Ritter disease | definition of Ritter disease by Medical dictionary Ritter disease | definition of Ritter disease by Medical dictionary Rit·ter dis·ease (rit'ĕr di-zēz') An exfoliative dermatitis, also known as staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS), caused by an exfoliative toxin-producing strain of Staphylococcus aureus characterized by the presence of large bullae and exfoliation of the epidermal layer of the skin. Ritter disease [Gottfried Ritter von Rittershain, Ger. physician, 1820–1883] A generalized form of impetigo of the newborn. Ritter, Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us , add a link to this page, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content . Link to this page: Copyright © 2003-2017 Farlex, Inc Disclaimer All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only.

This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. Ritter's disease - RightDiagnosis.com Ritter's disease Ritter's disease (medical condition): A rare infantile skin disorder involving severe redness, inflammation... more » See also: » Symptoms of Ritter syndrome Ritter's disease: A rare disease that occurs in newborns and is caused by upper respiratory staphylococcal infection. It results in the appearance and spread of red spots across the body followed by peeling of large areas of skin. The condition may be fatal if not treated. Also called Lyell's disease or dermatitis exfoliativa neonatorum. Ritter's disease: A disease of infants due to group 2 phage type 17 staphylococci that produce an epidermolytic exotoxin. Superficial fine vesicles and bullae form and rupture easily, resulting in loss of large sheets of epidermis.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) - body, viral, causes Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) for searching the Internet and other reference sources Infection Public health Venereal disease Sexually transmitted diseases (or STDs) are a varied group of infections that usually are passed from person to person by sexual contact. Some also spread from mother to child during pregnancy or childbirth. Widespread around the world, STDs are particularly common among people in their teens and early twenties. STDs range in severity from pubic lice, which usually cause only discomfort, to AIDS, which has caused millions of deaths in a worldwide epidemic. Sexual contact between people is one important way that many diseasecausing organisms spread. More than 30 bacterial, viral, and parasitic diseases can pass from person to person in this way. For some of these, sexual contact is the main route of transmission. These are the illnesses we generally call sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Most STDs primarily affect only the sexual organs and other parts of the reproductive system.

That is true of chlamydial (kla-MID-i-al) infections, gonorrhea (gon-o-REE-a), genital herpes, genital warts, and trichomoniasis (trik-o-mo-NY-a-sis). Other STDs may enter through the sexual organs but affect other parts of the body. That is what happens in AIDS and syphilis. Besides AIDS, some STDs can have serious complications, especially for women. Chlamydia and gonorrhea often cause no symptoms in women (and sometimes in men), which means they can easily go untreated. But Sexually transmitted diseases affect many different parts of the body. if that happens, these infections sometimes develop into pelvic inflammatory disease. That can lead to infertility, meaning a woman finds it difficult or impossible to get pregnant. In addition, if women are infected with certain strains of the human papillomavirus, a sexually transmitted virus, they may run a higher risk of getting cancer of the cervix, part of the female reproductive system. If syphilis goes untreated in men or women, it can cause fatal heart problems, as well as blindness, deafness, and insanity, many years later.

Are All Infections of the Genital Tract Spread by Sexual Contact? No. For instance, yeast infections of the genital tract usually do not involve sexual contact. Most often, the yeast (a kind of fungus) spreads from a person's own skin or intestinal tract, where it does no harm, into the person's genital tract, where it can cause symptoms. So a person could get such an infection even if he or she had never engaged in sexual activity. The most common of these yeast infections is called candidiasis (can-di-DI-a-sis). Who Is at Risk for STDs? Just about anyone who has sexual contact with another person can get an STD. People who are infected with one STD are likely to have other STDs as well. Once cured, they also are at higher risk of getting infected again. STDs are particularly common among young people, aged 15 to 24. Experts see several reasons for this: Young people are less likely to be married, so if they engage in sex, they may tend to have more sexual partners than older people. Young people more often fail to use condoms during sexual activity, even though condoms can protect a person from most sexually transmitted diseases.

