Guidelines for Care After a Thyroid Radiofrequency Ablation Procedure

Thyroid glands have the primary function of producing the hormone thyroxin in your body. Intrinsically, thyroxin hormones are responsible for controlling your body’s metabolic activities like mood regulation.

In most cases, thyroid glands, located at the bottom parts of your neck, may develop health issues and cause irregular production of thyroxin. You can either experience hyperthyroidism, production of excess thyroxin, or hypothyroidism (production of insufficient thyroxin hormone).

Thyroid radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is an efficient treatment method used to address hyperthyroidism. The procedure utilizes radio waves to generate heat that is used to shrink an overactive thyroid gland. Ideally, thyroid radiofrequency ablation is a minimally invasive procedure that causes no significant scarring or deformation. However, it is best to follow certain post-procedure guidelines to ensure that you fully recover.

In this article, we will discuss the specific guidelines for care after thyroid radiofrequency ablation procedure.

Immediate Post-Procedure Care

Thyroid radiofrequency ablation procedures are conducted in a single visit. Nonetheless, most endocrinologists recommend staying in for the day or night and be monitored for immediate post-procedure complications such as swelling.

Essentially, you will experience mild pains and discomforts around the ablation site once the anesthetic wears off as the procedure involves heat. You may also experience a dull headache after the procedure. Hence, it is recommended that you take some painkillers to help mitigate the pain and discomfort.

However, it is best to refrain from over-the-counter pain relieving medications to avoid further complications or adverse medical reactions. 

Refrain from Strenuous Activities

Once your thyroid radiofrequency ablation is done, your doctor will recommend resting for at least on week. Engaging in strenuous activities before the recommended resting time is over puts you at a greater risk of re-infection. 

Additionally, you may substitute heavier activities with lighters ones during the recovery period. For example, you can decide to walk and perform light stretches rather than engaging in difficult workout routines like wight-lifting.

Furthermore, it would help to avoid sharing common utilities like swimming pools and bathtubs in order to reduce the chances of reinfection.

Schedule Follow-Up Appointments

Scheduling a follow-up appointment with your endocrinologist after a thyroid radiofrequency ablation procedure is a vital part of your recovery process. In essence, a follow-up ultrasound is done within 1 to 3 months after the procedure to evaluate the status of the thyroid tissue. Imaging scan help your endocrinologist to determine whether your thyroid gland or nodules have reduced in size.

It is important that you notify your health caregiver of any developments or observations that are out of the normal. Additionally, describing pain, discomfort, or swelling will enable the doctor to prescribe stronger pain-relieving medication.

Monitoring Complications

Although complications after a thyroid radiofrequency ablation procedure are rare, some people are always reluctant to report cases of re-infection (especially within the first recovery month). As such, it is essential to monitor yourself for any visible complications.

For example, you may notice swelling on the neck, especially near the ablation site. Additionally, you may develop fevers and nausea accompanied by pain. Once you observe any of these symptoms, there are high chances that your thyroid glands may be infected. Thus, it will help to seek immediate medical attention.

Some thyroid nodules may exhibit malignant symptoms (showing signs of cancer) such as vomiting with characteristic blood spot. Therefore, you should treat such a case as an emergency and seek immediate medical care.

Thyroxin Screening

One of the most effective methods of determining whether your thyroid glands have restored their normal functionality is by testing your thyroxin levels. Basically, your doctor will take blood samples and test the amount of thyroxin hormone in your body.

A balanced thyroxin level is an indicator of a normally-functioning thyroid glands. High thyroxin levels, on the other hand, indicate overactive thyroid glands, while a low thyroxin level signals underactive thyroid glands.

Therefore, your doctor will prescribe treatment according to the levels of thyroxin hormones registered from your blood samples.

Appropriate Dietary Plans

A proper diet goes a long way to ensure a speedy recovery after a thyroid radiofrequency ablation. As such, it is advisable to incorporate a lot of fruits and vegetables in your diet plans to help replenish your body’s mineral supply. Additionally, drink lots of fluids (while avoiding alcohol) to ensure your body stays hydrated.

Conclusion

Hyperthyroidism causes a significant imbalance in the overall body metabolism and can trigger hypercalcemia or thyroid cancer if left unattended. Hence, thyroid radiofrequency ablation helps to shrink thyroid nodules and overactive thyroid glands. Observe these care guidelines to boost your recovery journey.