More showing symptoms of thyroiditis after Covid, doctors say

Gurugram: Barely two weeks after he had recovered from Covid-19, a 47-year-old resident of Sector 23 had to return to his doctor due to persisting throat ache. Painkillers, recommended by his physician, did not help.

After running a couple of tests, the patient was diagnosed with thyroiditis, which is caused due to an inflammation of the thyroid gland.

Swelling around the thyroid gland, neck pain, difficulty in swallowing, tenderness in the neck, shivering, diarrhoea and palpitations — common symptoms of thyroiditis — have been witnessed among several people weeks after they have recovered from Covid-19, doctors in the city said.

“We are recently observing that many Covid-19 patients are exhibiting these symptoms post-recovery. It typically manifests in three to 60 days after Covid-19 and usually as classical subacute thyroiditis, which includes neck pain, palpitations, and fever,” Dr Veenu Gupta, consultant internal medicine at Manipal Hospital, told TOI.

The condition, doctors said, was more common among the middle-aged, even those without a history of thyroid, post-Covid.

Thyroiditis, chief medical officer Virender Yadav said, is common post any viral infection and is not related to Covid-19.

“It can happen to people with low immunity. There are no specific parameters to identify people who might get thyroiditis after a viral infection but patients usually recover completely from thyroiditis within four to 12 months,” he said.

Dr Sanjay Gupta, a senior consultant of internal medicine at Paras Hospitals, said, “Investigations may indicate increased triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4) and decreased thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels. These are important parameters and must be diagnosed as it may result in thyroid storm,” he said. A thyroid storm is a life-threatening health condition that is associated with untreated or undertreated hyperthyroidism.

“Treatment includes anti-inflammatory agents and steroids, like methylprednisolone and prednisolone. Patients usually respond very well to steroids. In case a patient’s condition worsens, he or she must see a specialist at the earliest in order to avoid more complications,” Dr Gupta added.