Young people may be too embarrassed, too short of money, or too worried about privacy to get regular checkups or to get prompt medical treatment for STDs. As a result, they may stay infected—and may be able to infect others—for longer than necessary. In general, people run a higher than usual risk of getting infected if they begin sexual activity at an early age, have a number of sexual partners, do not always use condoms, and do not get regular medical checkups. But even a person who has sex only one time, with only one partner, can get an STD if his or her partner is infected. The only clear way to prevent getting an STD is to abstain from sexual activity. How Do STDs Spread? People with STDs often do not realize they are infected, and so they spread the disease to others, including people they love most—wives, husbands, and children. Sexual contacts These diseases can spread through sexual contact between people of the opposite sex (heterosexual sex) or between people of the same sex (homosexual sex). Sexual activities that can spread STDs include sexual intercourse, anal sex, and oralgenital sex. Other routes of transmission STDs also sometimes spread in nonsexual ways.

Many of them—including HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and genital herpes—can be spread from mother to baby during pregnancy or childbirth. HIV can also spread through breastfeeding. HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, can spread if an infected person shares needles, or if contaminated blood is given in a blood transfusion. In the United States, strict testing has made blood transfusions extremely safe, but the risk may be higher in some other countries. STDs that cause sores on the skin, such as genital herpes, syphilis, and chancroid * , can spread sometimes if the sores touch another person's skin. The sores also can serve as a way for HIV to enter the body, making infection with the AIDS virus more likely. Preventing or treating these sores is important in the prevention of AIDS. Most STDs cannot be spread by contact with an object, such as a toilet seat. One exception is trichomoniasis, which is thought to spread sometimes through towels or bathing suits recently used by an infected person. What Happens When People Get STDs?

Symptoms Several of the most common of these diseases—chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis—can cause pain during urination and a pus-like discharge from the sexual organs. In many cases, however, there are no symptoms in these illnesses. Several other STDs cause sores or blisters in the genital region. These include syphilis, genital herpes, and chancroid. The symptoms of HIV/AIDS include getting frequent fungal and parasitic infections. Diagnosis From the symptoms and a look at any skin sores that may be present, a doctor may suspect an STD. Tests of various kinds can usually tell for sure which infection, if any, a person has. Because chlamydia and gonorrhea are very common in young women, but often cause no symptoms and can lead to infertility, doctors recommend that young women who engage in sexual activity get tested routinely for these illnesses so they can be treated. In addition, anyone whose sexual partner has been diagnosed with an STD, or whose partner has symptoms of an STD, should be tested and treated if they are also infected. How Are STDs Treated? STDs can be divided into curable illnesses and illnesses that can be treated but not cured.

Curable illnesses Curable illnesses usually are caused by bacteria or parasites. These include chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and chancroid, all caused by bacteria, and trichomoniasis, caused by a parasite. These can be cured with medication. Syphilis and gonorrhea, in fact, often can be cured by a single swallow or shot of medicine. * chancroid (SHANG-kroid) is a bacterial infection that causes painful sores in the genital region. Relatively rare in the United States, it mostly occurs in tropical and subtropical areas. Non-STDs: A Matter of Definition Many infections can spread through sexual contact but usually spread in other ways. These illnesses generally are not classified as sexually transmitted diseases. They include: Hepatitis B and cytomegalovirus, viruses that usually spread through blood Bacteria like salmonella, parasites like amebas, and the virus Hepatitis A, all of which usually spread through water or food that has been contaminated with feces from an infected person Treatable illnesses Ilnesses that are treatable, but not curable, usually are caused by viruses. These include HIV/AIDS, genital herpes, and genital warts.

