Thyroid thyroiditis is inflammation, which leads to the formation of lymphocytes and antibodies in the body that conflict with their own cells, which causes their death. This disease is usually affected by people from 40 to 50, although, according to the latest data, nowadays thyroiditis manifests itself even in young people and children.
Types of disease
The disease can belong to one of the types:
- Chronic thyroid thyroiditis develops as a result of an increase in antibodies and a special form of lymphocytes that cause the death of thyroid cells. This is an impetus for a decrease in the amount of hormones produced by it. The form of the disease has a pronounced genetic dependence.
- Postpartum thyroiditis is the most common. The disease provokes overload of the body during pregnancy.
- Painless autoimmune thyroid thyroiditis is an analogue of postpartum, but the cause of the disease has not yet been identified.
- The "cytokine-induced" type occurs with a diagnosis of "Hepatitis C", as well as blood diseases, if interferon has been treated.
Causes of thyroiditis
Additional factors that cause thyroid thyroiditis are:
- previous respiratory infections;
- the influence of harmful environmental factors, excessive consumption of iodine, chlorine and fluorine in water and food;
- foci of chronic infection (teeth, palatine tonsils, sinuses);
- stress;
- increased background radiation or prolonged exposure to the sun;
- uncontrolled intake of iodine-containing and hormonal drugs.
Thyroid thyroiditis. What are the symptoms?
Most often, pronounced symptoms are absent. Sometimes the patient complains of fatigue, weakness, joint pain, discomfort in the throat, and a feeling of pressure in the area of inflammation. Postpartum thyroid thyroiditis is accompanied by severe weakness, fatigue and sudden weight loss. Very often, a malfunction in the functioning of the thyroid gland is manifested by a feeling of heat, tachycardia, excessive sweating, insomnia and instability of the patient's mood. There is almost no cytokine-induced thyroiditis, it is detected only in laboratory studies. Painless thyroiditis causes mild thyroid dysfunction.
Thyroid thyroiditis. How to treat?
The disease is currently poorly treated. The thyrotoxic phase is characterized by the fact that thyroid hormones and destroyed follicular cells are released into the blood. During this period, drugs that suppress the activity of the body are not yet prescribed. In case of violations in the cardiovascular system, beta-blockers are used. Subacute thyroiditis is treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Metindol, Voltaren, Indomethacin). Surgical intervention for this disease is indicated in the case of a sharp increase in the gland. If thyroiditis is almost asymptomatic, but the diagnosis is established, the patient should be observed by a doctor to prevent hypothyroidism.