What is thyroid thyroiditis, not everyone knows. This is a whole group of organ pathologies that are divided according to clinical manifestations and developmental reasons.
There are acute, subacute, chronic and autoimmune forms. The most common is the latter. An autoimmune type of disease is also called Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Treatment depends on the form and stage of the disease.
Classification
In medical practice, the main classification of such a disease is considered to be where the stage of the inflammatory process is taken into account, together with the etiology and processes that develop in the thyroid gland.
Such forms are distinguished:
- spicy;
- subacute;
- chronic
- autoimmune.
Focal and diffuse varieties are distinguished depending on the location of developing pathological processes in the acute form of thyroiditis. The first is local, inflammation is located in one place. Diffuse thyroiditis of the thyroid gland suggests a more extensive spread throughout the body. According to the type of inflammation, the disease is divided into purulent and non-purulent.
Subacute thyroiditis is lymphocytic, pneumocystic and granulomatous. The chronic form is divided into such types:
- lymphocytic youthful thyroidopathy;
- postnatal;
- fibrous;
- idiopathic.
Autoimmune thyroiditis is hypertrophic (Hashimoto's thyroiditis) and atrophic. The first appears at the beginning of the development of the disease, and the second is inherent in the final stage. Hypertrophic is divided into diffuse, nodular and diffuse-nodular goiter.
Causes
Considering what thyroid thyroiditis is, the following factors are identified that increase the likelihood of a disease:
- genetic predisposition;
- female gender and age 20-50 years;
- reversible gland disorders;
- autoimmune pathologies;
- chronic inflammatory processes throughout the body, which weakens the immune system.
For each type of thyroiditis, the causes are different. The acute purulent form is quite rare. Such a disease develops when infection occurs in both hematogenous and lymphogenous ways.
The subacute form is also called de Querven's thyroiditis. The disease is often associated with viral infections. This applies to measles, mumps.
When the subacute form develops, a secondary process of autoimmune origin occurs, where thyroglobulin is the antigen. It enters the bloodstream due to a violation of the surface of the walls of the thyroid gland follicles. Destruction leads to an increase in the level of thyroid hormones. This causes thyrotoxicosis.
According to statistics, the symptoms of thyroid thyroid gland in women are most often observed. At the same time, the subacute form is found in about 1-2% of all patients with organ pathology.
Chronic fibrous thyroiditis is also called Riedel goiter. Doctors and scientists have not established exactly its etiology. It is believed that the disease develops due to inflammatory processes in the thyroid gland with subsequent expansion of connective tissue. It grows into organ capsules, nerves, blood vessels, muscles.
Usually, connective tissue expands only in one place of the thyroid gland, but in rare cases, proliferation becomes total. In the future, hypothyroidism also develops. According to statistics, only 0.05% of all thyroid pathologies are assigned to chronic thyroid fibroid thyroiditis (what it is, indicated above).
Autoimmune thyroiditis develops due to disturbances in the immune system. The disease is congenital in nature, can be combined with other autoimmune pathologies (rheumatoid arthritis, myasthenia gravis, ulcerative nonspecific colitis, etc.). This form of thyroiditis occurs in 5% of all cases of thyroid problems.
Symptoms
Considering what thyroid gland thyroiditis is, they talk about inflammatory processes in the organ itself. With such an ailment, the cellular structures of the organ gradually cease to fulfill their functions - to produce hormones that regulate metabolic processes in the body.
As a result, when the thyroid gland is disrupted, problems with overweight appear.
Symptoms in acute form
In the acute purulent form of thyroid thyroiditis, the symptoms are manifested by infiltrative changes with further abscessing. The formation of pus negatively affects the functions of the organ. Although in some cases the lesion is minor, so it does not cause a sharp dysfunction.
Purulent thyroiditis develops rapidly. At the same time, body temperature rises to 40 0 C, chills appear. Sharp pains in the front of the neck are also felt. They are transmitted to the back of the head, tongue, ears, jaw. Coughing, swallowing, and moving the head can make the pain worse. The same applies to palpation.