These cannot be cured with drugs, because the viruses remain in the body. But, in most cases, medication or other treatment can reduce symptoms. In the case of people with HIV infection, medication can increase the life span and the quality of life. How Can STDs Be Prevented? Abstinence and safer sex The only sure way to avoid getting an STD is not to have sexual contact with anyone (called abstention or abstinence). For people who do engage in sex, the safest relationship is when two people who are not infected have sexual contact only with each other. The problem is that it is impossible to know for sure whether someone is infected or not. People may not always tell the truth about their sexual behavior in the past—or they may mistakenly think they were protected in the past. Many people with an STD do not know or believe they have one. That is one reason why health officials recommend that people who engage in sex always use latex condoms unless they are trying to get pregnant. Using latex condoms can lower the risk of getting an STD, but the condoms must be used properly, and they must be used every time a person engages in sexual activity. Education and awareness At the public health level, education is an important part of preventing STDs.

Awareness about the need to prevent STDs has greatly increased in recent decades, largely because of the emergence of AIDS. Information about how to prevent STDs is now widely published in the media and taught in schools. Young people are being urged to abstain from sex or to use condoms if they are sexually active. Contact tracing In addition, when a person is diagnosed with an STD, doctors or health officials try to locate the person's sexual partners so they can be tested and treated. This kind of confidential "contact tracing" is done without revealing the infected person's name. It prevents the person's sexual contacts from unknowingly spreading the disease. But the only sure way to prevent getting an STD is to abstain from sex. The U.S. and the World Sexually transmitted diseases take a heavy toll throughout the world. By the end of 1998, AIDS had killed almost 14 million people worldwide, including more than 400,000 people in the United States. More than 33 million people were living with HIV infection, mostly in underdeveloped countries in Africa and Asia. While other sexually transmitted diseases seldom cause death, they do cause a heavy burden of illness.

In 1995, the World Health Organization estimated that 333 million new cases of curable STDs occurred. That included: 89 million cases of chlamydial infection 62 million cases of gonorrhea 12 million cases of syphilis 170 million cases of trichomaniasis Throughout the world, including the United States, STDs tend to be more common in urban, unmarried teenagers and in young adults. In the United States, it is estimated that most adults will be infected with a sexually transmitted disease at some time, although they may not know it. Some form of the human papillomavirus, for instance, infects most Americans. Some strains of human papillomavirus cause genital warts; others can promote cervical cancer. And more than 1 in 5 Americans is thought to be infected with the virus that causes genital herpes. Of the bacterial STDs, chlamydia is the most common. It is estimated to cause about 4 million cases a year in the United States, although only about 10 percent of those get reported to health agencies.

It is thought that 1 in 10 adolescent women and 1 in 20 adult women of child-bearing age are infected. Resources Book Brodman, Michael, M.D., John Thacker, and Rachel Kranz. Straight Talk About Sexually Transmitted Diseases. New York: Facts on File, 1998. This book focuses on prevention for young people and includes explicit discussion of more and less risky sexual activity. Organizations Albinism Albinism Understanding Albinism Humans, animals, and even plants can have albinism, a condition that gives people a kind of pale appearance. But what is albinism and what causes it? Albinism is a genetic condition where people are born without the usual pigment (color) in their bodies. Their bodies aren't able to make a normal amount of melanin, the chemical that is responsible for eye, skin, and hair color. So most people with albinism have very pale skin, hair, and eyes. Albinism can affect people of all races, and there are different kinds of albinism. Some people with a condition called oculocutaneous albinism have extremely pale skin and eyes, and white hair.

Others with this same type of albinism might have slightly more color in their hair, eyes, or skin. For some people, albinism affects only their eyes. This is known as ocular albinism. People with ocular albinism usually have blue eyes. In some cases, the (the colored part of the eye) has very little color so a person's eyes might look pink or reddish. This is caused by the blood vessels inside the eye showing through the iris. In some forms of ocular albinism, the hearing nerves hearing may be affected and the person may develop hearing problems or deafness over time. Except for eye problems, most people with albinism are just as healthy as anyone else. In very rare cases a person's albinism is part of another condition that involves other health problems in addition to albinism. People with these types of albinism can have such health complications as bleeding, lung, bowel, and immune system problems. continue Eyesight and Albinism People with albinism often have trouble with their eyesight. They may wear glasses or contact lenses to help correct problems like nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism. Others might need eye surgery.

