De Quervain's (subacute) thyroiditis: Symptoms, causes and more

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De Quervain's (subacute) thyroiditis
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De Quervain's (subacute) thyroiditis

• Thyroiditis refers to an inflammation of the
  thyroid gland. The gland is located in the front
  of your neck and controls your metabolism by
  releasing a series of hormones.

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Causes of Subacute Thyroiditis

• Subacute thyroiditis is an uncommon condition.
  It is caused by a viral infection. This health
  condition occurs after a viral infection of the
  upper respiratory tract such as common cold,
  influenza and mumps.Subacute thyroiditis is
  common in middle-aged women with recent (last
  month or so) symptoms of a viral respiratory
  tract infection. Most types of thyroiditis do
  not cause pain in the thyroid gland. Nonetheless,
  they usually lead to either overactive thyroid
  (hyperthyroidism) or underactive thyroid
  (hypothyroidism).

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Causes of Subacute Thyroiditis
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• Both of these conditions cause symptoms such as
  weight changes, anxiety, and fatigue. 
• Subacute thyroiditis (De Quervain's thyroiditis)
  involves swelling (inflammation) of the thyroid
  gland that normally follows an upper respiratory
  infection. It leads to pain and discomfort in
  the thyroid gland. Individuals with this
  condition also suffer from overactive thyroid and
  later develop symptoms of underactive thyroid. 

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Symptoms

• Unlike other forms of thyroid inflammation,
  subacute thyroiditis causes pain in your thyroid
  gland. In some cases, this pain may extend to the
  other parts of your neck, ears, or jaw. Your
  thyroid may be soft and inflamed to the touch. In
  rare cases, painful enlargement of the thyroid
  gland may last for weeks or months. 
• Some of the other symptoms of subacute
  thyroiditis include
• Fatigue
• Difficulty swallowing
• Weakness or tiredness
• Weight changes, difficulty regulating body
  temperature and other metabolism issues

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Symptoms
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• Initially you will develop hyperthyroidism
  symptoms of which include 
• Emotional or mental issues like irritability,
  restlessness, trouble focusing
• Diarrhoea
• Abnormal menstrual periods in women
• Heat intolerance
• Mood swings
• Sweating and weight loss
• Tremor
• Irregular heartbeat

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Symptoms
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• As the disease advances, hyperthyroidism paves
  way for hypothyroidism, symptoms of which
  include 
• Constipation
• Cold intolerance
• Fatigue
• Heavy menstrual periods in women
• Sluggishness

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Diagnosis of Subacute Thyroiditis

• Your endocrinologist will diagnose this
  condition by taking blood samples. The result of
  these blood tests will depend on the diseases
  stage. In the initial stages, your thyroid
  hormone will be high, while your thyroid
  stimulating hormone levels will be low. The
  doctor will also take into account your recent
  medical history. He/She will be more likely to
  check for this condition if you have recently had
  an infection.

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Treatment

• Your endocrinologists prime objective will be
  to reduce the pain and control inflammation by
  giving medications like steroids, aspirin, and
  ibuprofen. If your doctor detects
  hyperthyroidism in the early stages, he may want
  to treat this condition using beta-blocker
  medications. It will help lower blood
  pressure and minimize symptoms such as irregular
  heartbeat and nervousness. However, the treatment
  for hyperthyroidism will be temporary.The
  disease usually occurs in two stages and later on
  you will have hypothyroidism. For that youll
  need hormones to replace those that your body is
  not producing. In majority of cases, signs and
  symptoms resolve within a year and a half on
  their own. However, hypothyroidism may end up
  being permanent but in rarity.

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