Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Thyroid injury with neck trauma - resources?

Back in 1996 I had an auto accident (the middle one of three, none my fault).  In each accident I had both a traumatic brain injury and 'soft tissue damage' to my neck and back.

While getting physical therapy for the neck and back, I described developing difficulties I was having, which the physical therapist said were likely from an injured thyroid, stating that such thyroid damage was common with neck injuries.

I had my TSH tested and - while just months before the accident it had been about 2.5 - by a few months after the accident it was 15.2.

I have had multiple, repeated problems with my insurance company reimbursing bills.  For this they still argue that they don't feel that it is related to the accident, that it just 'happened' to have occurred around the same time.

I've found a few things online linking the two, but since I had the head injuries, looking for such things online result in SEVERE headaches and DAYS to recover from the concentration involved.

Can ANYONE out there point me to some definitive information that states that neck injury, such as that in an auto accident, can lead to hypothyroidism?

Thank you very much!
18 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
The cause is not as important as getting the biologically active thyroid hormones, Free T4 and Free T3 to optimal levels.  Also there are other co-factors that are important.  If you will please post some of your typical thyroid test results and reference ranges shown on the lab report, we can better assess what is going on.  Also, if tested for Vitamin D, B12 and ferritin, please post those as well.

What symptoms do you have?
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Hi there have a question my mum had a car accident back in April having no problems before with her neck she went for a scan and showed up something had a biopsy done and now been called to see an endocrinologist should she be worried also never had thyroid problems before
Avatar universal
I don’t know what to do anymore. I was given Synthroid. I feel Terrible on it. I have Hypothyroid by was told that it was not Autoimmune. Instead due to injury. I want to come off of this medicine because I dont’t feel it is helping me. If anyone else has Hypothyroidism due to injury, maybe you can give some advice because you dont find much information on how to control it when it is not autoimmune. thank you
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I too have hypothyroidism due to head on collision, I went two years seeing neurologist and nothing they did helped, could not sleep, all the symptoms were present. 2 hours after the accident I felt sick like with the flu, sore throat, ear pressure, head ache, went to ent had ct scan, mri, eeg, everything looked good, felt like crap for two years, it was never suggested to have thyroid checked. I had a physical done and it showed up in the blood work, was put on synthroid  and I felt much better. Now my hemoglobin has dropped from 13 to 9, test showed blood in stool, had endoscope and colonoscopy and everything looked great. What could this be, could it be from not taking care of the thyroid for those two years and it just lead to something else. Any suggestions would be great. We have to tell the doctors what to do.  I cannot believe it was never suggested to me by any of the doctors I saw in those two years to have my thyroid checked, that should be a standard practice with all the symptoms present.
Helpful - 0
14261585 tn?1433647273
Same thing with me! Car accident, Damaged to my neck, a month later has a thyroid storm with stacking premature ventricular contractions. Stayed in the hospital, blood work, iodine tests and MRI disclosed subacute thyroiditis. 0 TSH low T3 no T4 showing. Put on beta blocker, started having severe muscle cramps 3 days ago, went to ER. Thyroid levels on the low end of normal, so they say I'm flipping, seems like my feet are drawing in, elbows even hurt. Feels like the pain and muscle cramps literally move around. I KNOW it was from the accident. Can't prove it.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
If you have an unjury related thyroid issue, Synthroid could cause it to get worse by raising your reverse T# levels. Injured thyroid cannot convert the T$ into T3... Check out Dr. Holtorf. He and his staff understand this and can give you a high t3, to low t4 ratio bioidentical mediation.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
i am just now putting the two together. i was in a serious car accident when i was 15. i have gone most of my adult life having problems with my leg, and hypothyroidism. i knew the symptoms of hypothyroidism started shortly after the accident, but wasn't diagnosed until many years later. i would love to see any research you guys have come up with.

thanks!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
This cannot be proven if it does or does not. In 2011 I injured my neck in an auto incident as well and the next month I began feeling funny and soon I was very ill because I developed hypertension and hyperthyroidism. The side effects of the meds were making me so depressed. After my levels were better I went off it and now I am very ill again, having high levels and having to go on my medication. I do believe that this is related because I was fine prior to incident. I have only gotten one doctor to agree with me, because she has hyperthyroidism too after an auto incident. I hope everyone finds a great solution to their issues!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Good luck
Just went thru two years of insurance crap
My Doc says...doesn't matter what he would say, and he was willing to back me up...the insurance Doc would trump it...they have special specialists :)
Save yourself some grief and let it go...as hard as that is
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi, this is what I think. Just because there isn't much research, doesn't mean it doesn't happen to people. There are lots of antidotes and professionals who see this all the time. (chiro, physio...) Doctors tend to follow the research. Not enough study in this field and insurance companies sure don't want this to be reviewed.