Just as there are different degrees of albinism there are also different levels of eye problems for a person who has the condition. Albinism does not make a person completely blind. Although some people with albinism are "legally blind," that doesn't mean they have lost their vision completely. They can still read and study — they just may need larger print or magnifiers to help them. People with albinism can be very sensitive to light because the iris doesn't have enough color to shield the properly. Wearing sunglasses or tinted contact lenses can help make them more comfortable out in the sun. Skin Precautions Besides giving skin, eyes, and hair their color, melanin helps protect our skin from the sun. It does this by causing skin to tan instead of burn — which is why people with darker skin (more melanin) are less likely to burn than people with lighter skin. So people with albinism can sunburn very easily. People with light skin are also particularly at risk for skin cancer.

So it's important for people with albinism to use a sunscreen with a high SPF factor at all times and to wear clothing that offers protection from the sun, such as hats, dark-colored clothing, or long pants and long-sleeved shirts. previous continue What Causes Albinism? Albinism is inherited. It's not contagious — you can't "catch" it from someone else. People are born with albinism because they inherit an albinism gene or genes from their parents. In the most common forms of oculocutaneous albinism, both parents must carry the albinism gene for a child to be born with the condition. Even if both parents carry the gene, the chance of each of their children being born with albinism is one in four. If just one parent has the gene and the other parent has a normal pigment gene, their children won't have oculocutaneous albinism. But each child will have a one in two chance of being a "carrier" of an albinism gene. If a child who carries the gene grows up to have a baby with someone who also does, there's a one in four chance that their baby may have albinism.

Since most people who carry an albinism gene don't show any signs of the condition, a baby with albinism can be born to parents whose coloring is typical for people of their ethnic group. The most common form of ocular albinism affects only males who have inherited an albinism gene from their mothers. Some females can have a milder form of the condition if they have inherited this gene. How Is It Treated? Because most people with albinism don't have health problems, treatment — apart from vision care — isn't usually necessary. But they do need to take certain precautions, such as wearing sunglasses and sunscreen when outdoors. Albinism can't be "cured." But it only rarely leads to serious health problems. When health problems are serious, doctors usually can treat the symptoms. previous continue What's Life Like for Teens With Albinism? People with albinism are just like anyone else, with the same lifespan and ability to reach their goals. But living with any medical condition during the teen years can be difficult, and albinism is no exception. Because the social scene can be more about fitting in than standing out, teens with albinism may face bullying or prejudice.

Voicing any frustration or sadness to a family member or friend who understands can help. So can talking to a counselor or therapist to get ideas on coping with the challenges that come up during the teen years. Ritter's disease | Article about Ritter's disease by The Free Dictionary Ritter's disease | Article about Ritter's disease by The Free Dictionary Related to Ritter's disease: impetigo , toxic epidermal necrolysis , staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome , Pemphigus neonatorum disease, impairment of the normal state or functioning of the body as a whole or of any of its parts. Some diseases are acute, producing severe symptoms that terminate after a short time, e.g., pneumonia; others are chronic disorders, e.g., arthritis, that last a long time; and still others return periodically and are termed recurrent, e.g., malaria. One of the most common bases for classifying disease is according to cause. External factors that produce disease are infectious agents, including both microscopic organisms ( bacteria bacteria [pl. of bacterium], microscopic unicellular prokaryotic organisms characterized by the lack of a membrane-bound nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.

Once considered a part of the plant kingdom, bacteria were eventually placed in a separate kingdom, Monera. ..... Click the link for more information. , viruses virus, parasite with a noncellular structure composed mainly of nucleic acid within a protein coat. Most viruses are too small (100–2,000 Angstrom units) to be seen with the light microscope and thus must be studied by electron microscopes. ..... Click the link for more information. , and protozoans protozoan , informal term for the unicellular heterotrophs of the kingdom Protista. Protozoans comprise a large, diverse assortment of microscopic or near-microscopic organisms that live as single cells or in simple colonies and that show no differentiation into tissues. ..... Click the link for more information. ) and macroscopic ones ( fungi Fungi , kingdom of heterotrophic single-celled, multinucleated, or multicellular organisms, including yeasts, molds, and mushrooms. The organisms live as parasites, symbionts, or saprobes (see saprophyte). ..... Click the link for more information. and various parasitic worms worm, common name for various unrelated invertebrate animals with soft, often long and slender bodies.

