De Quervain's thyroiditis history and symptoms

The hallmark of de Quervain’s thyroiditis is hyperthyroidism with the neck pain. A positive history of viral illness and family history of de Quervain’s thyroiditis are suggestive of de Quervain’s thyroiditis. The most common symptoms of de Quervain’s thyroiditis are neck pain, palpitations, tachycardia, nervousness, and tremors.

Patients with de Quervain’s thyroiditis usually have the history of viral illness and family history of de Quervain’s thyroiditis. Patients may have the history of low-grade fever and viral flu-like symptoms, such as sore throat, myalgia, arthralgia, and malaise.

Common symptoms of de Quervain’s thyroiditis include:^[1]

• Symptoms of preceding upper respiratory infection
  • Malaise
  • Myalgia
  • Sore throat
• Fever
• Painful thyroid swelling
• Symptoms of thyrotoxicosis
  • Tremors
  • Nervousness
  • Sweating

De Quervain’s thyroiditis usually causes hyperthyroidism in its acute phase. However, it can also cause hypothyroidism in some cases.^[2][3][4][5]

De Quervain’s thyroiditis is usually preceded by a viral prodrome followed by the symptoms of thyrotoxicosis. This phase of thyrotoxicosis lasts for several weeks to few months.

The patient may have the following general symptoms:

• Myalgias
• Low-grade fever
• Fatigue
• Weight loss

The patient may have:

• Severe neck pain
• Radiation of pain to the ears and/or jaw
• Neck swelling

The patient may have:

• Diarrhea

The patient may have:

• Palpitations

The patient may have:

• Nervousness
• Irritability
• Tremors

The patient may have:

• Sweating

• The symptoms of hypothyroidism may develop in the later stages of de Quervain’s thyroiditis during the recovery of thyrotoxicosis. This phase usually lasts for four to six months.
• Rarely, the residual hypothyroidism may persist.

The patient may have:

• Fatigue
• Lethargy
• Cold intolerance
• Myxedema
• Weight gain
• Weight loss
• Migraines
• Puffy face

The patient may have:

• Enlarged neck or presence of goiter
• Dysphonia (from involvement of the recurrent laryngeal nerve)
• Dyspnea (from the compression of the trachea)
• Dysphagia (from impingement upon the esophagus)
• Small or shrunken thyroid gland (late in the disease)

The patient may have:

• Constipation

The patient may have:

• Dry skin
• Hair loss

The patient may have:

• Depression
• Difficulty concentrating or thinking
• Mania
• Memory loss
• Panic attacks

The patient may have:

• Infertility
• Oligomenorrhea
• Menometrorrhagia

The patient may have:

• Joint stiffness
• Muscle cramps

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