10 Unconventional Ways to Tame the Beast of Graves' Disease

5. Beta-Blockers

Beta-blockers may be prescribed for the treatment of Graves' disease to help decrease the frequency and severity of the patient's symptoms while they wait for other treatments to kick in. Beta-blockers are a class of medications most often used in the treatment of individuals who have high blood pressure or heart disease. However, beta-blockers can be very effective at treating the muscle tremors and heart palpitations that occur in Graves' disease. The beta-blockers most often used on Graves' disease patients include atenolol, metoprolol, and propranolol. A patient and their doctor should check to ensure they are not affected by any heart abnormalities, heart defects, or asthmatic conditions before beta-blockers are utilized. Beta-blockers are not usually used for long term treatment of Graves' disease, as they do not actually cure the underlying issue. Beta-blockers are just used to help alleviate symptoms until another form of treatment can be used or in conjunction with another form of treatment that does target the underlying mechanism of Graves' disease.

6. Orbital Radiotherapy

Orbital radiotherapy involves the use of radiation to destroy some of the tissue behind the patient's eyes. The treatment is given in multiple sessions over approximately two weeks. Although it was commonly used and recommended for severe cases of Graves' ophthalmopathy from the 1940s through the early 2000s, it is used less often today because the benefits are unclear. However, some doctors might still recommend radiotherapy for patients with this condition who have severe eye issues that cannot be effectively treated with corticosteroids. A study from 2004 reported that favorable responses were seen in sixty percent of patients who received this treatment, and inflammation, optic neuropathy, and eye muscle dysfunction respond particularly well to radiotherapy. Patients with diabetic retinopathy should not have orbital radiotherapy as it could cause further damage to the retina.