[Chronic] autoimmune thyroiditis is where the body interprets the thyroid glands and its hormone products T3, T4 and TSH as threats, thus producing special antibodies that target the thyroid's cells, thereby destroying it.

Depends on whether it causes:

• Hyperthyroidism:
  • Sweating
  • Rapid heart rate
  • Anxiety
  • Tremors
  • Fatigue
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Sudden weight loss
  • Protruding eyes
• Hypothyroidism:
  • Weight gain
  • Fatigue
  • Dry skin
  • Hair loss
  • Intolerance to cold
  • Constipation

• Hypothyroidism, known as:
  • Hashimoto's thyroiditis if there is a goiter
  • Atrophic thyroiditis if there is no goiter
• Hyperthyroidism, known as:
  • Graves' disease, that also has a goiter
• Postpartum thyroiditis, if Sx appear in women after giving birth. The effects of this disease may be permanent but can sometimes be transient. It can involve hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, or the 2 sequentially