What Is Graves’ Disease?
Updated on July 9, 2026
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Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disorder that causes hyperthyroidism, or the overproduction of thyroid hormones. The condition occurs when your immune system makes antibodies which cause the thyroid to make more thyroid hormone than your body requires. Without treatment, Graves’ disease can cause serious problems with your heart, bones, muscles, menstrual cycle, and fertility, among other complications.
Graves’ disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism, accounting for 60 to 80 percent of cases. But it’s still a relatively rare condition, considering that just 1.2 percent of Americans have hyperthyroidism. Women are more likely to have Graves’ disease than men. Graves’ disease usually affects people between ages 30 and 60, but it can develop at any age.
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Signs and Symptoms of Graves’ Disease
A variety of symptoms can signal Graves’ disease, including:
- Weight loss
- Nervousness or irritability
- Trembling hands
- Sensitivity to heat
- Enlargement of the thyroid gland (a goiter)
- Frequent bowel movements or diarrhea
- Rapid or irregular heartbeat
- Trouble sleeping
- Tiredness or muscle weakness
- Graves’ ophthalmopathy (GO, also known as thyroid eye disease), which can cause retracted eyelids, bulging eyes, double vision, and swelling around the eyes. Up to 25 percent of people with Graves’ disease develop eye symptoms.
- In rare cases, a reddish thickening of the skin on the shins, known as pretibial myxedema or Graves’ dermopathy
It can also cause:
- Anxiety
- Increase in sweating or warm, moist skin
- Changes in menstrual periods
- Erectile dysfunction or reduced libido
- Breast enlargement in men
- Difficulty concentrating
- Hair loss
- Shortness of breath during activity
Causes and Risk Factors of Graves’ Disease
As with most autoimmune diseases (in which the immune system attacks the body’s own cells), researchers aren’t sure exactly what causes Graves’ disease. They suspect it is a combination of genes and some other trigger, such as a virus.
Risk Factors
The following factors can increase your risk of developing Graves’ disease:
Family History Graves’ disease is more common when other family members have the condition.
Sex Women are far more likely to develop Graves’ disease.
Younger Age Graves’ disease usually develops in people between 30 and 60.
Other Autoimmune Disorders People with other autoimmune disorders, such as type 1 diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis, have a greater risk of developing Graves’ disease.
Emotional or Physical Stress If you are genetically more susceptible to developing Graves’ disease, stressful life events or illnesses may trigger the condition.
Pregnancy Graves’ disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism during pregnancy, affecting 0.2 percent of people who are pregnant, particularly during the first trimester; pregnancy can also worsen existing Graves’ disease. Be sure to discuss your symptoms with your doctor, as there is a different condition, called postpartum thyroiditis, that also causes thyroid issues.
Smoking Cigarette smoking can affect the immune system, and it increases the risk of Graves’ disease. People who smoke and have Graves’ disease also have a greater risk of developing Graves’ ophthalmopathy.
Poll
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How Is Graves’ Disease Diagnosed?
A diagnosis of Graves’ disease is generally made based on symptoms and a physical exam. A blood test can confirm that you have hyperthyroidism and, in some cases, identify Graves’ disease as the cause; the presence of antibodies can help in the diagnosis of Graves’.
Your doctor may also order further blood or imaging tests such as a CT scan or MRI to confirm Graves’ disease. These tests may include:
- Radioactive iodine uptake test, which measures the amount of iodine the thyroid collects from the bloodstream. If the test shows that your thyroid collects large amounts of iodine, you may have Graves’ disease.
- Thyroid scan, which shows how and where iodine is distributed in the thyroid. If you have Graves’ disease, iodine will show up throughout the thyroid.
- Ultrasound, which can reveal whether the thyroid gland is enlarged.
Treatment and Medication Options for Graves’ Disease
With the right treatment, Graves’ disease can be well controlled. The three treatment options for Graves’ disease are medicine, radioiodine therapy, and thyroid surgery. Your doctor will help you decide which treatment is best for you based on your age, whether you are pregnant, or whether you have other medical conditions.
Radioiodine Therapy
Radioiodine therapy entails taking radioactive iodine-131 (I-131) orally as a capsule or liquid. I-131 slowly destroys the cells of the thyroid gland that produce thyroid hormone. In some cases, you may need more than one radioiodine treatment to bring your thyroid hormone levels into the normal range, but it’s not likely.
