Is ait treated? What is thyroiditis of the thyroid gland and how is it treated. Acute thyroiditis, non-purulent form

Most commonly diagnosed inflammatory disease thyroid gland is called thyroiditis. WHO publications also testify that this is the most common thyroid disease in the world and the second most detected among all diseases of the endocrine system (after diabetes mellitus). However, there are no exact statistics, since the disease has a complex etiology. Some scientists believe that thyroiditis affects up to 50% of the population.

Thyroiditis of the thyroid gland - what is it?

Under the general name “thyroiditis” a group has been assembled inflammatory diseases thyroid gland. As a result of inflammation of the gland tissue, the production of thyroid hormones first increases significantly, hyperthyroidism occurs, and then the inflamed gland produces them less than normal (hypothyroidism occurs).

In some cases, the inflammatory process affects a small part of the thyroid gland, which happens rarely, the entire lobe (most often) or the entire gland. With a complicated course of thyroiditis, suppuration occurs, it can break through the skin, which is fraught with the penetration of pus into the blood and the development of sepsis.

Important. The most common type is autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's). In this form, the body begins to perceive healthy thyroid tissue as foreign and produces antibodies to it.

During the initial examination, it is quite difficult to determine the type and cause of thyroiditis of the thyroid gland. What it is can be said with certainty only after a series of tests.

Causes

The most common causes of thyroiditis are infectious diseases: tuberculosis, syphilis, influenza, hepatitis A, measles, etc.

Some scientists consider endemic goiter to be one of the reasons for the development of thyroiditis.

In autoimmune forms, the cause is a malfunction of the immune system. This form of thyroiditis occurs much more often in women than in men. The most likely age range is considered to be 40–50 years. However, doctors are increasingly detecting the disease in people much younger than this age.

Among the causes of inflammatory processes in the thyroid gland are also called:

  • long stay in an area with a high radioactive background;
  • frequent irradiation of the head;
  • living in an area poor in iodine;
  • consuming too much iodine in food;
  • frequent colds and infectious diseases, etc.

Types, forms of thyroiditis and their symptoms

Thyroiditis has many classifications according to various characteristics:

  • Depending on the etiology, they are distinguished: syphilitic, septomycosis, tuberculosis and other types.
  • Based on age, it can be divided into juvenile, senile, postpartum, etc.
  • Inflammation can be classified as autoimmune thyroiditis or as fibrous.

The most widely used classification is according to the course of the disease: acute, subacute and chronic.

Acute form

This form of thyroiditis occurs rarely, it is considered the most severe, and can affect both the entire gland and part of it. With this disease, the lymph nodes in the neck become enlarged.

Acute thyroiditis can be purulent or non-purulent (aseptic).

Acute purulent thyroiditis

An abscess occurs in the thyroid gland. At the same time, body temperature rises to 39 ⁰C. It is painful for the patient to swallow. The pain intensifies when turning the neck and head, radiating to the back of the head, ears, and jaw. Severe headache and irritability occur against the background of general intoxication of the body.

The thyroid gland itself becomes dense at first, and then, after the formation of an abscess, soft, swollen and painful. Pain occurs when touching the organ.

Important. With purulent thyroiditis, the patient’s condition in most cases is assessed as extremely serious.

Acute non-purulent thyroiditis

With this type of thyroiditis, suppuration does not occur, only inflammation in a certain area of ​​the thyroid gland. Symptoms of non-purulent acute thyroiditis are less pronounced. The patient's condition is assessed as moderate.

Subacute form

This form of thyroiditis is characterized by a slow, gradual increase in symptoms. At first, the pain in the neck area is minor. Swallowing only causes discomfort. Gradually, the symptoms intensify: the pain becomes severe, radiates to the ears, jaw, back of the head, it becomes more and more difficult to swallow, the body temperature rises to 38 ⁰C, while (not always) the cervical lymph nodes become enlarged.

The course of the disease is long: up to 1.5–2 months. A study of hormonal levels reveals a decrease in radioactive iodine in the body, thyrotoxicosis, and a decrease in hormone levels.

