What Is Graves' Disease?
9. Treatment
Depending on the specifics of each case, medication may be provided that will help to limit the production of hormones in the thyroid gland. These drugs can also cause some very unwelcome side effects, however, so their use is avoided where possible. Another potential treatment of Graves’ disease is radioactive iodine therapy.
Radioactive iodine therapy involves the patient consuming radioiodine (radioactive iodine) orally. This will then be absorbed by the thyroid gland which relies upon iodine for the production of hormones. The radiation will then destroy the overactive thyroid cells, and this will reduce hormone production and shrink the gland.
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