What Are The Types Of Thyroiditis?

De Quervain's Thyroiditis

De Quervain's thyroiditis occurs when a virus or bacteria causes the thyroid gland to become damaged and inflamed. Gram-positive bacteria, adenovirus, coxsackievirus, Epstein Barr virus, echovirus, influenza virus, mumps, and enterovirus are known to produce this type of thyroiditis. In this form of thyroiditis, the patient's thyroid gland enlarges rapidly and becomes increasingly painful. At first, the damage done to the thyroid tissues allows for large quantities of hormones to leak into the blood, producing conditions of hyperthyroidism. However, this form of thyroiditis produces conditions of hypothyroidism shortly after the spike in blood thyroid hormone levels. This malfunction occurs because the damaged thyroid tissues cannot perform their function of iodine uptake, which is a compound required for the gland to produce thyroid hormones. Most cases of de Quervain's thyroiditis resolve successfully if the patient has had proper treatment. However, some patients may remain in a persistent state of hypothyroidism for a long duration after the thyroid inflammation has been resolved.

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Silent Thyroiditis

Silent thyroiditis is a type of thyroiditis that occurs when a patient's immune system launches an attack on the cells that make up their thyroid gland, causing it to become damaged. Silent thyroiditis blends characteristics of Hashimoto's thyroiditis and de Quervain's thyroiditis. Labs in individuals affected by silent thyroiditis tend to show raised levels of thyroid hormones in the blood but lower levels of iodine uptake. This form of thyroiditis is deemed to be silent because thyroid pain is a rare occurrence. The course of silent thyroiditis is similar to that of de Quervain's thyroiditis because it produces conditions of hyperthyroidism in a patient's body followed by hypothyroidism conditions. Silent thyroiditis is most prevalent among women who have just given birth. Certain types of medications have also been implicated as the cause for silent thyroiditis, such as chemotherapy, interferon, and amiodarone. The period of hyperthyroidism that occurs in silent thyroiditis typically lasts for up to three months, and the hypothyroidism that follows it can take even longer to resolve.

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