Severe throat and neck pain after every cold

[Delena2]

I keep getting severe inflammatory pain in my neck and the throat.   Almost always after a common cold I  my neck muscles spasm severely and then I know something just got "infected".  The cold itself goes away but the inflammation  process begins.  I'm in severe debilitating pain.   I've had tons of blood work, thryoid, CT and MRI.   Except for some thyroid abnormalities nothing explains this kind of pain.  I do not have Hashi or Graves and only a slightly elevated ANA.  I've been tested for all viruses, HIV and lyme (not the co-infections)

I don't feel pain in the thyroid area it's higher up in the neck on the right side.  My lymph nodes remain swollen and inflammed months after the onset.  Symptoms die down in about 3-6months but are triggered again by another cold.
There is definite inflammation.  I can hear it in my neck, a spewing, liquidy sound, especially when I move my head around.  I also get a skin colored lightly itchy rash in behind the right ear along the base of the skull.

This whole syndrome started 5 years ago after a cold.  I developed severe thyroiditis that nearly killed me.  Doctors didn't know what it was and didn't treat it.   I'm fearing there is permanent damage and a sensitive nerve or something that sets everything off.  But would nerve inflammation cause the rash?  

Is this autoimmune?  Is it thyroid inflammation?  Is this Lyme???

I'm not taking any medication except vitamins and anti-inflammatories on occasion.   And I didn't start taking all these until this syndrome started so it's not anything I'm taking.

I'm desperate for answers as doctors keep giving up.   I'm in excruciating tearful pain the majority of the year and I can't take this anymore.

Any ideas?? Please help?



This discussion is related to neck/throat pain: possible post-viral thyroiditis?.

[FTB4]

There is a virus that has been going around that inflames the lymph nodes in the neck, my wife had it this last January, she could barely move her head, the ER could not figure it out, and our MD, an Internal Med MD said it was avirul attack on the Lymph Nodes, hers were swollen, she had trouble swallowing and muscle spasms in her neck, she was prescribed a strong anti-Biotic for 10 days (Livaquin) and it went away after about the fourth day. If you look at the network of Lymph nodes in on-line illustrations, you can see they cover both sides of the neck, and since it came on after the cold or virus you had, it is possible that your Lymph Nodes absorbed the virus and became infected. Good Luck FTB4

[justkim520]

Delena

Something similar happens to me - Im currently going through a bout of viral thyroiditis for the second time - precipitated by severe sore throat.  Same thing happened last year.

I have an incredible integrative Dr - who believes this syndrome of multiple instances of thyroiditis is caused by the coxsackie virus and the virus needs to be treated.  Not with an anti viral but with a detox regime he does via IV treatments.

If you are interested, I can give you more info.    Its brutal, so I know why you are feeling as desperate as you are...   Hang in there.

[Delena2]

I just had all that tested pretty thoroughly.   It's not Hashimotos or Graves.
The "attacks" definitely do something to the thyroid because it too would get inflamed.
It's like having repeated episodes of thyroiditis after every cold.  I would go hyperthyroid for a while then it would be normal again.  But in 2006 I had my right thyroid removed in attempts to stop this process.   It stopped the hyperthyroid phase but not the inflammation.
It's like my immune system over attacks a simple cold.   I have yet to see if there might be enough thyroid tissue on the right side that's still getting infected.   But I'm thinking this is some kind of bizarre autoimmune response.
My thyroid is shutting down with each attack.  I've watched my TSH go from .77 in 2005 to 3.2 as of last month.
This is really scaring me and doctors have no answers.  My heart beats so hard during the attacks I think it's going to just stop.

[Smilerdeb]

Have you had antibody testing for Graves and Hashi's?
Was it ruled out by antibody testing?
Mine started off as thyroiditis ..only to develop into full blown Graves Disease.
Doctors traced my Graves back to 1985 but I wasnt diagnosed until 2007.
I had everything you have.
Maybe another antibody test would be in order....just a thought.