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Painless Thyroiditis

Meaning

Painless Thyroiditis is a transient, self-limiting inflammatory condition of the thyroid gland characterized by an initial phase of hyperthyroidism, followed by a hypothyroid phase, and eventual return to a euthyroid state, all occurring without the characteristic neck pain or tenderness. This condition is clinically significant because its symptoms often mimic other, more chronic thyroid disorders, necessitating careful differential diagnosis. The hyperthyroid phase results from the leakage of pre-formed hormone from damaged follicles, not from overproduction, a key distinction from Graves’ disease. It is often a postpartum occurrence or a variant of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.