My Friend Alexa 2021: Post 5
Table of Contents
The thyroid gland is one of the most crucial glands of our body, it controls the metabolic rate of our body. It controls the energy consumption of our body so almost every system in the body is under the control of the Thyroid gland.
Thyroiditis is inflammation of the thyroid gland. The causes of inflammation could be many. It’s a genetically inherited condition and runs in the family.
In thyroiditis:
- Thyrotoxic Phase: the thyroid gland initially is inflamed and produce a lot of thyroid hormone and dump it in the body. Leading to thyrotoxicosis (Hyperthyroid with very high readings).
- Hypothyroid Phase: after the thyrotoxic phase lasting for few weeks to months thyroid gland has no more hormones left so body goes into hypothyroid phase due to lack of thyroid hormones.
- Euthyroid Phase: after the hypothyroid phase the thyroid gland again builds up the hormones and it corrects the balance of the body back to normal stage.
Thyroiditis is of different types:
- Hashimoto Thyroiditis: It’s an Auto-immune type of thyroiditis, where the body starts producing the anti-bodies against thyroid gland causing it’s destruction. It’s a common condition of women. It causes hypothyroid condition, which is mostly permanent.
- Silent/ Painless Thyroiditis: it’s the second most common condition which is auto-immune disease. it’s a painless condition.
- Post-Partum Thyroiditis: After delivery at times the body produces Anti-Thyroid Antibodies against the thyroid gland causing hypothyroidism.
- Radiation induced Thyroiditis: It is caused by external radiation even the medically used one for to treat hyperthyroidism.
- De-Quervian’s/ Subacute Thyroiditis: It’s a very painful condition thought to be caused by Virus.
- Acute Suppurative Thyroiditis: It’s a very rare condition caused by bacterial organism.
- Drug Induced Thyroiditis: A few drugs may lead to thyroiditis like amiodarone, interferons, lithium, and cytokines
How do we know it’s Thyroiditis?
Blood Investigations:
- Thyroid Function test
- Anti-thyroid antibody
- Complete blood count with ESR
Radiological investigations:
- Ultrasonography
- Thyroid scan
Treatment:
Treatment of thyroiditis is solely dependent on the symptoms:
- Thyrotoxic phase: it’s a temporary phase & it passes in few weeks to months it usually doesn’t require treatment
- Palpitations/ tremors: it’s usually controlled by Beta-Blockers
- Pain in Thyroid: it’s usually controlled by anti-inflammatory drugs. Rarely only the pain is so severe that it requires additional treatment.
- Hypothyroidism: The remnant hypothyroidism usually requires replacement hormones: Levo-thyroxine till the time that body reverts back to euthyroid state.
Although I’m just uncovering the tip of the iceberg here, I hope my post was helpful.
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Disclaimer: This post is a part of Blogchatter’s My friend Alexa 2021 Challenge.
- Post 1: https://livingherself.com/2021/09/20/my-friend-alexa-2021/
- Post 2: https://livingherself.com/2021/09/22/know-about-thyroid-diseases/
- Post 3: https://livingherself.com/2021/09/24/do-i-have-thyroid-disease-hypothyroidism/
- Post 4: https://livingherself.com/2021/09/27/do-i-have-hyperthyroidism/
References:
- https://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/thyroid/thyroiditis
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15455-thyroiditis
- https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/what-is-thyroiditis
- https://www.aafp.org/afp/2000/0215/p1047.html
- https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/925249-overview
- https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/thyroiditis/
Very informative. I had no clue about this. You shared quite in detail.
I know many friends and family members who suffer from Thyroid. I will share this post with them. Thank you Dr. Mina for writing this one!
I had no symptoms with hypo during pregnancy. I took some tabs and when I delivered it was all okay.
My sister has thyroid and it is very informative for me and for my sister. I will share with her also.
I have been a patient for last 12 years. Its a tough part to come to terms with, there are so many body changes that we need to learn to live with
Usually, people keep living with it without actually getting tested and identified. Is that true?
It is true, usually sub-clinical thyroid is common people only get aware about it in random testing.
Its good you covered it in detail and yet you called it tip of iceberg. Informative and insightful. Can helps to identify the symptoms early on
Great post with details even the phases of thyroid-related diseases.
This is a detailed post about thyroid. I am sure it will be helpful for many.
I don’t know much about this. It is a very informative post.
I wasn’t aware of thyroiditis is so much depth. This post is very informative and helpful.
Very informative helpful post for the people dealing with thyroid issue. I am sharing your post with my sis again as she is also suffering from Hypothyroidism since 2 years.
One often wonders about the difference between hyper and hypothyroidism. Thank you for your detailed post.
I learnt something new today. Didn’t know a thyroid condition could also be inherited.
Thyroiditis is auto immune so it tends to run in families. I’m glad you liked the post
Thank you for this helpful and informative post
This is quite informative. I have Post-Partum Thyroiditis and it has changed my life completely, not for good. I want to know the time period between hypothyroid phase and euthyroid phase. It was something new for me. Thanks for sharing.
It’s not definite but it could last from weeks to few months
It most of the time revert back to euthyroid stage.
Very informative and detailed post. My mom suffers from this for the last 35 years and I know how important this gland is for your body.
It’s not always easy to identify this condition as you rightly said.
This is really a serious problem. But if we see your detailed description of this problem, things can be a lot helpful
Thats a very detailed article.. Loved reading it… very insightful and informative
Very detailed. Though I have seen my uncle suffer from it. But your series is much packed with information
Thyroid is very common but people follow their own preset notions on it without understanding that each one is different and each one is treated differently; thanks for complete guide in the post.
Thanks for the information…