Members of the phylum Platyhelminthes, or the flatworms, are the most primitive; they are generally small and flat-bodied and include the free-living planarians (of the class ..... Click the link for more information. ). Only infectious diseases can be transmitted—by humans, certain animals and insects, and infected objects and substances (see communicable diseases communicable diseases, illnesses caused by microorganisms and transmitted from an infected person or animal to another person or animal. Some diseases are passed on by direct or indirect contact with infected persons or with their excretions. ..... Click the link for more information. ). Other external agents that can cause disease are chemical and physical agents (drugs, poisons, radiation), which can be encountered in specific work situations, deficiency of nutrients in the environment, and physical injury.

Diseases that arise from internal (endogenous) causes include hereditary abnormalities (disorders inherited from one or both parents), congenital diseases (disturbances in the development of a normal embryo), allergies (hypersensitive reactions to substances in the environment), endocrine disorders (generally either overfunctioning or underfunctioning of an endocrine gland), circulatory disorders (diseases of the heart and blood vessels), and neoplasms, or tumors (masses of abnormally proliferating cells). Degenerative diseases occur as a result of the natural aging of the body tissues. Finally, a wide range of diseases are attributed to, or at least influenced by, emotional disturbances. Psychoses and neuroses result in disturbed behavior; the so-called psychosomatic diseases (certain kinds of colitis, many forms of headaches) are thought to be brought about by emotional stress. Most diseases occur as a result of a combination of both internal and external conditions, i.e., an interaction between the body and the environment. Thus a person may be hereditarily predisposed to tuberculosis, although the tubercule bacillus (the infectious agent) must be present for the disease to occur.

In ancient times disease was ascribed to supernatural, spiritual, and humoral factors. The discovery by Louis Pasteur and others of the role played by microorganisms in infection and the study of cellular pathology by Rudolf Virchow in the 19th cent. were of the utmost importance in establishing the true nature of disease. Disease a process arising as a result of an (extremely) injurious external or internal stimulus acting on the body, and characterized by lowered resistance to the environment with simultaneous mobilization of the body’s defenses. Disease is manifested by disruption of the equilibrium between the body and its surrounding environment. This disruption is revealed by the occurrence of side (inadequate) reactions and, in man, by a decrease in work capacity for the duration of the disease. The general concepts of disease changed in the course of the history of medicine. Hippocrates thought disease was caused by an incorrect mixing of the four main fluids of the body: blood, mucus, yellow bile, and black bile (venous blood). About the same time the idea arose from the atomistic teaching of Democrites that disease results from a change in the shape of atoms and their incorrect arrangement.

At the beginning of the Christian Era and especially in the Middle Ages, idealistic views were advanced to account for disease. According to these views, the soul or a special kind of vital force (arche) was responsible for the struggle of the body against the changes caused by disease. Avicenna (ibn Sina) proposed materialistic views of disease in the Middle Ages (for example, the origin of disease under the influence of invisible beings and the role of the constitution of the body). From the 17th through the 19th century, important contributions to the theory of disease were made by G. B. Mor-gagni (the idea that disease is caused by anatomical changes), M. F. X. Bichat (description of the pathologicoanatomical picture of several diseases), R. Virchow (theory of cellular pathology), C. Bernard (disease as a disruption of the body’s physiological equilibrium with the environment), and others. S. P. Botkin, V. V. Pashutin, I. P. Pavlov, and A. A. Ostroumov related disease to impairment of the conditions of man’s existence and elaborated on the theory of nervism.

