Thyroiditis
De Quervain's (subacute) thyroiditis
De Quervain's thyroiditis (sometimes called subacute thyroiditis) is a painful swelling of the thyroid gland that is thought to be triggered by a viral infection, such as mumps or the flu .
It's most commonly seen in females aged 20 to 50.
De Quervain's thyroiditis usually causes a fever and pain in the neck, jaw or ear. It can also cause your thyroid gland to release too much thyroid hormone into the blood (thyrotoxicosis), leading to symptoms of an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism) , including:
- anxiety
- insomnia
- heart palpitations
- weight loss
- irritability
The palpitations and shakes associated with thyrotoxicosis can be treated with a beta-blocker .
The pain caused byde Quervains thyroiditis can often be relieved with painkillers such as aspirin, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen . In the cases where these medications are ineffective, corticosteroid medication may be prescribed.
De Quervains thyroiditis settles down after a few days and is often followed by a spell of hypothyroidism lasting a few weeks or months, before the thyroid gland recovers completely.
Very occasionally, the condition may recur or the low levels of thyroid hormones caused by it can be permanent and may require long-term treatment with thyroid hormone replacement medication.
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018
Introduction
Thyroiditis is the medical term for inflammation (swelling) of the thyroid gland, which can either cause abnormally low or high levels of thyroid hormones in the blood.
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De Quervain's (subacute) thyroiditis
De Quervain's thyroiditis (sometimes called subacute thyroiditis) is a painful swelling of the thyroid gland that is thought to be triggered by a viral infection, such as mumps or the flu . It's mo
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