Painless (silent) thyroiditis is an inflammation of the thyroid gland characterized by passing hyperthyroidism, followed by hypothyroidism and recovery.
The cause of this type of thyroiditis is unknown. The disease affects women more often than men and usually develops in people between age 13 and 80. The symptoms are those of hyperthyroidism (overactivity of the thyroid gland), and may last for 3 months or less.
Symptoms:
Symptoms in painless thyroiditis are usually mild. Most symptoms are due to hyperthyroidism and may include:
A thyroid biopsy shows invasion of lymphocytes (a type of white blood cells) into the gland.
Review Date: 1/18/2006
Reviewed By: Nikheel S. Kolatkar, MD, Clinical and Research Fellow, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Hypertension, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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Endocrinology