Subacute thyroiditis responds well to treatment and usually results in recovery.

Chronic form

It has a very long period of occurrence: up to 6–8 months. The most common chronic form is autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's thyroiditis). It affects approximately 6, and according to some data, up to 15 times more often women than men.

However, chronic inflammation of the thyroid gland causes more severe symptoms in men. With a long course, a decrease in body temperature, a slowdown in metabolic processes in the body, memory loss, lethargy, fatigue, poor sleep, digestive disorders, and decreased fertility occur.

In invasive fibrous goiter (Riedel's disease), inflammation of the thyroid gland also occurs chronically. There is an opinion among some scientists that the chronic form almost always occurs in the presence of various types of endemic goiter.

Once again about the symptoms

Important! In the initial stage of the disease, thyroiditis symptoms are vague; they can be characteristic of diseases of other organs of the neck, as well as of other diseases of the thyroid gland. Acute thyroiditis manifests itself most clearly.

Common symptoms of thyroiditis include:

  • enlargement of the thyroid gland or part thereof;
  • redness of the skin of the throat;
  • pain when swallowing and turning the head.

In case of acute inflammation of the thyroid gland, symptoms will appear sharply:

  • pain in the neck, even when turning the head;
  • problems with swallowing;
  • increased body temperature, chills;
  • enlarged cervical lymph nodes.

In subacute thyroiditis, symptoms appear gradually, pain in the neck increases slowly. There is a constant headache, weakness, sweating and a feeling of heat. There is tremor of the fingers. The skin over the thyroid gland turns red and swells, and the thyroid gland is painful on palpation.

In chronic autoimmune thyroiditis, the symptoms described above are accompanied by weight loss, tachycardia, tinnitus, and pain in the back of the head.

Autoimmune inflammation of the thyroid gland in women has less pronounced symptoms; in men, the disease is acute and the symptoms are pronounced.

Treatment of thyroid inflammation

Treatment of thyroiditis has several directions:

  • It is important to restore hormonal balance if it is disturbed. For this purpose, treatment is carried out with tyrostatics (Mercazolil, Thiamazol).
  • Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for thyroiditis (Metindol, Voltaren, Indomethacin) will help relieve inflammation, reduce swelling and soreness of the gland.
  • Corticosteroid drugs (Prednisolone) for thyroiditis are used if its subacute form develops. They relieve inflammation, swelling and pain well.
  • Vitamin complexes, immune stimulants, and adaptogens are also prescribed.

Acute purulent thyroiditis will require surgical treatment. Here, when an abscess occurs, it is opened and drained. In parallel, intensive detoxification therapy and antibiotic injections are prescribed.

For autoimmune inflammation of the thyroid gland in women, treatment is carried out for a long time. Thyroid hormones are often prescribed for life.

If compression of the neck organs develops during chronic or subacute thyroiditis, surgical removal of the gland (thyroidectomy) is performed.

About folk remedies

Traditional medicine also offers its own recipes for treating thyroiditis. The most common is rubbing the goiter with infusions. To do this, use an alcohol infusion of green pine cones or extracts from their herbal collection: cocklebur, celandine, chamomile and meadowsweet.

Juice therapy is also used; lemon, beet and carrot juices are used to treat pathology.

Autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT)- chronic inflammation of the thyroid tissue, which has an autoimmune genesis and is associated with damage and destruction of the follicles and follicular cells of the gland. In typical cases, autoimmune thyroiditis is asymptomatic, only occasionally accompanied by an enlargement of the thyroid gland. Diagnostics autoimmune thyroiditis is carried out taking into account the results of clinical tests, ultrasound of the thyroid gland, data from a histological examination of the material obtained as a result of a fine-needle biopsy. Treatment of autoimmune thyroiditis is carried out by endocrinologists. It consists of correcting the hormone-producing function of the thyroid gland and suppressing autoimmune processes.

