There is pain in the anterior neck and fever. Neck pain characteristically shifts from side to side and may settle in one area, frequently radiating to the jaw and ears. It is often confused with dental pain, pharyngitis, or otitis and is aggravated by swallowing or turning of the head. Symptoms of hyperthyroidism are common early in the disease because of hormone release from the disrupted follicles. There is more lassitude and prostration than in other thyroid disorders. On physical examination, the thyroid is asymmetrically enlarged, firm, and tender.
