What to do with Hashimoto's thyroiditis?
Hashimoto's thyroiditis is the most common clinical type of thyroiditis, with over 90% occurring in females. It is also the major cause of primary hypothyroidism. The onset of Hashimoto's thyroiditis is insidious and progresses slowly. Early clinical manifestations are often atypical. Therefore, the treatment of Hashimoto's thyroiditis should be tailored to different circumstances. If a patient with Hashimoto's thyroiditis has normal thyroid function, then no special treatment is needed, only regular follow-up is required. If the patient develops hypothyroidism, thyroid hormone replacement therapy should be administered using either thyroxine tablets or levothyroxine tablets until the maintenance dose is reached, to improve clinical symptoms and normalize thyroid function. Another category includes patients with Hashimoto's hyperthyroidism, who generally do not require treatment as they may go through phases of hyperthyroidism, normal thyroid function, and hypothyroidism. Transient hyperthyroidism can be managed symptomatically with β-blockers. For cases highly suspected of concurrent Hashimoto's thyroiditis with thyroid cancer or lymphoma, surgical treatment can be considered.
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