The thyroid gland enlarges either completely, or in only one part. At the stage of infiltration, it becomes denser with palpation, and with an abscess, on the contrary, softens.
Lymph nodes on the neck increase, begin to hurt. At this point, redness appears, the temperature of the tissues rises.
Symptoms quickly indicate an increase in general intoxication. The patient feels lethargy, weakness, discomfort in the muscles and joints. Tachycardia also appears, the head begins to hurt.
In an acute non-purulent form, the symptoms will be less pronounced, since inflammation of the tissues is aseptic.
Symptoms of subacute form
With subacute thyroiditis, signs of a pronounced inflammatory process may appear: the body temperature rises to 38 0 C, the intensity of signs of general intoxication of the body increases, the neck, ear, jaw, and back of the head ache.
But in most cases, this form of the disease begins with a general malaise. It feels discomfort, moderate neck pain, at the same time the thyroid gland swells. When chewing solid food, the pain intensifies. One of the organ lobes can increase, but the nearby lymph nodes do not change in size.
In many cases, thyrotoxicosis develops in parallel to a mild or moderate degree. At the same time, the rhythm of the heart increases, sweat is more intense, insomnia torments, limb tremor is characteristic. There is irritability, pain in the joints.
Signs of a chronic form
With this form of thyroid thyroiditis, the symptoms may not be felt for a long time. The earliest sign is a sensation of a lump in the throat and difficulty swallowing. In the future, speech disorders, hoarseness appear. There may be breathing problems.
On palpation, tuberosity of the thyroid gland is detected. In the process of swallowing, she moves little. Its structure becomes dense, but the pain is not felt.
All of these changes are diffuse, that is, they apply to the entire organ. This impairs the functionality of the thyroid gland, causes further development of hypothyroidism.
Compression syndrome is not ruled out, which leads to problems with vision, swallowing, breathing, tinnitus, headaches, and throbbing in the neck.
Signs of an autoimmune form
Autoimmune thyroiditis can manifest itself in different ways. With a latent (latent) form, the thyroid gland has normal sizes. Its functions are fully implemented.
The hypertrophic form causes goiter. The organ becomes larger, nodes appear. The gland is gradually depleted, which causes further development of hypothyroidism.
With an atrophic form, the organ becomes smaller in size. The production of hormones is also reduced.
Diagnostics
Considering what thyroid gland thyroiditis is, a similar diagnosis is noted for all forms of pathology. An important is the conversation with the patient and the clarification of all the symptoms that he has appeared and relate to such an ailment.
It is necessary to find out the provoking factors that contributed to the onset of inflammatory processes. Be sure the doctor conducts an external examination. The doctor examines the gland, its size, determines the structure, soreness, the presence of tumors, nodes and other neoplasms. The specialist additionally assesses the condition of the skin and hair.
To confirm the inflammatory processes in the organ, laboratory methods are used. Among them are the following:
- General blood analysis. In this case, the leukocyte formula shifts to the left. There are signs of leukocytosis, and due to the neutrophilic part. The ESR parameter is increasing.
- Hormonal studies. They are not used only in the acute stage of inflammation, as the picture will be erased. In the subacute form, an increase in the amount of hormones is observed at first, but then the level drops. In autoimmune disease, the content of T3 and T4 is low, but the amount of thyroid-stimulating hormone increases.
Among instrumental methods, one of the most popular is ultrasound. Such a study is non-invasive, but it gives accurate results. Thanks to ultrasound, you can assess the structure of the gland, its dimensions, detect neoplasms and the degree of their growth.
The method of scintigraphy helps to determine the size and nature of the foci of pathology. If the function worsens, then a decrease in the number of absorbed isotopes will be noticeable, and vice versa. With the pathological process of a fibrous nature, it will be possible to see the wrong size of the organ, its fuzzy edges, an altered shape.
