autoimmune hypothyroidism

Can someone explain to me why my dad has this visible gland under his neck it looks like it is swelled? Anyway he has something what is called autoimmune hypothyroidism and he started gaining weight lately and he is so sensitive to cold weather and has also some other symptoms such as dry skin and frequent fatigue –so do you think those might be the symptoms of autoimmune hypothyroidism and how this condition could be treated effectively? Thanks!

Hypothyroidism is more common in woman than in man so your dad is one of these approximately 1.000 man that are affected with these disease but there is a difference in causes of hypothyroidism and autoimmune hypothyroidism for in the case of autoimmune hypothyroidism means that the body attacks itself so in your dad's case those antibodies don't do what they are supposed to do and that is making his thyroid gland releasing the thyroid hormones-those antibodies actually destroy those cells that prevent his thyroid gland so the result is autoimmune hypothyroidism. My mom also has some sort of autoimmune hypothyroidism known as Hashimoto's disease and she takes some meds in fact those are the synthetic hormones which in fact replaces thyroid hormones for she is also in lack of this hormone caused by autoimmune hypothyroidism.