Most people who have radioactive iodine treatment later develop hypothyroidism, because the thyroid hormone–producing cells have been destroyed. However, hypothyroidism is easier to treat (it can be controlled with medication) and causes fewer long-term health problems than hyperthyroidism.
Medication Options
Researchers have been exploring the use of targeted immunotherapy drugs to treat Graves’ disease and clinical trials are underway. But for now, medications used to treat Graves’ disease include:
Beta-Blockers Beta-blockers don’t stop your thyroid from producing thyroid hormone, but they can quickly improve symptoms such as an irregular heartbeat, tremors, anxiety, irritability, heat intolerance, sweating, diarrhea, and muscle weakness. Beta-blockers include:
- propranolol (Inderal LA, InnoPran XL, Hemangeol)
- atenolol (Tenormin)
- metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol-XL)
- nadolol (Corgard)
Antithyroid Medicines Antithyroid medicines – generally methimazole (Tapazole) or propylthiouracil (PTU) in rare instances such as the first trimester of pregnancy – cause your thyroid to make less thyroid hormone by preventing the thyroid from using iodine to make hormones. They don’t cure Graves’ disease, but for many people they control the hyperthyroidism while you’re on the medication and reduce symptoms.
Antithyroid medicines can cause the following side effects:
- Allergic reactions, including rashes and itching
- A decrease in the number of white blood cells in your body, which can lower resistance to infection
- Rarely, liver failure
Methimazole can be used for 12 to 18 months and then discontinued if your levels of thyroid hormone and antibodies are normal. If levels remain elevated, chances for remission are much lower, and treatment with antithyroid drugs can be prolonged safely and may increase chances of remission. However, if hyperthyroidism due to Graves’ disease continues beyond six months, your doctor may recommend either radioactive iodine or surgery.
Thyroid Surgery
Surgery to remove the thyroid gland effectively cures hyperthyroidism, but you’ll then need to take thyroid hormone medicine every day for the rest of your life. Surgery may be used to treat people with large goiters, people with moderate to severe Graves’ ophthalmopathy, and pregnant women who want to avoid the effects of antithyroid medicines on the fetus (radioiodine therapy isn’t safe during pregnancy).
Complementary Therapies
Certain lifestyle changes can also help improve Graves’ disease symptoms and boost general health, such as eating well and exercising. Weight gain may occur when hyperthyroidism is successfully treated, because the thyroid controls the metabolism, so eating healthfully and exercising are important. Graves’ disease can also cause brittle bones, and weight-bearing exercises can help maintain bone density.
Stress may trigger Graves’ disease or make it worse, so stress-relieving practices can help, such as meditation, taking a warm bath, and walking.
Treating Graves’ Ophthalmopathy
The majority of Graves’ ophthalmopathy cases are mild, and eye drops can help relieve the irritation and sunglasses can help with light sensitivity. If you can’t fully close your eyes, taping your lids shut at night or wearing an eye mask can help prevent dryness.
For severe cases, steroids may be prescribed. Surgery can improve bulging eyes and correct vision changes.
Disparities and Inequities in Graves’ Disease
Research has found that the incidence rate ratio of Graves’ disease was significantly higher among Black people and Asian/Pacific Islanders compared with white people. This may be due to environmental exposures, genetics, or a combination of both.
A review of research found that African American patients with Graves’ disease are more likely to need surgery and have worse surgical outcomes than white American patients, and they experience higher rates of unplanned hospitalization. Undiagnosed and untreated hyperthyroidism has negative consequences and higher expenses, and to close this care gap in African American communities, the review authors write that better methods for diagnosing and treating hyperthyroidism are needed.
How Long Does Graves’ Disease Last?
Graves’ disease is a chronic condition. (While surgery can effectively cure hyperthyroidism by removing your thyroid gland, you’ll need to take thyroid hormone replacement for the rest of your life.) If you are treating Graves’ disease with antithyroid medicine, your thyroid hormone levels may take several weeks or months to move into the normal range. The total average treatment time is about 12 to 18 months, but treatment can continue for many years. About half of people with Graves’ disease may experience a recurrence after stopping antithyroid medicine.
Graves’ disease frequently responds well to treatment. If Graves’ disease is not treated, it can lead to complications, some of which can be serious or life-threatening.