Treatment of acute thyroiditis
In the acute form of thyroiditis, it is required to start therapy immediately. In this case, the treatment is aimed primarily at eliminating the pathogen of the inflammatory process.
The basis of therapy is antibacterial drugs with a wide spectrum of action. They will counteract most of these microorganisms. The most popular are drugs from the group of cephalosporins and penicillins. It is best to choose medications depending on the sensitivity to antibiotics, thereby reducing the likelihood of complications. It also helps to maintain the functionality of the gland.
Additionally, treatment for symptoms of thyroid thyroid gland involves antihistamines. They reduce swelling, the intensity of inflammatory processes in the tissues of the thyroid gland. Usually used from this group is “Diazolin" or "Suprastin." For detoxification, Hemodez, Reopoliglyukin, and saline solutions are additionally used.
Surgical intervention is allowed when a limited lesion with pus is detected. They open it and put drainage. In addition, with this form of thyroiditis, you need to consume a lot of water.
Treatment of chronic and autoimmune forms
If chronic and autoimmune thyroid thyroiditis is diagnosed, symptoms and treatment are interconnected. Therapy will mainly be medication.
In this case, the following drugs are prescribed:
- Thyroid drugs. They are used if, according to laboratory studies, a decrease in the functionality of the thyroid gland is detected. Such drugs will have to be consumed for a long time, and sometimes even a lifetime. They are intended to compensate for the deficiency of their own hormonal substances. For example, appoint "Triiodothyronine", "Thyroxine."
- Glucocorticosteroid drugs. Such drugs remove inflammation. A vivid example of this group of drugs is Prednisolone and its derivatives.
- Immunomodulators. Such drugs are intended to stimulate the protective functions of the body. They are often prescribed along with hormonal drugs.
In case of chronic pathology and symptoms of autoimmune thyroiditis of the thyroid gland, surgical treatment is carried out only in cases when pathological processes of an atypical nature were found using instrumental methods. In this case, part or all of the organ is removed.
Folk remedies for thyroiditis
As a supplement, you can use traditional medicine. But before applying them, you must necessarily consult with your doctor (endocrinologist).
Popular recipes for traditional medicine are the following:
- Compresses on the thyroid gland from wormwood. This requires 200 g of dried wormwood to fill with the same amount of melted pork fat and wait 25 minutes. Then smear the neck with a warm mixture. Do not rinse all night. It is recommended to carry out such a procedure within 2 weeks. Compresses are especially effective in the chronic form of thyroiditis.
- Compresses on the thyroid gland from willow leaves. You will need fresh raw materials. It is necessary to chop the foliage, pour 4 liters of water, cook over low heat until the liquid turns brown in color and creamy in consistency. The broth is supposed to cool. They need to wipe their neck once a day before going to bed. Cover with plastic wrap. Rinse off only in the morning. This helps to improve thyroid function.
- Vegetable smoothie. Such a drink reduces pain. For its preparation, you need to mix in equal parts freshly squeezed juices of beets, carrots and potatoes. It is necessary to take 500 ml per day.
For the preparation of tinctures, it is recommended to choose herbs with different properties:
- They must regulate the thyroid gland. These include the cocklebur, gorse, motherwort, hawthorn, zyuznik.
- Plants with antitumor properties are needed. These are sage, celandine, clover, marshmallow, white mistletoe, and kirkazon.
- We need herbs that slow down autoimmune processes. Examples are St. John's wort, calendula, heather, cinquefoil.
Still need plants to regulate the immune processes in the body. To do this, use nettle, walnut leaves, beet tops (by the way, the root crop itself is also suitable).
Conclusion
If treatment is started in a timely manner with signs of thyroid thyroiditis, then full recovery can be achieved. In the early stages, this will take up to about 2 months.
In rare cases, transferred purulent thyroiditis causes hypothyroidism, which is quite persistent. With the subacute form, complete recovery occurs after about 3 months, if the treatment is competent. With the fibrous form, hypothyroidism develops secretly over time.