Is thyroiditis fever dangerous?

Written by Luo Juan
Endocrinology
Updated on June 13, 2025
00:00
00:00

Fever symptoms in thyroiditis mainly refer to acute suppurative thyroiditis and subacute thyroiditis. Acute suppurative thyroiditis is a purulent infectious disease, often a mixed bacterial infection, commonly occurring after upper respiratory infections or fine-needle aspiration of thyroid nodules. Symptoms can include thyroid enlargement, pain, difficulty swallowing, fever, and other systemic symptoms. Broad-spectrum antibiotics can be used for initial treatment. If the pathogen is identified, the type of antibiotic can be adjusted. Some patients may require incision and drainage if an abscess is present, and in very rare cases, complications such as tracheal obstruction or mediastinitis may occur. Additionally, patients with subacute thyroiditis may also experience fever, usually a mild to moderate increase in body temperature, and in some cases, it can reach 40°C. The fever typically peaks around the third to fourth day and subsides in about a week. Patients with this type of fever can generally use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and since subacute thyroiditis is a self-limiting disease, whether the fever in thyroiditis is dangerous depends on the situation.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Hui Zhi
Endocrinology
58sec home-news-image

How is thyroiditis diagnosed?

Thyroiditis, clinically more commonly seen as subacute thyroiditis, is primarily caused by viral infections. The main clinical symptoms include pain in the anterior neck accompanied by fever, typically in the afternoon or evening. Upon examination, the thyroid is enlarged and tender. In terms of auxiliary examinations, blood tests reveal that some patients may have elevated white blood cells if there is a concurrent infection, and an increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Furthermore, initially, there might be mild signs of hyperthyroidism. Thyroid ultrasound may suggest signs of subacute thyroiditis, and the iodine uptake rate is decreased. If further examination is desired, a fine needle aspiration of the thyroid can be performed to help comprehensively consider and confirm the diagnosis.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Hui Zhi
Endocrinology
56sec home-news-image

Thyroiditis Clinical Symptoms

Thyroiditis usually refers to subacute thyroiditis in clinical terms, and its symptoms mainly include the following: Firstly, early stages of the disease typically involve neck pain accompanied by fever, which usually occurs in the afternoon or evening. If it coincides with hyperthyroidism, additional symptoms may include palpitations, weight loss, insomnia, tremors, excessive sweating, increased appetite, irritability, and mood swings commonly associated with hyperthyroidism. Therefore, if these symptoms are present, it is advised to promptly visit the endocrinology department of a hospital for a complete thyroid function test, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, blood routine, and thyroid ultrasonography to establish a clear diagnosis.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Hui Zhi
Endocrinology
54sec home-news-image

Initial symptoms of thyroiditis

If it is the early stage of subacute thyroiditis, the patient will experience a fever, mainly in the afternoon or at night. Secondly, there is pain when bending the neck forward, and many patients feel as if they have a sore throat and thus visit the otolaryngology department. Thirdly, in the early stages, the patient experiences transient hyperthyroidism, with symptoms such as palpitations, excessive sweating, weight loss, and insomnia. Therefore, with these symptoms, it is advisable to promptly visit an endocrinology specialist for further thyroid function tests and thyroid ultrasound, followed by a definitive diagnosis and comprehensive treatment.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Hui Zhi
Endocrinology
55sec home-news-image

Are people with thyroiditis afraid of heat?

Thyroiditis generally refers to subacute thyroiditis. It is a disease caused by the destruction of thyroid follicles due to a viral infection, leading to the release of thyroid hormones into the blood. In the early stages, some people may experience transient hyperthyroidism, with symptoms such as heat intolerance, excessive sweating, palpitations, insomnia, weight loss, and irritability. In addition to these symptoms, thyroiditis can also be accompanied by neck pain and fever, generally occurring in the afternoon or evening. Therefore, it is recommended that anyone with these symptoms should promptly visit an endocrinology specialist to complete thyroid function tests, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, routine blood tests, and thyroid ultrasound to confirm the diagnosis.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Tang Zhuo
Endocrinology
1min 11sec home-news-image

What department does thyroiditis fall under?

Thyroiditis is a common disease in endocrinology. Thyroiditis refers to the inflammation of the thyroid gland, which can be divided into two types: bacterial inflammation and autoimmune inflammation. Clinically, thyroiditis can be categorized into three types: the first is called acute suppurative thyroiditis, the second is called subacute thyroiditis, and the third is called chronic thyroiditis. Acute thyroiditis is a bacterial infection and the pathogens can be either bacteria or viruses. It is generally induced by an upper respiratory infection, which may trigger a bacterial or viral infection in the thyroid. Subacute thyroiditis is not a bacterial infection but an immunological inflammatory infection. The third type, chronic thyroiditis, is also known as Hashimoto's disease. All three types of thyroiditis can be treated in the department of endocrinology.