ICD-10

E06.3

General information

Autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT)- chronic inflammation of the thyroid tissue, which has an autoimmune genesis and is associated with damage and destruction of the follicles and follicular cells of the gland. Autoimmune thyroiditis accounts for 20-30% of all thyroid diseases. Among women, AIT occurs 15–20 times more often than among men, which is associated with a violation of the X chromosome and the effect of estrogen on the lymphoid system. Patients with autoimmune thyroiditis are usually between 40 and 50 years of age, although the disease has recently become more common in young adults and children.

Classification of autoimmune thyroiditis

Autoimmune thyroiditis includes a group of diseases that have the same nature.

  • Chronic autoimmune thyroiditis(lymphomatous, lymphocytic thyroiditis, obsolete - Hashimoto's goiter) develops as a result of progressive infiltration of T-lymphocytes into the parenchyma of the gland, an increase in the number of antibodies to cells and leads to gradual destruction of the thyroid gland. As a result of disturbances in the structure and function of the thyroid gland, the development of primary hypothyroidism (decreased levels of thyroid hormones) is possible. Chronic AIT has a genetic nature, can manifest itself in familial forms, and be combined with other autoimmune disorders.
  • Postpartum thyroiditis occurs most often and is most studied. It is caused by excessive reactivation of the body's immune system after its natural suppression during pregnancy. If there is an existing predisposition, this can lead to the development of destructive autoimmune thyroiditis.
  • Silent thyroiditis is an analogue of postpartum, but its occurrence is not associated with pregnancy, its causes are unknown.
  • Cytokine-induced thyroiditis may occur during treatment with interferon drugs in patients with hepatitis C and blood diseases.

Variants of autoimmune thyroiditis, such as postpartum, painless and cytokine-induced, are similar in the phases of the processes occurring in the thyroid gland. At the initial stage, destructive thyrotoxicosis develops, which subsequently turns into transient hypothyroidism, in most cases ending with restoration of thyroid function.

In all autoimmune thyroiditis, the following phases can be distinguished:

  • Euthyroid phase diseases (without thyroid dysfunction). May last for years, decades or a lifetime.
  • Subclinical phase. As the disease progresses, massive aggression of T lymphocytes leads to the destruction of thyroid cells and a decrease in the amount of thyroid hormones. By increasing the production of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), which overstimulates the thyroid gland, the body manages to maintain normal T4 production.
  • Thyrotoxic phase. As a result of increasing aggression of T-lymphocytes and damage to thyroid cells, existing thyroid hormones are released into the blood and the development of thyrotoxicosis. In addition, destroyed parts of the internal structures of follicular cells enter the bloodstream, which provoke further production of antibodies to thyroid cells. When, with further destruction of the thyroid gland, the number of hormone-producing cells falls below a critical level, the level of T4 in the blood decreases sharply, and a phase of obvious hypothyroidism begins.
  • Hypothyroid phase. It lasts about a year, after which thyroid function is usually restored. Sometimes hypothyroidism remains persistent.

Autoimmune thyroiditis can be monophasic (have only a thyrotoxic or only a hypothyroid phase).

Based on clinical manifestations and changes in the size of the thyroid gland, autoimmune thyroiditis is divided into forms:

  • Latent(there are only immunological signs, no clinical symptoms). The gland is of normal size or slightly enlarged (1-2 degrees), without compaction, the functions of the gland are not impaired, sometimes moderate symptoms of thyrotoxicosis or hypothyroidism may be observed.
  • Hypertrophic(accompanied by an increase in the size of the thyroid gland (goiter), frequent moderate manifestations of hypothyroidism or thyrotoxicosis). There may be a uniform enlargement of the thyroid gland throughout its entire volume (diffuse form), or the formation of nodes (nodular form), sometimes a combination of diffuse and nodular forms. The hypertrophic form of autoimmune thyroiditis may be accompanied by thyrotoxicosis in the initial stage of the disease, but usually the function of the thyroid gland is preserved or reduced. As the autoimmune process in the thyroid tissue progresses, the condition worsens, the function of the thyroid gland decreases, and hypothyroidism develops.
  • Atrophic(the size of the thyroid gland is normal or reduced, according to clinical symptoms - hypothyroidism). It is more often observed in old age, and in young people - in case of exposure to radioactive radiation. The most severe form of autoimmune thyroiditis, due to the massive destruction of thyrocytes, the function of the thyroid gland is sharply reduced.