Despite the abundance of works on disease, the concept has still not been precisely determined. Some investigators deny that disease is qualitatively different from health. A. A. Bogomolets, for example, believed that disease does not create anything essentially new in the body. Others include only biological phenomena in the concept of disease. According to P. D. Gorizontov, disease is a complex general reaction to disruption of the relations between the organism and the environment. Disease results in the development of pathological processes reflecting local manifestations of the organism’s systemic reaction. I. V. Davydovskii maintains that there are no fundamental differences between physiology and pathology. Pathological processes and disease, in his opinion, are merely characteristics of the adaptive processes associated with subjective suffering. According to H. Selye’s concept of the general adaptation syndrome, disease is stress resulting from an extreme stimulus acting on the body. The causes of disease are varied, but they can all be reduced to groups of mechanical, physical, chemical, biological, and, for man, also psychogenic factors. Inadequacy (extremeness or unusualness) in any of these factors induces disease.

Inadequacy may be quantitative (the amount of the stimulus is excessive for the body), qualitative (the body is exposed to a factor for which it has not developed protective or adaptive mechanisms), temporary (a quantitatively and qualitatively adequate stimulus acting for a long time or at intervals or in rhythms unusual for the body), or dependent on the individual properties of the particular organism (that is, determined by the individual reactivity of the particular organism in the form of increased sensitivity). The social inequality and national oppression found under capitalism cause a number of diseases and even lead to the extinction of entire peoples—for example, native Australians, bush-men, and American Indians. Modern thought characterizes disease by the following main features: (1) The development of disease is greatly influenced by the external environment and, in the case of man, primarily by the social environment. Changes in the internal properties of an organism, caused by environmental factors and firmly fixed (including those fixed by hereditary mechanisms), may themselves eventually play a leading role in the development of disease.

(2) Besides the etiological factor (that is, the cause) and external conditions, the body’s protective and adaptive mechanisms play an important part in the development of disease, which is largely dependent on the efficiency of these mechanisms and the extent and rate at which they become involved in the pathological process. In man, the development and course of disease is greatly affected by the psychogenic factor. (3) Disease is an ailment of the whole organism. There are no completely isolated diseases of organs and tissues—that is, local diseases. Any disease more or less affects the entire body, but this does not preclude the principal affection of a particular organ or part of the body.

The following periods of a disease are distinguished: the latency period (the incubation period in the case of an infection), the time—which may last from a few seconds (in poisonings caused by a powerful poison) to dozens of years (in leprosy)—between the initial action of the pathogenic agent and the appearance of the first symptoms; the prodromal period, marking the appearance of the first symptoms, which may be vague and nonspecific (elevated temperature, grogginess, and general malaise) or sometimes typical of a particular disease (Filatov-Koplik spots in measles); the period of full development, ranging from several days to dozens of years (tuberculosis, syphilis, and leprosy); and the period of culmination (recovery, convalescence), which may occur rapidly, as in a crisis, or by lysis. Diseases may be acute or chronic, depending on the duration of their course and the rapidity of intensification and disappearance of the symptoms. The appearance of additional changes that are unrelated to the direct cause of a disease, alongside its principal manifestations, is called a complication. It may arise at the height of a disease or after the principal manifestations have disappeared.

Complications are an aggravating factor, and they sometimes lead to an unfavorable outcome. A disease may end in complete recovery, recovery with residual phenomena, stable changes in organs, the occasional development of new manifestations of the disease in the form of long-range sequelae, and death. Death as the culmination of a disease may occur suddenly, after a brief death struggle, or gradually, after a more or less prolonged agonal state. Human diseases are classified according to the nature of the course (acute or chronic), the level at which specific pathological changes occur (molecules, chromosomes, cells, tissues, organs, or entire organisms), the etiological factor (mechanical, physical, chemical, biological, or psychogenic), the method of treatment (medication, surgery, and others), age- or sex-related differences (gynecologic, pediatric), and so on. The nosological principle—that is, the classification of diseases based on a grouping by related symptoms—is the most widely used. It is necessary to note that none of the existing classifications is completely satisfactory. According to the nosological principle, pneumonia, for example, may be classified as a respiratory disease, an infection, and an allergy.

