the group said an overactive thyroid can become serious and must be treated to avoid complications such as heart problems and bone and muscle wasting.
– What are the causes?
The cause of Graves’ disease is unknown.
However, it mostly affects young or middle-aged women and often runs in the family.
Smoking can also increase your risk of getting it, according to the NHS.
– What are the treatment options?
Treatment for Graves’ disease will aim to lower the amount of the thyroid hormone to manage symptoms – and includes medication, radiation therapy and surgery, according to Yale Medicine.
Another option could be surgically removing the thyroid; radioactive iodine treatments to destroy a portion of the thyroid, or beta-blockers to reverse symptoms, Yale Medicine said on its website.
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