I have gone carefully through your concern.
Subacute thyroiditis is a viral infection of the thyroid gland and may be associated with cervical lymphnodes.
Anyway, they will disappear after some months and subacute thyroiditis is relatively easy to diagnose.
A proteine C reactive and a thyroid scintiscan are needed.
Autoimmune thyroiditis may also be associated with cervical lymphnodes too but of course a lympha or other pathologies should be excluded first.
Hope the information