# Ear pain....could it be " subacute granulomatous thyroiditis"



## Jya1124

Hi all! I recently started having symptoms return over the past couple of weeks. My hair has been falling out again, dry skin, weepy, etc. Then I got what I thought was an ear infection which never ever happens. I haven't had ear problems my entire life. The pain is so awful that I went to see a flight doctor on base (not even certified to practice in my state but that's who we have too see on base). He said it was red but didn't look infected, he couldn't understand why I was in so much pain. He does know of my thyroid disorder but didn't think the two were related. Neither did I until I came accross this article:

The second type of thyroiditis is called subacute granulomatous thyroiditis, or painful thyroiditis. Unlike most forms of thyroid disease which are more common in women, this type of thyroiditis occurs equally in both men and women. It usually starts out as a harmless viral illness such as the flu or a cold which invades the thyroid gland causing thyroiditis. This type of inflammation is quite painful and you may find that the front of your throat is sore to the touch. Often this pain extends to the jaw or ear and can be confused with a whole host of other diseases including temporomandibular joint problems (commonly referred to as TMJ), ear infections or even Strep throat. Sometimes only one lobe of the thyroid is affected causing pain and swelling on just one side of the neck instead of both.

Gradually the thyroid recovers and stops spilling thyroid hormone into the blood stream. The thyroid gland begins to shrink and becomes less tender. The thyroid cells recover and are usually able to produce normal amounts of thyroid hormone. Occasionally, however, the thyroid has been destroyed and can never produce normal quantities of thyroid hormone. In this case, permanent hypothyroidism results and medication is necessary.

The diagnosis of painful thyroiditis is made by routine thyroid function blood tests which may initially show an overactive thyroid because of the sudden release of a surplus of thyroid hormone into the blood stream as the thyroid is attacked by the virus. A radioactive iodine scan will show almost no concentration of the radioiodine by the thyroid cells because these cells are temporarily injured during the inflammatory process. In the situation where only one side of the thyroid gland is enlarged, it can mimic the symptoms of thyroid cancer, therefore a thorough history, including recent viral infections, must be considered. In addition, if the thyroid only shrinks on one side after the infection, it also may be misdiagnosed as a thyroid cancer, therefore it is important that you inform your doctor about the painful initial swelling.

Sometimes medications like aspirin or ibuprofen can be taken to help decrease the amount of pain. If the thyroid cells recover, no additional medication is needed. However, if the damage is permanent, replacement doses of thyroid hormone medication must be taken for the rest of your life to treat the hypothyroidism. There is no way to tell who will eventually end up with an underactive thyroid gland. Therefore it is very important to have routine visits with your doctor, to make sure that your thyroid gland is still functioning normally. This information is obtained by routine thyroid function blood tests.

http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/dept/thyroid/thyroiditis.html

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I can also feel a lump near my ear on my neck. I thought I just had a cold with an ear infection, but now I'm very worried it could be worse. Has anyone heard of or been through this before? Does it really last 6-8 weeks? Help!!!!!


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## Jya1124

Anyone? Help!!


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## Koof

I have no clue, but can you get blood tests run to see if your thyroid is functioning well? I'm guessing that is where a doctor would start if they suspected it.


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## Octavia

It seems like a possibility. Could that lump in your neck near your ear be a swollen lymph node, trying to fight the bug?

Assuming this IS a possibility, what are your next steps?


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## Jya1124

I'm calling my endo today to see if I can get it for an ultrasound and more bloodwork. I haven't had my ultrasound yet and it's been 4 months since I was diagnosed...hoping he will have more information because the doctor on base said it wasn't even an ear infection and he did not know why I was having pain..


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## Jya1124

I'm here now and before they even saw me they were already telling me it wasn't relayed to my thyroid. I'm so angry right now. I'm so tired of this endocrinologist writing me off and not listening to me. I know my body. This is painful and pretty much textbook...I just want to know what is going on and how to fix it but instead they treat me like I'm an idiot. Don't know where to go from here. I'm tired of being treated by my "numbers" and not my symptoms. I can hear them outside talking about me. I wish I knew what to say or to do right now. Words can't explain how frustrated and upset I am.


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## Octavia

Well, regardless of whether they believe it's your thyroid, it seems an ultrasound wouldn't be out of the question...???


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## Jya1124

I've been sitting here in the office almost an hour. They could have been doing the us while the other doctor was busy but instead they're dragging it out as usual. This is unbelievable.


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## bigfoot

I have no idea if the two are related in your case, but I have noticed occasional "odd" feelings with my ear(s). Dunno if this helps, but here goes... typically it feels like a painful tightness & tenderness, and usually only happens on one side or the other at a time. It feels the worse near the bottom of the ear, and behind it, right where that little "divot" is (for lack of a technical term). When it happens it can be very painful, waking me up at night, and feels like a horrible ear infection is setting in. But whenever I have had a doc look in there everything looks normal. This probably happens a few times a year at most. Originally I never gave any thought to it, just figured I slept on my ear wrong. But it can persist for a week or so with the dull ache, then goes away on its own, with no remaining tenderness or aching.

Never had any pain in my throat at the same time, at least not that I remember or was aware of. You bring up an interesting question of whether the two are connected. Hopefully your doc can get you an ultrasound. The frustration factor is sky-high with all of this stuff. Hang in there -- somebody will have an answer (or answers) for you!

hugs3


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## Octavia

It's kind of a shame that they are not sending you elsewhere for the ultrasound. I fear that since they're already conviced it's "nothing" or not thyroid-related, they will go into the procedure with a bias.

Keep us posted.


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## Jya1124

They did do they ultrasound of my thyroid only and it is in fact abnormally swollen, and they also diagnosed me with Graves Disease as well as Hashis and told me the ear pain was due to a middle ear infection. Then he went on to say that my "hair loss, dry skin, and peeling nails were not symptoms from my thyroid because my levels were normal." I'm just lost...I'm seeing another doctor and demanding a full throat ultrasound to check for nodules and bloodwork to confirm the graves. This disease is crazy! It seems like its always something!


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## Octavia

Interesting...they went from "it's not your thyroid" to Graves and Hashi's based on an ultrasound? hhhhmmmmm.....

So, since your hair, skin, and nail problems are "not symptoms from my thyroid" did they offer any other plausible explanation?


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## webster2

I had ear pain. Sometimes it was pretty bad. I think that combined with your skin, nail and hair issue constitute further investigation, JMHO.


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## Jya1124

Yes they said that since my tpo level was only 13 (below 60 is normal) when it was previously 330 that my enlarged thyroid was not caused from my hashis and something else was going on. So their conclusion was that I also have graves and/or some sort of nodule issue. I'm headed to base today to meet with the only certified doctor which I love because he is very thorough for more bloodwork (since NONE was drawn yesterday for some reason), and I'm going to ask for a full ultrasound of my entire neck not just my thyroid. I think I'm going to see if I can see a specialist in the metroplex near here. I would have to drive 3 hours there and back but it's worth it for some real answers. This endo is not a progressive endo he is about 65 years old and set in his ways, he is convinced that if the numbers are "normal" that the rest must be in my head. I'm not happy with him or my appointment yesterday, hopefully I will get some real answers or help today. He basically told me if I felt like I couldn't breathe due to the swollen thyroid that I need to go to the er, and prescribed me with steroid drops for my "middle ear infection." who knows anymore....


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