Table of Contents
- Overview
- Symptoms
- Treatment
- Prevention
- Images
De Quervain's thyroiditis; Subacute nonsuppurative thyroiditis; Giant cell thyroiditis; Subacute granulomatous thyroiditis
Symptoms
The most obvious symptom of subacute thyroiditis is pain in the neck. Sometimes the pain can spread (radiate) to the jaw or ears. Painful enlargement of the thyroid gland may last for weeks or months.
Other symptoms include:
- Difficulty swallowing
Fatigue - Fever
- Hoarseness
- Tenderness when gentle pressure is applied to the thyroid gland (
palpation ) Weakness
Symptoms of too much thyroid hormone (
- Diarrhea
Heat intolerance - Nervousness
Palpitations - Sweating
- Tremor
- Weight loss
Later, symptoms of too little thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism) may occur, including:
- Cold intolerance
- Constipation
- Fatigue
Usually thyroid gland function returns to normal. But in some cases hypothyroidism may be permanent.
Signs and tests
Laboratory tests early in the course of the disease may show:
- Low serum
thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level - High serum free
T4 (thyroid hormone, thyroxine) level - Low
radioactive iodine uptake - High serum thyroglobulin level
- High
erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
Laboratory tests later in the disease may show:
- High serum TSH level
- Low serum free T4
There may be low levels of antithyroid antibodies. Thyroid gland biopsy is usually not needed, but will show a type of inflammation characteristic of this condition. Lab tests should return to normal as the condition goes away.
Previous Section
Review Date: 04/19/2010
Reviewed By: Ari S. Eckman, MD, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Johns
Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. Review provided by
VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA,
Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
