If hormones secreted by the thyroid gland are secreted more than necessary, you may suffer from hyperthyroidism (hyperthyroidism), which causes excessive metabolism and increased energy consumption. / Photo = Provided by the National Cancer Information Center
【Seoul = Seoul News Agency】 Reporter Choi Jeong-in = Caution is needed in case of subacute thyroiditis (between chronic and acute), which can easily be confused with a cold during seasonal changes.
According to the medical community, on day 8, when the thyroid becomes inflamed, the secretion of thyroid hormones increases or decreases.
Subacute thyroiditis is a painful disease in which pain occurs suddenly in the thyroid gland after an upper respiratory infection such as a cold or body aches. Specifically, you experience swelling of the thyroid gland, fever, and pain around the neck.
At this time, when you touch your neck, you may also feel pain in your jaw and ears. Other thyroiditis does not cause this type of pain. Because of these symptoms, subacute thyroiditis is often confused with dental problems or throat and ear infections.
In addition to thyroid pain, systemic symptoms such as fatigue, fatigue, fever and body aches are accompanied by so-called body aches. In the early stages of the disease, symptoms of hyperthyroidism such as heart palpitations and weight loss appear due to the effects of thyroid hormones leaking from the thyroid gland into the blood.
It often lasts only a few weeks or several months before recovering naturally. In about 90% of all patients, thyroid function returns to normal after about one to two months. It is usually 2 to 5 times more common in women than in men and occurs most often in people in their 20s and 40s. It occurs frequently in spring and autumn and can also occur when viral diseases such as mumps and influenza are prevalent.
People who experience cold symptoms such as body aches, mild fever, fatigue, or sore throat are often diagnosed with subacute thyroiditis when they suddenly develop pain in the thyroid area. Thyroid pain gets worse when you swallow food, move your head, or cough.
Symptoms of subacute thyroiditis are determined based on individual symptoms, physical examination, and thyroid function test results. Initial blood tests show hyperthyroidism and increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein, which are indicators of inflammation. Ultrasound shows signs of inflammation and thyroid scans show symptoms of suppressed iodine intake.
Thyroiditis usually improves within a few months, but sometimes it recurs or, in rare cases, the thyroid gland is damaged enough to cause permanent hypothyroidism. In some cases, pain and medications can be reduced with aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. If symptoms are severe or persist for a long time, treatments such as steroids may be added.
Jeong Hong-gyu, head of the Department of Surgery at Seran Hospital, explains: “During seasonal changes such as spring, it is easy to suffer from respiratory diseases due to the dry air and large daily temperature variations. If these symptoms do not improve well and pain in the thyroid area persists, it is highly probable that it is subacute thyroiditis.
Director Jeong said, “Subacute thyroiditis is not difficult to treat if discovered early, but hyperthyroidism, in which thyroid cells are destroyed and excess thyroid hormones are produced, can sometimes occur.” He added: “Because the symptoms usually start suddenly, that’s the way it is.” it’s not difficult to treat.” “If you have other muscle aches or pains around your neck, it’s best to see a specialist for a diagnosis,” he added.
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