Neck pain turns out to be related to the thyroid gland

In daily life, there are many reasons that can cause neck pain, such as cervical spondylosis, stiff neck, etc. In fact, there is another important cause of neck pain, which is thyroid disease. It is very harmful to human health, so everyone must pay attention to it.

1. The thyroid gland is a very important gland in the human body. It is shaped like a butterfly and is located in the front side of the upper trachea below the larynx. It can move up and down with the larynx when swallowing. Its main function is to synthesize thyroid hormones and regulate the body's metabolism. When it is abnormal, it may cause thyroid-related diseases. Subacute thyroiditis is one of the most common thyroid diseases.

2. The cause of subacute thyroiditis is unknown. It is currently believed to be caused by a viral infection. It often occurs after an upper respiratory tract infection, tonsillitis, or a cold. In the early stages of the disease, there are often symptoms similar to upper respiratory tract infections, such as sore throat, throat obstruction, fever, and fatigue. Therefore, it is often mistaken for a cold or pharyngitis. However, the pain symptoms do not improve after taking cold medicine or anti-inflammatory drugs. Some people may only experience mild pain, which is aggravated by coughing, chewing, or swallowing. Some may experience severe pain, which may even radiate to the ears, jaw, top of the head, and other parts, making it unbearable. In addition to sore throat, some patients also have symptoms of hyperthyroidism such as palpitations, heat intolerance, and sweating in the early stages. Hyperthyroidism is mostly short-term and does not require anti-hyperthyroidism drugs. Mild hypothyroidism may also occur in the later stages, which usually does not require medication. Or the patient may be mistaken for other thyroid diseases such as thyroid adenocarcinoma due to swelling of the neck or palpable nodules.

3. Some cases of subacute thyroiditis can resolve on their own and recover completely within a few weeks without special treatment. However, there is still a possibility of recurrence. Some cases of subacute thyroiditis may become chronic if not treated in time. Therefore, timely diagnosis and treatment of subacute thyroiditis is very important. So, how can we detect whether we have subacute thyroiditis in time? Generally speaking, the most obvious feature of subacute thyroiditis is pain in the front of the neck. Therefore, when you find yourself having unexplained pain in your neck, especially if you have a history of viral infection such as a cold before the neck pain, and when the neck pain is severe and even the ears, jaw, chest, shoulders, etc. feel unbearable pain and are accompanied by fever, you must not take it lightly and should go to the hospital in time to rule out the possibility of subacute thyroiditis.