Hashimotos Thyroiditis

Thyroiditis, a medical term for inflammation of the thyroid gland can cause either abnormally low or high levels of thyroid hormones in the blood. The thyroid gland is found in the neck which is butterfly shaped and produces hormones that are released into the bloodstream which controls the body’s growth and metabolism. It affects the heart rate and body temperature helping food to convert into energy enabling the body to function. The main hormones delivering energy to cells of the body are triiodothyronine, (T3) and throxine, (T4). Some of the common types are Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, De Quervain or subacute thyroiditis, Post partum thyroiditis, Silent or painless thyroiditis, drug induced thyroiditis, Radiation induce thyroiditis and acute or infectious thyroiditis. In the case of Hashimotos thyroiditis, the thyroid gland is mistakenly attacked by the immune system resulting in swelling and tends to get damaged wherein the swollen gland may cause a lump in the throat known as goitre. As the thyroid gland tends to get destroyed slowly over a period of time, it is not capable of producing sufficient amount of thyroid hormone and in medical term for low levels of thyroid hormones in the blood is known as hypothyroidism which leads to symptom of underactive thyroid gland like weight gain, fatigue, constipation, depression and dry skin.

De Quervain’s Thyroiditis / Post Partum Thyroiditis

De Quervain’s thyroiditis is a painful swelling of the thyroid gland which is presumed to be caused by a viral infection like mumps or flu and is common mostly in females between the age group of 20 to 50. The symptoms are fever with pain in the neck, jaw or ear besides other symptoms like anxiety, heart palpitations, insomnia, weight loss or irritability. This is result of too much thyroid hormone in the blood known as thyrotoxicosis. This ailment settles down after a period of time and is followed by a spell of hypothyroidism which may last for a few weeks before the complete recovery of the thyroid gland. Post partum thyroiditis is caused due to problems with the immune system which happens with women, four months after birth wherein the immune system affects the thyroid gland leading the thyroid hormones to leak out into the blood. The outcome of this is a temporary rise in thyroid hormone levels and may include symptom of an overactive thyroid gland. After a period of four to eight month the thyroid gland get depleted of thyroid hormones with a fall in thyroid hormone level followed by symptoms of underactive thyroid gland though not all women may go through both these phases.

Painless Thyroiditis

Painless thyroiditis is somewhat same as post partum thyroiditis, though it is not related to giving birth and it can affect both women as well as men. Radioactive iodine treatment conducted for an overactive thyroid gland or radiation therapy in treating certain cancers could also cause damage to the thyroid gland with symptoms of high as well as low levels of thyroid hormones. Acute or infectious thyroiditis is caused by bacterial infection with symptoms of pain in the throat, swelling of the thyroid gland, with low or high level of thyroid hormones and the infection is treated with antibiotics.