[이데일리 이순용 기자] It’s easy to suspect a viral illness such as a cold if you experience a sore throat, general muscle aches, or a fever. However, I thought it was a cold, but there are cases where there is a problem with the thyroid gland, so you need to be careful. The main character is subacute thyroiditis, which has cold-like symptoms and is difficult to distinguish.
First, thyroiditis includes different types of inflammatory diseases ranging from acute bacterial infection to chronic autoimmune thyroiditis. Among these, subacute thyroiditis is seen in many patients with a history of upper respiratory infections such as colds. After an upper respiratory infection, sore throat pain can appear suddenly.
Pain occurs when the thyroid is partially or completely enlarged The pain in the thyroid gland is worse when touched and can spread to the lower jaw or ear. The real pain is neck pain in the thyroid area. Thyroid pain, in addition to systemic symptoms, is accompanied by symptoms such as fatigue, malaise, fever, and body aches such as generalized muscle pain.
Because of these symptoms, subacute thyroiditis is often mistaken for a dental problem or a throat or ear infection. However, it differs from a cold in that it hurts more when you turn your head or swallow something, and the pain in your throat spreads to your ears.
In the early stages of the disease, symptoms of hyperthyroidism and test findings are shown due to the influence of thyroid hormone that leaks into the blood from the thyroid gland. Hyperthyroidism is a condition where the thyroid gland secretes too much thyroid hormone, leading to thyrotoxicosis. Patients may experience palpitations, hand tremors, and nervousness under the influence of hormones.
This period lasts for about 1 to 2 months, and most of them heal naturally. Temporary hypothyroidism can occur during the recovery period, but most of them return to normal. If hypothyroidism is severe, symptoms such as fatigue, facial swelling, and chills appear easily.
Subacute thyroiditis resolves spontaneously and requires no treatment. However, if the symptoms of thyroid pain and hyperthyroidism are severe in the early stages, therapy is needed to alleviate the symptoms. Seran Hospital Breast Thyroid Center Director Jeong Hong-gyu explained, “If hypothyroidism becomes temporarily severe during the recovery period of the disease and the discomfort is severe, it may be necessary to temporarily take thyroid hormone medication.”
“Thyroiditis resolves on its own within a few months, but sometimes it recurs or, in rare cases, the thyroid gland is damaged enough to cause permanent hypothyroidism,” said Jeong Hong-kyu, director general. “Sub-acute thyroiditis has more cases in women than in men and in those in their 30s and 50s than in children,” he stressed.
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