Oh, My Thyroid! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Ringing in the ears

While a sufferer of Graves' disease may well not exhibit any symptoms at all, there are a whole host of symptoms associated with the condition. Heart palpitations, fatigue and hand tremors are all on this list, which also includes weight loss, increased appetite, a goitre, dizziness and shortness of breath, to name just a few more.

The number of symptoms exhibited varies from person to person, and are often mistaken for symptoms of other conditions. Nevertheless, ringing in the ears is not a symptom associated with this particular disease.

Answer: Bulging eyes

Around 20-25% of individuals diagnosed with Graves' disease go on to develop exophthalmos, also known as proptosis, and commonly referred to as bulging eyes. Derived from the Greek word 'exophthalmos', which literally means 'prominent eyes', sufferers find that their eyes protrude painfully, resulting in difficulty blinking and difficulty keeping their eyes moist.

This abnormal protrusion can occur in one or both eyes, and though it can subside on its own, some sufferers require surgery in order to prevent blindness, which may be caused by the optic nerve being compressed.

Answer: Blood

Depending on one's symptoms, which may be many or very few, a diagnosis of Graves' disease can be tentatively made by general practitioners. However it is only by measuring the levels of thyroid-stimulating antibody present in a patient's blood that a physician can confirm that the reason behind their patient's hyperthyroidism is Graves' disease. Unfortunately for many, their condition may go undiagnosed for some time, due to the fact that many of the symptoms of Graves' disease, such as sweating, tremors, weakness, diarrhoea and palpitations often mimic other conditions, such as gastroenteritis and even menopause.

Answer: Thyroxine

Thyroxine is the main hormone that is secreted naturally by the thyroid gland, which helps regulate many of the body's metabolic functions, including metabolism and body temperature. In patients suffering from Graves' disease, the thyroid is overstimulated, resulting in too much thyroxine, which causes hyperthyroidism, also known as an overactive thyroid.

Answer: Endocrinologist

Sufferers of Graves' disease are referred to endocrinologists, who have a specialised understanding of the endocrine system, and therefore the various secretions produced by the body. The thyroid gland is just one of the areas endocrinologists study and treat, as their work is also concerned with the pancreas, pituitary, adrenals, testes and ovaries.

Their work is especially important when one considers the fact that every one of the body's organ systems respond to the hormones produced within the body.

Answer: False

Unfortunately the above statement is totally false, and many women suffering from Graves' disease find it extremely difficult to get pregnant. Moreover if they do succeed, unless their thyroid hormone levels are normal, they are at risk of developing maternal congestive heart failure and pregnancy-induced high blood pressure, while also running the risk of stillbirth, miscarriage or premature birth.

Answer: Radioactive iodine therapy

Radioactive iodine therapy works by destroying part of the thyroid gland, gradually shrinking it, and therefore alleviating the symptoms of hyperthyroidism. The procedure is far safer than it sounds, as the patient absorbs the radioactive iodine via an oral pill.

Moreover the radioactive iodine will only affect the thyroid gland, and there is very little radiation exposure to the rest of the body.

Answer: Yes

A diagnosis of Graves' disease does not automatically mean that the patient's thyroid function will not return to normal eventually. Initially, they will be placed on medication, such as carbimazole, in order to slow the production of the thyroid hormone, thyroxine, with the aim of allowing the thyroid to return to normal. Once this happens, there is usually a trial withdrawal period, during which the patient's thyroxine levels are carefully monitored through regular blood testing, in order see whether they have returned to normal.

In some cases, the thyroid will begin producing the correct levels of thyroxine again, and thus no further treatment will be needed. However in other cases, patients will continue to need treatment, and may even opt to have their thyroid removed completely.

Moreover even if one's thyroxin levels do return to normal, they may not stay that way, therefore their levels should be checked periodically in the months and years that follow.

Answer: Yes

Incredibly, according to the National Endocrine and Metabolic Disease Information Service, Graves' disease is "seven to eight times more common in women than men". However the reason for this remains a mystery, and though one's chances of developing the disease increases if a member of their family also suffers from it, researchers have yet to find a specific gene that proves it is hereditary.

Therefore as far as women are concerned, they are more likely to develop the disease if they are under the age of forty, especially if they already have another autoimmune disease, such as Addison's disease or type 1 diabetes.

Answer: Irish

Robert James Graves was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1796, and was among the first physicians to describe the symptoms of one of the underlying causes of hyperthyroidism - now known as Graves' disease. Indeed Graves' belief in the importance of clinical observation led to him significantly advancing the field of physical diagnosis.

In his "Clinical Lectures on the Practice of Medicine", he advocated the practice of administering food and fluid to patients with fevers, and also emphasised the importance of monitoring a patient's pulse using a watch, both of which were innovative ideas at the time.