Can Hashimoto's thyroiditis be cured?

Written by Chen Xie
Endocrinology
Updated on September 05, 2024
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Hashimoto's thyroiditis is an autoimmune thyroiditis where the body itself has autoantibodies that lead to the destruction of thyroid follicular cells, resulting in the failure of thyroid cells. Therefore, Hashimoto's thyroiditis can manifest as hyperthyroidism, euthyroidism, and hypothyroidism. Ultimately, Hashimoto's thyroiditis may develop into hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism is proliferative and generally cannot be completely cured, but clinical remission can be achieved through oral administration of levothyroxine. However, Hashimoto's thyroiditis cannot be completely cured and requires lifelong replacement therapy.

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Written by Zhang Jun Jun
Endocrinology
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Does Hashimoto's thyroiditis cause a sore throat?

Hashimoto's thyroiditis does not cause a sore throat; the type of thyroiditis that primarily causes a sore throat is subacute thyroiditis. Subacute thyroiditis is a viral infection and is a self-limiting disease. Its main clinical manifestations include sore throat, thyroid enlargement, as well as accompanying fever and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Meanwhile, Hashimoto's thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease, whose most common clinical manifestation is painless thyroid enlargement, progressing to hypothyroidism in later stages. Additionally, it involves thyroid antibodies, especially positive TPO antibodies. Because the treatments for each are different, it is important to note that Hashimoto's thyroiditis does not cause a sore throat.

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Written by Chen Xie
Endocrinology
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What kind of salt should be consumed for Hashimoto's thyroiditis?

Hashimoto's thyroiditis is a type of autoimmune thyroiditis that can manifest as hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, or normal thyroid function during its progression. Therefore, there are different requirements for the type of salt to consume depending on the state of thyroid function. When Hashimoto's thyroiditis presents with hyperthyroidism, it is recommended to consume non-iodized salt. When thyroid function is normal in Hashimoto's thyroiditis, iodized salt can be consumed. When Hashimoto's thyroiditis is accompanied by hypothyroidism, there is no specific requirement for consuming iodized or non-iodized salt. Because at this stage, the thyroid has largely lost its ability to synthesize thyroid hormones, and treatment involves replacing them with levothyroxine to maintain thyroid function. Therefore, the intake of iodine does not matter, and one can freely choose to consume iodized or non-iodized salt. Thus, the choice of salt in Hashimoto's thyroiditis should be based on thyroid function testing.

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Written by Chen Xie
Endocrinology
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Does Hashimoto's thyroiditis cause weight loss?

Hashimoto's thyroiditis is an autoimmune thyroiditis where autoantibodies within the body cause the destruction of thyroid follicular cells, leading to thyroid cell failure. During the course of Hashimoto's thyroiditis, hyperthyroidism may occur. Due to the destruction of thyroid follicles by autoantibodies, a significant release of thyroid hormones into the blood occurs, resulting in a hyperthyroid state. Therefore, symptoms such as weight loss, heat intolerance, and excessive sweating which are typical of hyperthyroidism may also appear in Hashimoto's thyroiditis. However, as the disease progresses, the condition gradually leads to decreased thyroid function.

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Written by Luo Juan
Endocrinology
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Is Hashimoto's thyroiditis easy to treat?

Regarding whether Hashimoto's thyroiditis is easy to treat, it needs to be analyzed based on specific circumstances. Generally, after diagnosing Hashimoto's thyroiditis, the treatment decision depends on the size of the thyroid and whether there are any symptoms. For patients with a smaller thyroid who do not have noticeable compression symptoms, follow-up observation without immediate treatment is possible. However, for patients with significant thyroid enlargement and compression symptoms, treatment with levothyroxine can be adopted to reduce thyroid size. In some patients who develop hypothyroidism, thyroid hormone replacement therapy is used. Moreover, some patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis may also develop thyroid nodules. It is necessary to dynamically track changes in the morphology of the thyroid nodules. Patients with obvious compression symptoms, significant local pain, progressive enlargement of the nodules, or suspected malignant changes should undergo surgical treatment.

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Written by Tang Zhuo
Endocrinology
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How is Hashimoto's thyroiditis caused?

Hashimoto's thyroiditis is a chronic autoimmune disease and is the most common type of thyroiditis clinically. Its etiology is primarily immunological, as Hashimoto's thyroiditis is an autoimmune disorder. Therefore, patients can detect a high concentration of anti-thyroid antibodies through blood tests, such as anti-thyroglobulin antibodies and anti-microsomal antibodies. Additionally, genetic factors are involved, with about 50% of patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis having a family history. Environmental factors, including radiation, infections, excessive dietary iodine, and selenium deficiency, can also lead to Hashimoto's thyroiditis. In recent years, the incidence of Hashimoto's thyroiditis has notably increased.