Causes of autoimmune thyroiditis

Even with a hereditary predisposition, the development of autoimmune thyroiditis requires additional unfavorable provoking factors:

  • previous acute respiratory viral diseases;
  • foci of chronic infection (on the tonsils, in the sinuses, carious teeth);
  • ecology, excess of iodine, chlorine and fluorine compounds in the environment, food and water (affects the activity of lymphocytes);
  • long-term uncontrolled use of medications (iodine-containing drugs, hormonal agents);
  • radiation exposure, long exposure to the sun;
  • psychotraumatic situations (illness or death of loved ones, loss of work, resentment and disappointment).

Symptoms of autoimmune thyroiditis

Most cases of chronic autoimmune thyroiditis (in the euthyroid phase and the phase of subclinical hypothyroidism) are asymptomatic for a long time. The thyroid gland is not enlarged in size, is painless on palpation, and the function of the gland is normal. Very rarely, an increase in the size of the thyroid gland (goiter) can be detected; the patient complains of discomfort in the thyroid gland (a feeling of pressure, a coma in the throat), easy fatigue, weakness, joint pain.

The clinical picture of thyrotoxicosis in autoimmune thyroiditis is usually observed in the first years of development of the disease, is transient in nature and, as the functioning tissue of the thyroid gland atrophies, passes for some time into the euthyroid phase, and then into hypothyroidism.

Postpartum thyroiditis usually manifests as mild thyrotoxicosis at 14 weeks after birth. In most cases, fatigue, general weakness, and weight loss are observed. Sometimes thyrotoxicosis is significantly pronounced (tachycardia, feeling of heat, excessive sweating, tremors of the limbs, emotional lability, insomnia). The hypothyroid phase of autoimmune thyroiditis appears at 19 weeks after birth. In some cases, it is combined with postpartum depression.

Painless (silent) thyroiditis is expressed by mild, often subclinical thyrotoxicosis. Cytokine-induced thyroiditis is also not usually accompanied by severe thyrotoxicosis or hypothyroidism.

Diagnosis of autoimmune thyroiditis

It is quite difficult to diagnose AIT before the onset of hypothyroidism. Endocrinologists make the diagnosis of autoimmune thyroiditis based on the clinical picture and laboratory data. The presence of autoimmune disorders in other family members confirms the likelihood of autoimmune thyroiditis.

Laboratory tests for autoimmune thyroiditis include:

  • general analysis blood- an increase in the number of lymphocytes is determined
  • immunogram– characterized by the presence of antibodies to thyroglobulin, thyroid peroxidase, second colloid antigen, antibodies to thyroid hormones of the thyroid gland
  • determination of T3 and T4(total and free), TSH level in blood serum. An increased TSH level with a normal T4 level indicates subclinical hypothyroidism, an increased TSH level with a reduced T4 concentration indicates clinical hypothyroidism
  • Ultrasound of the thyroid gland- shows an increase or decrease in the size of the gland, a change in structure. The results of this study serve to complement the clinical picture and other laboratory results.
  • fine needle biopsy of the thyroid gland- allows you to identify a large number of lymphocytes and other cells characteristic of autoimmune thyroiditis. It is used when there is evidence of possible malignant degeneration of a thyroid nodule.

The diagnostic criteria for autoimmune thyroiditis are:

  • increased levels of circulating antibodies to the thyroid gland (AT-TPO);
  • detection of hypoechogenicity of the thyroid gland by ultrasound;
  • signs of primary hypothyroidism.

