What is thyroiditis and what are the symptoms of thyroid inflammation?

We know that the thyroid gland is the largest endocrine gland in our body. If there is a lack of iodine, it will affect the thyroid gland's production of thyroid hormone. So what is thyroiditis and what are its symptoms?

Thyroiditis

Thyroiditis is a heterogeneous disease involving the thyroid gland. It is caused by a variety of reasons, such as autoimmunity, viral infection, bacterial or fungal infection, and the destruction of the thyroid follicle structure. The etiology and histological characteristics of different diseases vary greatly, and the clinical manifestations and prognosis vary greatly.

Thyroiditis can be classified in different ways: according to the severity of onset, it can be divided into acute, subacute and chronic thyroiditis; according to histopathology, it can be divided into purulent, granulomatous, lymphocytic and fibrous thyroiditis; according to the cause, it can be divided into infectious, autoimmune, radiation thyroiditis, etc.

Clinical manifestations of subacute thyroiditis

1. Prodromal symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection: muscle pain, fatigue, malaise, sore throat, etc., body temperature rises to varying degrees, reaching a peak 3-4 days after onset. May be accompanied by cervical lymph node enlargement.

2. Characteristic pain in the thyroid area: Gradual or sudden onset, varying degrees. Aggravated by turning the neck or swallowing, often radiating to the ipsilateral ear, throat, mandibular angle, chin, occipital bone, chest and back. A few patients may experience hoarseness or difficulty swallowing.

3. Thyroid enlargement: diffuse or asymmetrical mild to moderate enlargement, mostly with nodules, hard texture, obvious tenderness, no tremor or murmur. Thyroid pain often affects one lobe first and then spreads to the other lobe.

4. Clinical manifestations related to changes in thyroid function: (1) Thyrotoxic stage: In the early stage of the disease, about 50%-75% of patients experience weight loss, heat intolerance, tachycardia, etc., which lasts for about 3 to 8 weeks; (2) Hypothyroidism stage: About 25% of patients enter the functional decline stage before the thyroid hormone synthesis function is restored, and experience symptoms such as edema, cold intolerance, and constipation; (3) Thyroid function recovery stage: Most patients recover normal function in a short period of time (weeks to months), and only a few develop permanent hypothyroidism. The entire course of the disease is about 6-12 months. In some cases, the symptoms worsen repeatedly, lasting from several months to 2 years. About 2%-4% relapse, and very few relapse repeatedly.