Thyroiditis symptoms, diagnosis and treatment

What is Thyroiditis :

Thyroiditis is any inflammatory process affecting the thyroid gland.

How does it occur ?

Are usually classified from the point of view of evolution in acute thyroiditis, subacute and chronic.

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis : An autoimmune thyroiditis (due to antibodies directed against the thyroid gland), and is the most common and the most common cause of hypothyroidism.

Postpartum thyroiditis : This is also an autoimmune thyroiditis, which occurs after birth. It produces symptoms of hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism.

The subacute granulomatous or De Quervain: is of unknown cause, can produce symptoms of both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism.

Riedel’s thyroiditis : It is very rare and of unknown cause that causes fibrosis in the gland.

Acute thyroiditis : It is due to infection by a germ gland, causing an abscess in the gland.

Sporadic painless thyroiditis : This thyroiditis  “silent” occurs in patients with underlying autoimmune thyroid disease.

Thyroiditis Symptoms

The thyroiditis may be asymptomatic or produce symptoms of both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism.

In some specific type of thyroiditis, such as acute thyroiditis, the clinical picture of pain and signs of inflammation (heat, redness) in the thyroid region, often accompanying discomfort when swallowing and voice changes. Fever can also occur.

Thyroiditis Diagnosis

It is important to know the clinical data presented by the person and explore the cervical region, seeking enlargement of the gland, or discoloration or skin temperature. Besides palpation of the gland, if increased or painful also help in the diagnostic process.

Then perform a blood test including thyroid hormones and antithyroid antibodies. You can find both increase and decrease of these hormones, as this clinic (hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism).

The thyroid scintigraphy and ultrasonography are useful for evaluating thyroid size and see their features, orienting towards a particular cause. It also allows the realization of a gland puncture for study.

Thyroiditis Treatment

Treatment will depend largely on the predominant clinical patient. When the patient what are symptoms of hyperthyroidism, antithyroid drugs are used as metamizol and carbimazole. In addition, drugs can be used to control the symptoms, such as beta blockers and glucocorticoids.

For tables that course with hypothyroid symptoms treatment used is levothyroxine.

Treatment of acute thyroiditis due to infection and required antibiotic treatment abscess drainage, all in the hospital.

In subacute thyroiditis treatment of choice is aspirin or anti-inflammatory drugs, and glucocorticoids in severe cases. In the various stages of thyroiditis, and thyroid function depending can be employed in case of beta hyperthyroidism, or hypothyroidism levothyroxine if there.

Thyroiditis Precautions

No known measures to prevent the occurrence of thyroiditis. We recommend consulting with your doctor if local inflammatory process in the neck to dismiss.