In the absence of at least one of these criteria, the diagnosis of autoimmune thyroiditis is only probabilistic. Since an increase in the level of AT-TPO, or the hypoechogenicity of the thyroid gland by itself does not prove autoimmune thyroiditis, this does not allow establishing an accurate diagnosis. Treatment is indicated for the patient only in the hypothyroid phase, therefore, as a rule, there is no urgent need to make a diagnosis in the euthyroid phase.

Treatment of autoimmune thyroiditis

Specific therapy for autoimmune thyroiditis has not been developed. Despite modern advances in medicine, endocrinology does not yet have effective and safe methods for correcting autoimmune pathology of the thyroid gland, in which the process would not progress to hypothyroidism.

In the case of the thyrotoxic phase of autoimmune thyroiditis, the use of drugs that suppress the function of the thyroid gland - thyrostatics (thiamazole, carbimazole, propylthiouracil) is not recommended, since in this process there is no hyperfunction of the thyroid gland. For severe symptoms of cardiovascular disorders, beta-blockers are used.

If hypothyroidism manifests itself, replacement therapy with thyroid hormone preparations - levothyroxine (L-thyroxine) - is prescribed individually. It is carried out under the control of the clinical picture and TSH levels in the blood serum.

Glucocorticoids (prednisolone) are indicated only for simultaneous autoimmune thyroiditis with subacute thyroiditis, which is often observed in the autumn-winter period. To reduce the titer of autoantibodies, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used: indomethacin, diclofenac. They also use drugs to correct immunity, vitamins, and adaptogens. In case of hypertrophy of the thyroid gland and pronounced compression of the mediastinal organs, surgical treatment is performed.

Forecast

The prognosis for the development of autoimmune thyroiditis is satisfactory. With timely treatment, the process of destruction and decrease in thyroid function can be significantly slowed down and long-term remission of the disease can be achieved. Satisfactory health and normal performance of patients in some cases persist for more than 15 years, despite short-term exacerbations of AIT.

Autoimmune thyroiditis and elevated titers of antibodies to thyroid peroxidase (AT-TPO) should be considered as risk factors for future hypothyroidism. In the case of postpartum thyroiditis, the probability of its recurrence after the next pregnancy in women is 70%. About 25-30% of women with postpartum thyroiditis subsequently develop chronic autoimmune thyroiditis with the transition to persistent hypothyroidism.

Prevention

If autoimmune thyroiditis is detected without dysfunction of the thyroid gland, it is necessary to monitor the patient in order to detect and timely compensate for the manifestations of hypothyroidism as early as possible.

Women who are carriers of AT-TPO without changes in thyroid function are at risk of developing hypothyroidism if they become pregnant. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor the condition and function of the thyroid gland both in early pregnancy and after childbirth.

ICD-10 code

The thyroid gland is an important organ for the entire body, responsible for the production of hormones. When it is dysfunctional, there is a hormonal imbalance, which leads to serious health problems. Effective treatment of the thyroid gland with folk remedies ensures stable dynamics in the shortest possible time and without side effects.

How to treat the thyroid gland with folk remedies

If autoimmune thyroiditis progresses, it is essentially an inflammation of the thyroid gland, which provokes the immune system to produce specific antibodies that perceive gland tissue as foreign bodies. It is difficult to cure a characteristic illness, so doctors use not only methods of official, but also alternative medicine. In the absence of therapeutic measures, autoimmune thyroiditis only progresses.

Oil hoods

If doctors have diagnosed autoimmune thyroiditis, treatment with folk remedies is effective using oil bases. It is recommended to use extracts of medicinal plants such as string, kirkazon, sweet clover, celandine, and cocklebur in intensive therapy. To prepare an effective folk remedy you need:

  • chop part of the dried herb (optional), add the same amount of odorless oil;
  • leave the composition in a glass container for up to 4 weeks;
  • When ready, rub the oil extract on your neck (especially the goiter area) before going to bed.

Walnut septa from thyroid nodules

To relieve inflammation, you can take anti-inflammatory drugs, but it is better to trust treatment with folk remedies, which have been popular for decades. For example, the septum of walnuts, when properly prepared, inhibits the disease, successfully treats hypothyroidism, and strengthens weakened immunity. The recipe is extremely simple, you will need to prepare:

  • walnut partitions – 25 pcs.;
  • medical alcohol – 100 ml.