Stress is also a factor. Even if you had thyroid problems and didn't know it, a car accident can exasperate  your condition.

Check Journal: Endocr Pract 2003 Jan-Feb, 9(1):5-11
Discovery of unsuspected thyroid pathologic conditions after trauma to the anterior neck area attributable to a motor vehicle accident: relationship to use of the shoulder harness.
Author: Dickey RA, Parker JL, Feld S.

Mary Shannon is a resource for Thyroid info: http://thyroid.about.com/bio/Mary-Shomon-350.htm

Hope this helps.

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
What is your ENT doing for your injury to the carlidge damage?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Funny thing reading this... I had an underactive thyroid for 2 years.  In April 2012, while stopped at a red light I was rear ended by a truck doing 80KM.  Almost three months later now, physio has done a great job but I have strange feelings in my body like tingling, I'm coughing, sweating, no more menstral cycle, shortage of break, lump on my neck, and so exhasted all the time.  Turns out, my thyriod has flipped, it is now critically overactive when it was "underactive" three months ago. I immediately thought it was from my neck getting thrown backwards - it knocked the heck out of my thyroid. But what can you do,
Andrea R.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
after 2 half years of seeing different doctors about my neck and none of them could tell me what was the problen , i have now seen a ent doctor and he has told me that the cartlidge round the thyroid is damaged and that is what the cause of the pain is, i have duffered so much pain , and now i know i feel like somthing can be done , i kept telling the ddoctors that  front part of my neck is always swollen and when i swallow it hurts, no one could find anything wrong , also my voice has changed, my advice to any one who has suffered in this way , is to keep looking for a doctor who will really listen to you
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I know very little about this particular problem area; however, it seems that everything I have read so far talks about reduced pituitary function due to traumatic brain injury.  So, I am puzzled, but still searching for more info.

In the interim, I wondered when was the last previous test for TSH, before the one that was 7.6?  Why did you decide to test for TSH two weeks after the accident?  Were you having symptoms that made you suspect a thyroid issue?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3132788  this is just one of many sites tht support the fact that head trauma, neck injuries or trauma related to accidents can indeed affect the thyroid function .  If your thyroid panel results were abnormal after your head injury there is a high possibility it is related to the trauma from the accident/head injury.  Find an endocrinologist or physician to support you and get it documented.  Then the insurance company will have to comply. Best of luck with healing, physically, and financially as well as spiritually.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I am researching the same problem.  I was in a car accident with a serious concussion and other trauma injuries.  Two weeks after the accident my TSH levels were 7.6 when my normal is 2.0. I already have hypothyroidism but have never had such a high TSH.  I am taking double the synthroid and will be retested.   I plan to ask my doccotr about medical studies related to trauma and the thyroid.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
did you locate where you read the trauma to the thyroid can cause hypothroidism?
Helpful - 0
219241 tn?1413537765
Yes it can cause thyroid problems. I have read about it but I just can't right at this minute recall where I saw that. I will look around again to see where I read that.
My sister had severe whiplash from a parachuting incident. Not long afterwards she started to develop the symptoms of hypothyroidism.
  I'll get back to you on it soon!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I had a car accident in 2005, with neck/shoulder pain and headaches since. Pain at C5/6. Hypothyroid has since been diagnosed, although symptoms occurred within a few months I was unaware of the problem until a year later. Little research has been done and many medics do not agree with the association between trauma and whiplash injury Chiropractors do.
If anyone has any research on the subject i would be glad to hear from you-
***@****
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Thyroid Disorders Community

Top Thyroid Answerers
649848 tn?1534633700
FL
Avatar universal
MI
1756321 tn?1547095325
Queensland, Australia
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
We tapped the CDC for information on what you need to know about radiation exposure
Endocrinologist Mark Lupo, MD, answers 10 questions about thyroid disorders and how to treat them
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.