Complications of Graves’ Disease
Complications of Graves’ disease can include:
Pregnancy Issues Possible complications include miscarriage, preterm birth, fetal thyroid dysfunction, poor fetal growth, maternal heart failure, and preeclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy).
Heart Disorders Without treatment, Graves’ disease can lead to heart rhythm disorders, changes in the structure and function of the heart muscles, and heart failure.
Thyroid Storm Thyroid storm, also known as accelerated hyperthyroidism or thyrotoxic crisis, is a rare but potentially fatal complication of Graves’ disease. In thyroid storm, a sudden, drastic increase in thyroid hormones can cause fever, sweating, vomiting, diarrhea, delirium, severe weakness, seizures, irregular heartbeat, yellow skin and eyes (jaundice), severe low blood pressure, and coma. It’s more likely to happen when severe hyperthyroidism isn’t treated at all or isn’t treated properly. Thyroid storm can also occur as a response to surgery or general anesthesia, so it’s important to take antithyroid medicines before thyroid surgery.
Osteoporosis Untreated hyperthyroidism also can cause brittle bones, or osteoporosis, because too much thyroid hormone interferes with your body's ability to incorporate calcium into your bones.
FAQ
What is the main cause of Graves’ disease?
With Graves' disease, your immune system produces antibodies that lead to an overproduction of thyroid hormone (hyperthyroidism). It’s not clear what triggers Graves’ disease, but it’s likely a combination of genetics and environmental factors.
What does it feel like to have Graves’ disease?
Hyperthyroidism puts your metabolism into overdrive, leading to symptoms like weight loss, a rapid or irregular heartbeat, jitteriness, irritability, fatigue, sweating, muscle weakness, frequent bowel movements, and potentially eye and skin issues.
How do you treat Graves’ disease?
Graves’ disease is treated with antithyroid medicines and beta-blockers to alleviate symptoms; radioiodine therapy, which destroys the cells of the thyroid gland that produce thyroid hormone; or surgery to remove your thyroid.
Can Graves’ disease be cured?
Graves’ disease is chronic, though treatments can manage hyperthyroidism and many people experience remission. Thyroid removal surgery effectively cures hyperthyroidism but results in hypothyroidism, and you’ll need to take daily thyroid hormone medication for the rest of your life.
Resources We Trust
- Mayo Clinic: Graves’ Disease
- Cleveland Clinic: Graves’ Disease
- MedlinePlus: Graves Disease
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: Graves’ Disease
- Endocrine Society: Graves’ Disease
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
- Graves’ Disease. Endocrine Society. January 24, 2022.
- Thyroid Antibodies Explained. British Thyroid Foundation.
- Graves’ Disease. Cleveland Clinic. May 14, 2025.
- Graves’ Disease: Symptoms and Causes. Mayo Clinic. June 14, 2024.
- Pokhrel B et al. Graves Disease. StatPearls. June 20, 2023.
- Graves’ Eye Disease. Harvard Health Publishing. August 5, 2025.
- Graves’ Disease. MedlinePlus. January 25, 2026.
- Hyperthyroidism in Pregnancy. American Thyroid Association.
- Postpartum Thyroiditis. American Thyroid Association.
- Radioactive Iodine (I-131) Therapy for Hyperthyroidism. Radiological Society of North America. September 30, 2024.
- Graves’ Disease. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. November 2021.
- Graves’ Disease: Diagnosis and Treatment. Mayo Clinic. June 14, 2024.
- Lee ACH et al. Targeted Immunotherapies for Graves' Thyroidal & Orbital Diseases. Frontiers in Immunology. March 2025.
- Graves’ Disease. American Thyroid Association.
- Surgical Management of Graves’ Disease. American Thyroid Association.
- Graves’ Disease in Pregnancy. Cedars-Sinai.
- Slowing Bone Loss With Weight-Bearing Exercise. Harvard Health Publishing. April 11, 2021.
- McLeod DSA et al. Variation in Rates of Autoimmune Thyroid Disease by Race/Ethnicity in US Military Personnel. JAMA. April 16, 2014.
- Onwughalu CJ et al. Hyperthyroidism: A Review of the African American Population. Discover Medicine. February 13, 2025.
- Segal P. Hyperthyroidism: Long Term Outcomes of Patients with Graves’ Disease. American Thyroid Association. February 2024.
- Thyroid Storm. Cleveland Clinic. June 8, 2022.
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