According to medical experts, this is a fairly common endocrine disease. If not detected and treated promptly, it can lead to hormonal disorders and seriously affect health.
 |
| Illustration photo. |
A typical case is patient D.THL (42 years old, Hanoi ) with symptoms of neck pain lasting for 4 days, pain increased when palpated, spreading to the jaw angle on both sides, accompanied by fever and feeling of abnormal neck swelling.
At first, Ms. L. thought it was just a common cold or sore throat. However, because her condition did not improve, she went to Medlatec Tay Ho General Clinic for examination. Through clinical examination and necessary tests, the doctor noted that her CRP index was high, a sign reflecting inflammation in the body.
In addition, endocrine indices such as FT4 and TG were increased, suggesting abnormalities in the thyroid gland. Thyroid ultrasound showed hypoechoic areas in the right lobe and heterogeneous glandular parenchyma structure, accompanied by the appearance of bilateral neck reactive lymph nodes.
Based on these paraclinical results, the doctor diagnosed Ms. L. with subacute thyroiditis, a form of thyroiditis caused by a virus, which can lead to hypothyroidism if not treated promptly.
Immediately after diagnosis, the patient was prescribed outpatient treatment with anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving drugs. After 2 weeks of treatment, Ms. L.'s fever was gone, her neck pain was gone, and her endocrine test results returned to stable levels. Ms. L.'s case is clear evidence that seemingly simple initial signs can potentially hide dangerous endocrine abnormalities.
According to Dr. Nguyen Quynh Xuan, Head of Endocrinology Department, Medlatec Healthcare System, subacute thyroiditis is a temporary inflammation of the thyroid gland, mainly caused by viruses, often occurring after the body has experienced respiratory viral infections such as flu, measles, mumps...
Typical symptoms include: Pain in the front of the neck, swelling and stiffness of the thyroid gland, pain when touching, swallowing or speaking; mild to high fever; feeling tired, chills; rapid heartbeat, sweating; even unexplained weight loss. The disease usually appears in middle-aged women, from 40 to 50 years old, and is self-limiting in nature, meaning it can go away on its own after a few weeks.
However, if not detected and treated properly, subacute thyroiditis can cause many complications such as permanent hypothyroidism, heart rhythm disorders in the first stage of hyperthyroidism, greatly affecting the long-term quality of life. Some cases of the disease can also recur, requiring regular monitoring.
Current treatment of subacute thyroiditis relies primarily on nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or corticosteroids, combined with pain medication if needed. Most patients respond well after a few weeks.
However, post-treatment monitoring is necessary to detect early the risk of secondary hypothyroidism, complications that may appear after the inflammatory phase, and if necessary, the doctor will prescribe thyroid hormone supplementation.
Although there is currently no absolute way to prevent subacute thyroiditis, according to recommendations from endocrinologists, proactively protecting personal health plays an important role.
Specifically, people should maintain a healthy lifestyle, eat nutritious foods, get enough sleep, and exercise regularly to strengthen the immune system.
In addition, it is necessary to limit contact with people infected with the virus, wear masks when going to crowded places, wash hands regularly, and especially get fully vaccinated against seasonal flu, Covid-19, measles - mumps - rubella.
In addition, people who have had thyroid disease or are undergoing endocrine treatment should have regular health check-ups and thyroid function tests to promptly detect new abnormalities.
In particular, do not be subjective when symptoms such as prolonged neck pain, fever of unknown cause, rapid heartbeat, sweating, unexplained weight loss appear... because these may be the first signs of subacute thyroiditis.
Ultrasound is an important imaging method in determining subacute thyroiditis. The characteristic image is a hypoechoic area localized in one lobe of the thyroid gland, sometimes accompanied by reactive cervical lymph nodes.
Early recognition of symptoms, combined with accurate diagnosis and proper treatment regimen are key factors in helping patients recover quickly and avoid long-term complications.
Source: https://baodautu.vn/canh-giac-voi-viem-tuyen-giap-ban-cap-tu-nhung-trieu-chung-tuong-chung-don-gian-d327234.html
Comment (0)