Thyroiditis
Thyroiditis refers to a group of disorders that cause inflammation of the thyroid. Your thyroid is the gland located in the front of your neck below your Adam’s apple. Inflammation of the thyroid gland, or thyroiditis, can lead to over- and under-production of thyroid hormones that control metabolism.
Types of Thyroiditis
There are different types of thyroiditis, but they all have something in common. All cause inflammation and swelling of your thyroid.
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis: an autoimmune condition caused by anti-thyroid antibodies. This is the most common form of thyroiditis and is around five times more common in women than in men. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis usually results in hypothyroidism, and thyroid hormone replacement treatment is needed.
Silent thyroiditis or painless thyroiditis: another autoimmune disease caused by anti-thyroid antibodies. It is also common in women and the next common cause after Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
Post-partum thyroiditis: an autoimmune condition caused by anti-thyroid antibodies that sometimes occurs shortly after a woman gives birth. Symptoms of hyperthyroidism appear 1 to 3 months after delivery. Symptoms of hypothyroidism begin about 4 to 8 months after delivery. Symptoms improve within 12 to 18 months. Hypothyroidism may be permanent, but can be treated.
Radiation-induced thyroiditis: a condition caused by external radiation used as a medical treatment for certain cancers, or by radioactive iodine used to treat hyperthyroidism
Subacute thyroiditis or de Quervain’s thyroiditis: an often painful condition thought to be caused by a virus
Acute thyroiditis or suppurative thyroiditis: a relatively rare condition caused by an infectious organism or bacterium
Drug-induced thyroiditis: a condition is caused by the use of drugs such as amiodarone, interferons, lithium, and cytokines. It only occurs in a small fraction of patients using the offending drugs, so it is not common in the normal population.
Causes thyroiditis
The thyroid can be attacked by different agents. The attacks cause inflammation and injury to the thyroid cells, leading to thyroiditis. Some of the agents known to cause thyroiditis are antibodies (the most common cause)
- Drugs
- Radiation
- Organisms (viruses and bacteria)
- Thyroiditis can be an autoimmune disease (antibody-mediated).
- Thyroid disease is known to run in families.
- Thyroiditis can be caused by an infection
Symptoms thyroiditis
There are some common symptoms that include fatigue, swelling at the base of your neck, and perhaps some pain in the front of your throat However, other symptoms will vary, depending on whether your thyroid is underactive (hypothyroidism) or overactive (hyperthyroidism).
Symptoms of hypothyroidism may include:
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Weight gain
- Dry skin
- Constipation
- Muscle aches
- Intolerance to cold
- Decreased mental ability to concentrate and focus
Symptoms of hyperthyroidism may include:
- Anxiety and irritability
- Weight loss
- Insomnia
- Heart palpitations
- Muscle weakness
- Intolerance of heat
- Feeling irritable
- Fatigue
- Anxiety and nervousness
- Increased appetite
Reference
https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/what-is-thyroiditis#1
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15455-thyroiditis
https://familydoctor.org/condition/thyroiditis/
