The painful thyroid. A three-step diagnostic approach

A three-step diagnostic approach can help to determine whether neck pain is related to a thyroid condition: Thyroid pain is almost always short-lived (less than 3 months); patients with thyroid-related neck pain usually point to the thyroid gland as the site of the most intense discomfort; patients with a painful thyroid always have abnormal findings on palpation. The vast majority of painful thyroid conditions are benign and can be managed with very little medication and a lot of reassurance.