Therefore, it is a major task of theoretical and practical medicine to establish a modern classification of diseases. REFERENCES Graves' disease fact sheet | womenshealth.gov Graves' disease fact sheet What is Graves' disease? Graves' disease is an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid. The thyroid is a small gland in the front of the neck. It makes hormones called T3 and T4 that regulate how the body uses energy. Thyroid hormone levels are controlled by the pituitary, which is a pea-sized gland in the brain. It makes thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), which triggers the thyroid to make thyroid hormone. With Graves' disease, the immune system makes antibodies that act like TSH, causing the thyroid to make more thyroid hormone than your body needs. This is called an overactive thyroid or hyperthyroidism. An overactive thyroid causes every function of the body to speed up, such as heart rate and the rate your body turns food into energy. Graves' disease is one cause of overactive thyroid. It is closely related to Hashimoto's disease, another autoimmune disease affecting the thyroid.

Most people with Graves' disease have symptoms of an overactive thyroid, such as: Goiter (enlarged thyroid) Thinning of skin or fine, brittle hair Frequent bowel movements Lighter menstrual flow and less frequent periods Problems getting pregnant Unlike other causes of an overactive thyroid, Graves' disease also can cause: Eye changes. For some people with Graves' disease, the tissue behind the eyes becomes inflamed and swells. This can cause bulging or discomfort in one or both eyes. Sometimes it affects vision. Eye symptoms can occur before, at the same time, or after other symptoms of Graves' disease begin. It may rarely occur in people with normal thyroid function. We do not know why these eye problems occur. They are more common in people who smoke, and smoking makes eye symptoms worse. Eye problems often get better without treatment. Reddening and thickening of the skin, often on the shins and tops of the feet. This rare skin problem is not serious and is usually painless. Most people with this skin problem also have eye problems from Graves' disease. Symptoms of Graves' disease can occur slowly or very suddenly and are sometimes confused with other health problems. Some people with Graves' disease do not have any symptoms.

Who gets Graves' disease? Both men and women can get Graves' disease. But it affects women 10 times more often than men. Graves' disease occurs in people of all ages, but most often starts in the 20s and 30s. People who get Graves' disease often have family members who have thyroid or other autoimmune diseases. People who get Graves' disease sometimes have other autoimmune diseases, such as: Vitiligo (vit-ihl-EYE-goh) — a disease that destroys the cells that give your skin its color Rheumatoid arthritis — a disease that affects the lining of the joints throughout the body Addison's disease — a disease that affects the adrenal glands, which make hormones that help your body respond to stress and regulate your blood pressure and water and salt balance Type 1 diabetes — a disease that causes blood sugar levels to be too high Pernicious (pur-NISH-uhss) anemia — a disease that keeps your body from absorbing vitamin B12 and making enough healthy red blood cells Lupus — a disease that can damage many parts of the body, such as the joints, skin, blood vessels, and other organs What causes Graves' disease?

Many factors are thought to play a role in getting Graves' disease. These might include: Genes. Some people are prone to Graves' disease because of their genes. Researchers are working to find the gene or genes involved. Gender. Sex hormones might play a role, and might explain why Graves' disease affects more women than men. Stress. Severe emotional stress or trauma might trigger the onset of Graves' disease in people who are prone to getting it. Pregnancy. Pregnancy affects the thyroid. As many as 30 percent of young women who get Graves' disease have been pregnant in the 12 months prior to the onset of symptoms. This suggests that pregnancy might trigger Graves' disease in some women. Infection. Infection might play a role in the onset of Graves' disease, but no studies have shown infection to directly cause Graves' disease. How do I find out if I have Graves' disease? Most people with Graves' disease have symptoms that are bothersome. If you have symptoms of Graves' disease, your doctor will do an exam and order one or more tests. Tests used to help find out if you have Graves' disease include: Thyroid function tests.

