Subacute thyroiditis occurs when the thyroid gland is inflamed due to an immune response. It is believed to be caused by the presence of a virus. The thyroid gland is a small gland toward the front of the neck that is responsible for regulating hormones, chemical messengers in the body, that control metabolism. How fast or slow your metabolism is determines how quickly your body changes food into energy. Subacute thyroiditis is uncommon and happens mostly in middle-aged women.
The most common symptom of subacute thyroiditis is pain in the neck, jaw, and ears.
Other symptoms of subacute thyroiditis are:
While people with subacute thyroiditis rarely experience a permanent overactive thyroid gland or underactive thyroid gland, many people experience a temporary overactive or underactive thyroid gland. This means that the thyroid gland is either producing levels of hormones that are too high or too low. The thyroid gland produces 3 major hormones, T3, T4, and calcitonin. These hormones have effects on almost every part of the body, from the cardiovascular system to the digestive system, skeletal system, and reproduction.
If someone is experiencing a temporary drop in production of thyroid hormones (hypothyroidism) due to subacute thyroiditis, they may experience:
If someone is experiencing a temporary increase in production of thyroid hormones (hyperthyroidism) due to subacute thyroiditis, they may experience:
The cause of subacute thyroiditis is inflammation of the thyroid gland that is believed to be caused by the presence of a virus. Certain diseases that have a correlation with subacute thyroiditis include mumps, the flu, and Epstein-Barr virus – another name for one of the strains of the herpes virus. All diseases that have been linked to subacute thyroiditis are upper respiratory infections, meaning they affect the nose, mouth, and throat.
Risk factors for subacute thyroiditis include:
Diagnosis of subacute thyroiditis is based largely on a medical history and physical examination. Your medical provider should be able to feel an enlarged thyroid upon touch. However, they will probably order blood work to confirm the diagnosis and rule out other causes of inflammation. Your provider will look for abnormalities in your thyroid hormones levels and will probably want to repeat tests in a few weeks to look for indicators that your subacute thyroiditis is resolving.
One rare complication of subacute thyroiditis is the condition of underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) becoming permanent. This can occur if the inflammation to the thyroid has severely damaged the thyroid gland.
Treatment for subacute thyroiditis focuses on managing any pain, discomfort, and swelling. Additionally, symptoms of an overactive thyroid are managed with a type of drug called beta-blockers while symptoms of an underactive thyroid are managed with hormone replacement therapy.
Subacute thyroiditis improves on its own but may take a few months to do so.