What are the symptoms of subacute thyroiditis?

Subacute thyroiditis is actually subacute thyroiditis. The disease is generally caused by thyroid virus infection. Patients with subacute thyroiditis will also have more obvious symptoms, such as upper respiratory tract pain, swallowing pain, varying degrees of thyroid enlargement, etc. Friends must pay attention to such symptoms and seek medical attention in time.

SAT usually develops 1-3 weeks after viral infection. Studies have found that the disease has a seasonal incidence trend (summer and autumn, coinciding with the peak of enterovirus incidence) and tends to cluster in different geographical regions. The onset and severity of the disease vary.

1. Prodromal symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection: muscle pain, fatigue, malaise, sore throat, etc., body temperature increases to varying degrees, reaching a peak 3-4 days after onset. May be accompanied by cervical lymphadenopathy.

2. Characteristic pain in the thyroid area: occurs gradually or suddenly, with varying degrees. The symptoms may be aggravated by turning the neck and swallowing, and often radiate to the ipsilateral ear, throat, mandibular angle, chin, occipital bone, chest and back. A small number of patients experience hoarseness and difficulty swallowing.

3. Thyroid enlargement: diffuse or asymmetric mild to moderate enlargement, most of which are accompanied by nodules, hard in texture, with obvious tenderness, and no tremor or murmur. The pain of goiter often affects one lobe first and then spreads to the other lobe.

4. Clinical manifestations related to changes in thyroid function:

(1) Thyrotoxicosis stage: In the early stage of the disease, about 50%-75% of patients experience weight loss, heat intolerance, tachycardia, etc., which lasts about 3-8 weeks;

(2) Hypothyroidism stage: About 25% of patients enter the hypothyroidism stage before the thyroid hormone synthesis function is restored, and symptoms such as edema, fear of cold, and constipation occur;

(3) Thyroid function recovery stage: Most patients recover normal function in a short period of time (weeks to months), and only a few develop permanent hypothyroidism. The entire course of the disease is approximately 6-12 months. In some cases, the symptoms worsen repeatedly, lasting from several months to 2 years.