A blood sample is sent to a lab to see if your body has the right amount of thyroid hormone (T4) and TSH. A high level of thyroid hormone in the blood plus a low level of TSH is a sign of overactive thyroid. Sometimes, routine screening of thyroid function reveals mild overactive thyroid in a person without symptoms. In such cases, doctors might suggest treatment or watchful waiting to see if levels return to normal. Radioactive iodine uptake (RAIU). An RAIU tells how much iodine the thyroid takes up. The thyroid takes up iodine and uses it to make thyroid hormone. A high uptake suggests Graves' disease. This test can be helpful in ruling out other possible causes of overactive thyroid. Antibody tests. A blood sample is sent to a lab to look for antibodies that suggest Graves' disease. Graves'disease can be hard to diagnose during pregnancy because it has many of the same symptoms as normal pregnancy , like fatigue and heat intolerance. Also, some lab tests can be harder to interpret. Plus, doctors cannot use RAIU during pregnancy to rule out other causes. What could happen if Graves' disease is not treated?

Without treatment, Graves' disease can lead to heart problems, weak and brittle bones, and even death. “Thyroid storm” is a very rare, life-threatening condition that can occur if overactive thyroid is not treated. An acute stress, such as trauma, surgery, or infection, usually triggers it to occur. In pregnant women, untreated disease can threaten the mother and unborn baby's health. Does pregnancy affect the thyroid? Normal hormone changes during pregnancy cause thyroid hormone levels to increase. The thyroid also may enlarge slightly in healthy women during pregnancy, but not enough to be felt. These changes do not affect the pregnancy or unborn baby. Yet, untreated thyroid problems can threaten pregnancy and the growing baby. Symptoms of normal pregnancy, like fatigue and feeling hot, can make it easy to overlook thyroid problems in pregnancy. So if you have symptoms of overactive thyroid or notice a goiter, make sure to tell your doctor. Stillbirth Talk to your doctor about how to prepare for pregnancy or about birth control if you do not want to become pregnant. If you take antithyroid drugs and want to get pregnant, ask your doctor about treatment with radioactive iodine (RAI).

Women treated with RAI at least 6 months before pregnancy don't need antithyroid drugs and can avoid exposing the unborn baby. If you have had RAI to treat Graves' disease, you should wait at least 6 months before getting pregnant. Your doctor also will need to watch your baby for thyroid-related problems that can occur later in the pregnancy. How is Graves' disease managed during pregnancy? During pregnancy, you will need to see both your OB/GYN and an endocrinologist (en-doh-krih-NOL-uh-jist), a doctor who treats people with hormone problems. If you have had radioactive iodine (RAI) or surgery to treat Graves' disease in the past and become pregnant, tell your doctor. Your baby will need to be watched for thyroid-related problems that can occur later in the pregnancy. It is best to plan pregnancy so that Graves' disease is treated prior to conception. Pregnancy may cause changes in hormones that affect the thyroid, and thyroid problems can affect a growing baby. For some women with Graves' disease, symptoms worsen in the first trimester, and then improve for the rest of the pregnancy. Symptoms often worsen again after delivery.

For these reasons, the treatment needs of pregnant women with Graves' disease often change, and an experienced doctor is needed to manage your treatment during and after pregnancy. Your doctor will check your thyroid hormone levels regularly. If antithyroid medicine is needed, PTU is usually prescribed in the first trimester, and MMI for the rest of the pregnancy. Thyroid surgery is rarely an option for pregnant women. And pregnant women cannot take RAI. Beta-blockers are sometimes prescribed for short-term use during the first few weeks of pregnancy to relieve symptoms. Can I breastfeed if I am taking antithyroid medicine for Graves' disease? Many women who take antithyroid medicine choose to breastfeed. Only low amounts of these drugs cross into breast milk. Your doctor can help you weigh the benefits of breastfeeding with the possible risk of these drugs. This will help you decide what is best for you and your baby.

Question: In humans, Ritter disease affects which part of the body?
Answer: Skin