Preparation, treatment:

  1. Grind the partitions of the walnuts, pour in the specified amount of alcohol (you can use vodka).
  2. Leave for 14 days in the dark.
  3. To treat autoimmune thyroiditis, take tincture 20-25 drops before each meal.

Tincture of pine buds

If the doctor discovers problems in the functioning of the endocrine system, treatment autoimmune diseases folk remedies necessarily includes this time-tested recipe. Pine buds quickly relieve inflammation, promote the resorption of thyroid nodules, normalize the production of natural hormones, and regulate hormonal levels. Below is an effective folk remedy involving pine buds; for it you need to have:

  • vodka – 500 ml;
  • pine buds - 2 packs.

Preparation, treatment:

  1. Add 2 packs of pine buds to 500 ml of vodka, close with a stopper, shake and leave for 14 days.
  2. Strain the mixture, remove the slurry, and place in the refrigerator.
  3. When treating, rub the tincture on your neck every evening before bed until complete recovery.

Herbs for the thyroid gland

To alleviate the patient’s general condition, doctors recommend effective herbal medicine. The main purpose of herbal components is to increase the supply of iodine to the body in order to stabilize disrupted hormonal levels. This is especially true for women of reproductive age, because autoimmune thyroiditis more often predominates in female bodies. The disease can be cured with the following herbs:

  1. Motherwort and cocklebur are herbal components for normalizing the activity of the endocrine system.
  2. Yarrow, white mistletoe, celandine are herbs that prevent the formation and growth of malignant tumors.
  3. Calendula, cinquefoil, nettle are folk remedies for strengthening the immune system and accelerating the recovery process of a patient with autoimmune thyroiditis.

How to treat autoimmune thyroiditis with freshly squeezed juices

Juice therapy is one of the most effective methods that has recently begun to be used in the treatment of autoimmune thyroiditis. Drinking fresh juices helps not only reduce the process of large-scale cell destruction, but also prevent their mutation into cancerous structures. The main thing is to choose the right ingredients, find out which juice is best for what purpose. Here are valuable recommendations from endocrinologists:

  1. Sea buckthorn juice accelerates the functioning of the thyroid gland, i.e. helps stabilize hormonal levels.
  2. Cabbage and lemon juice stop the destruction of thyroid tissue and prevent the spread of the pathological process.
  3. Potato is especially useful in the treatment of autoimmune thyroiditis.
  4. Juices from beets, carrots, and dandelions strengthen weakened immunity and restore the functionality of the endocrine system.
  5. Spinach juice, being a natural antioxidant and source of vitamins, enhances the body's immune response.

To cure a disease in this way, you need to decide with your doctor which natural ingredient should be involved in juice therapy for a specific clinical picture. Here are some effective recipes that have already helped many patients overcome recurrent autoimmune thyroiditis:

  1. Fresh carrot and beetroot. Combine 1 teaspoon of beets and 3 teaspoons of carrots. Take for breakfast instead of tea, ensuring unhindered flow of bile.
  2. Cabbage-lemon juice. Both ingredients must be taken in equal proportions and drunk morning and evening to activate the body’s immune response.
  3. Mix. The necessary ingredients are spinach, beets, cabbage and carrots, taken in proportions 1:1:2:4. Drink on an empty stomach, the course of treatment is 2-4 weeks for medical reasons.

Nutrition for autoimmune thyroiditis

If the goiter is enlarged, doctors suspect autoimmune thyroiditis. To accurately make a final diagnosis, diagnosis is necessary, after which treatment is prescribed. In order not to wait for medical prescriptions, already at the first symptoms of a characteristic illness, it is necessary to review the diet and introduce foods with a high iodine content into it. This is necessarily seaweed, tuna, herring, cod liver, bananas, strawberries, oranges, persimmons, lemons, grapes. With an enlarged goiter and progressive autoimmune thyroiditis, it is important to know the following nutritional rules:

  1. Eliminate fried, spicy and fatty foods from your daily diet.
  2. Reduce consumption of table salt and spices.
  3. Include plant fiber – legumes and grains – in your daily diet.
  4. Drink up to 2 liters of water per day, but you can also choose medicinal decoctions.
  5. Take natural vitamins in juices, berries, fruits, vegetables.

