Thyroid goiter – causes, types, symptoms and treatment

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The goiter of the thyroid gland is a visible thickening of the neck that is the result of a malfunction in this gland. The appearance of a goiter does not always indicate a serious disease, but any such case should be consulted with a doctor. What are the causes of goiter formation and how is the treatment performed?

  1. The appearance of a thickening on the neck most often indicates problems with the functioning of the thyroid gland
  2. When a goiter appears, it is imperative to visit a specialist who will order the appropriate tests
  3. You can find more such stories on the TvoiLokony home page

Goiter of the thyroid gland – what is it?

The goiter of the thyroid gland is the enlargement of this gland. It is not a disease in itself, but rather a symptom of a medical condition. Goiter means that the thyroid gland is enlarged above normal. For women, this standard is 18-20 ml, and for men – 25 ml. It is worth noting that the term goiter is ambiguous and may refer to various issues. First, the goiter of the thyroid gland may refer to an enlarged gland caused by exceeding the upper norm of the volume. Secondly, there may be palpable nodular changes. Thirdly, it may indicate the presence of thyroid tissue in a non-physiological site, e.g. ovarian or cardiac goitre.

What are the causes of goiter formation?

The main cause of goiter formation is its over-stimulation by the TSH hormone, which is produced by the pituitary gland. This happens in the case of hypothyroidism, autoimmune thyroiditis or subacute thyroiditis. It is also not uncommon that the use of various medications may cause the formation of goiter.

Have you been diagnosed with goiter of the thyroid gland? Be sure to consult a surgeon! You can find a specialist in your city on the website clinics.pl.

Goiter of the thyroid gland – types

There are several types of goiter, and the distinction may be based on the location of the goiter, the hormonal activity of the thyroid gland, the size or structure of the goiter.

Thyroid goitre by location:

  1. below the sternum – part of the gland lies below the upper edge of the sternum and cannot be seen by ultrasound of the thyroid gland. In this case, a thyroid scintigraphy should be performed.
  2. in the aortic arch – this is the so-called mediastinal goiter.

Thyroid goitre due to the hormonal activity of the thyroid gland:

  1. Neutral goiter – the secretion of hormones by the thyroid gland is not disturbed.
  2. hyperactive goitre – the secretion of hormones by the thyroid gland is disturbed. There are too many hormones.
  3. hypoactive goiter – the secretion of hormones by the thyroid gland is disturbed. There are too few hormones.

The thyroid goitre due to its structure:

  1. parenchymal goitre – the thyroid parenchyma is uniform, no nodules are visible in the diagnostic image.
  2. nodular goiter – nodules appear in the structure of the thyroid gland. Nodular goiter can develop on a pre-existing parenchymal goiter.

Thyroid goitre by size:

  1. Grade I – the goiter is not visible with the normal position of the neck. It does not appear until the head is tilted back.
  2. XNUMXnd degree – the goiter is not visible, but can be felt by touch.
  3. Stage III – the thyroid gland is very enlarged and the goiter is visible to the naked eye.

The rest of the article under the video.

Goiter of the thyroid gland – symptoms

The most important and visible symptom of goiter is a thickening in the neck. Often, thyroid goitre does not cause any other symptoms. If there are any, they concern:

  1. swallowing disorders
  2. esophageal strictures
  3. the appearance of shortness of breath,
  4. hoarseness or lowering of the voice.

To take care of your thyroid, start supplementing with EutroHerbs Thyroid – a herbal mixture available in economical 120 g cans.

How is thyroid goitre treated?

The goiter of the thyroid gland, as well as the diseases of this organ itself, are treated pharmacologically or surgically. Hypothyroidism goiter can be treated by supplementing the daily diet with iodine. Additionally, the endocrinologist prescribes the patient anti-thyroid medications. Surgical treatment of the goiter is needed in the case of:

  1. an overactive thyroid gland in the first trimester of pregnancy,
  2. resistance to pharmacological and conservative treatment,
  3. large goiter size,
  4. thyroid cancer
  5. retrosternal goiter,
  6. mediastinal goiter.

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