Is it possible to cure autoimmune thyroiditis?

The patient must understand: if the disease in the body has worsened once, then it is no longer possible to completely get rid of it. However, this does not mean that a person with autoimmune thyroiditis will face disability and death in the future. The functionality of the thyroid gland can be corrected and maintained at an acceptable level using medications and folk methods. It is important not only to select therapeutic and preventive measures, it is advisable to find out in detail why the characteristic illness has worsened.

With autoimmune thyroiditis, especially dangerous periods in a woman’s life are pregnancy and menopause. The fact is that during such events, hormonal changes predominate in the body, which causes an unscheduled relapse of the disease. During such periods of life, the patient should be under close medical supervision and take medications and folk remedies.

Video

Thyroiditis of the thyroid gland is the most common endocrine disease; in the early stages it may have no symptoms, but almost always ends. The functions of all organs and systems are impaired, and a person ages quickly. The disease is increasingly being found in children and adolescents; it has a rapid malignant development.

The most common endocrine disease is thyroiditis of the thyroid gland.

What is thyroiditis of the thyroid gland

This term refers to a number of pathological conditions in which it is observed. The most common is. As thyroiditis develops, the functions of the thyroid gland are impaired. The patient requires constant use of hormonal medications.

Causes of thyroiditis

The development of chronic thyroiditis is promoted by autoimmune aggression. The immune system produces antibodies that destroy healthy cells.

  • tachycardia;
  • hyperhidrosis;
  • increased fatigue;
  • pain in muscles and joints;
  • dyspnea.

Symptoms persist for several months. The subacute form of thyroiditis ends with recovery and restoration of thyroid function.

Diagnosis of thyroiditis

It is almost impossible to detect thyroiditis in the early stages. The diagnosis is made based on existing symptoms and test results. The presence of such disorders in the patient's relatives increases the likelihood of thyroiditis. The examination includes: a general blood test, an immunogram, determination of the level and. An increase in TSH with a normal amount of T4 indicates latent hypothyroidism.

Ultrasound of the thyroid gland reveals changes in its size and structure, and the presence of compactions.

The results of this procedure complement the clinical picture and laboratory tests. Fine needle testing allows you to detect an increase in the number of lymphocytes and other cells that appear during the inflammatory process. Most often prescribed for suspected.

Diagnostic signs of thyroiditis are:

  • increase in the number of AT-TPO antibodies;
  • the presence of hypoechoic inclusions in tissues;
  • symptoms of hypothyroidism.

In the absence of even one criterion, the diagnosis is considered unspecified. Treatment is indicated if there are signs of severe hypothyroidism.

Kinds

There are several forms of thyroiditis, differing in the nature of the clinical picture and the speed of development.

Acute inflammation of the thyroid gland occurs when an infectious agent enters the blood and lymph from nearby organs.

This is observed in chronic and acute tonsillitis and pneumonia. The causative agents of the infection are staphylococci and streptococci. The aseptic form of inflammation occurs due to injuries, exposure to radiation, and hemorrhage into tissue. In this case, pathogenic microorganisms are not detected.

Treatment of thyroiditis

No specific therapeutic regimens have been developed. Despite the rapid development of medicine, endocrinology does not have safe and effective methods for correcting such abnormalities of the thyroid gland. If there are severe signs of heart failure, beta-blockers are used.

For hypothyroidism, maintenance therapy is prescribed to compensate for the lack of hormones in the body. During this procedure, it is necessary to regularly take a TSH level test.

Diet

There are no special diets for patients with thyroiditis. To restore normal functioning of the thyroid gland, you need to eat 3-4 times a day. A lack of calories will have a bad effect on the patient's condition.