Goiter

Goiter Goiter can be defined as an enlargement of your Thyroid gland that is abnormal. Thyroid is a gland that is butterfly in shape which is located at the neck base, just below your Adam’s apple. Goiters are normally painless. However, a goiter that is very large can make it hard for you to swallow food or breathe, and can cause a cough. Lack of iodine in the diet is the most common cause of goiter in the world. In countries where iodized salt is very common, goiter is caused by under production or overproduction of thyroid nodules or hormones that develop in the gland.

Treatment of goiter depends on how big the gland is, the cause of goiter, and the symptoms that an individual is having. Small sized goiters are hard to notice. They hardly ever cause problems, and they do not require any treatment. Swollen thyroid gland, Enlarged Thyroid, thyroid swellings are other names that can be used to describe goiter.

What Are the Symptoms of Goiter?
Symptoms due to Swollen Neck


This can cause hoarseness, tightness and coughing. A swollen neck can also give one trouble swallowing.

Symptoms due to Underlying Health Conditions
The overactive thyroid can result in a list of other symptoms like palpitations, nervousness, hyperactivity, heat hypersensitivity, increased sweating, fatigue, Weight Loss and increased appetite if the cause is Hyperthyroidism. On the other hand, if the cause is Hypothyroidism, the underactive thyroid can result in symptoms like Constipation, cold intolerance, personality change, forgetfulness and weight gain.

When to See a Doctor
If you suspect that you have goiter, see your GP – they will carry out certain tests to conclude whether or not you have the goiter infection. Your neck will be examined by your GP to determine whether or not your thyroid gland is swollen. You may also be referred to a thyroid function test to examine how well your thyroid is functioning.

This test measures some hormonal levels in a person’s blood. It helps to show whether your thyroid is underactive or overactive (both cases are linked to goiter).

Watch this video to get more information about goiter from a MD:

What Are the Causes of Goiter?
There are different types of goiter, and they all have different causes.

Diffuse Smooth Goiter

Type	Description
Thyroiditis	Thyroid inflammation can be caused by various conditions. For example, viral infection.
Iodine deficiency	The thyroid requires iodine to make T3 and thyroxin. If a diet lacks iodine, the thyroid will swell as it attempts to make sufficient T3 and thyroxin.
Graves' disease	Autoimmune disorders cause swelling of the thyroid and over manufacture of thyroxin. In autoimmune diseases, the body produces an antibody that causes damage to a part of the body - for example your thyroid.
Heredity factors	There are people who inherit the tendencies for their thyroids to swell.
Hormone disorder	This is any disorder that may hinder proper production of T3 and thyroxin. In some people, the goiter is associated with an abnormality of thyroid function. You may make too much thyroxin or T3 (overactive thyroid or hyperthyroidism) or too little thyroxin or T3 (underactive thyroid or Hypothyroidism). Both will cause goiter. The human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) may cause your thyroid gland to enlarge slightly. HCG is a hormone produced during pregnancy.
Medicine side effects	Medicines like lithium have side-effects like swelling of the thyroid.

Nodular Goiter

Multinodular goiter	This means that there are many nodules or lumps that have developed in the thyroid gland. Generally, the thyroid will feel very lumpy.
Single nodule	Some of the causes of single nodule include: Cancerous Tumor, solid benign tumor (adenoma), and benign tumor filled with fluid (cyst).

What Are the Treatments for Goiter?
Treatment of goiter depends on the cause of goiter.

Causative condition	How to treat it
Iodine deficiency	Oral Iodine supplementation. This will reduce the goiter size, but in most cases, goiter is not resolved completely.
Hyperthyroidism	Treatment will depend on the cause of hyperthyroidism. For some hyperthyroidism causes, treatment may cause disappearance of goiter. For example, Graves’ disease can be treated by radioactive iodine and it may cause disappearance or decrease of goiter.
Thyroiditis	In Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and hypothyroid, a thyroid hormone daily pill supplement is given. It restores the levels of the thyroid hormone back to normal. However, the goiter may not completely disappear but it prevents it from getting larger.
Multinodular goiter	These goiters are associated with normal thyroid hormone levels in the blood. They do not need specific treatment after correct diagnosis has been made. If there is no diagnosis, the patient may be warned of future risk of becoming hyperthyroid or hypothyroid. If the goiter size brings problems like constricting the airway, surgical removal may be necessary.

No matter the cause, you should have regular (yearly) monitoring when you have been diagnosed with goiter.

What Are the Home Remedies for Goiter?
While these measures do not cure goiter, they do help treat it. They include:

• Eating vegetables rich in iodine: Vegetables like cucumber, garlic, carrots and turnips are beneficial in the treatment of goiter. For those living near the coast, eating locally grown vegetables and fruits will provide them with sufficient iodine. Seafood, seaweed (like sushi) and shellfish (like shrimp) are rich in iodine. Eat them about twice a week. Cow milk and yogurt also contain iodine. On average, a person needs about 150 micrograms of iodine each day. While lactating and pregnant women, need about 200 micrograms of iodine.


• Reduce excessive intake of iodine: even though it is uncommon, taking excess iodine sometimes causes goiter. If the problem is excess iodine, avoid taking salt that is iodine-fortified, iodine supplements, seaweed and shellfish.


• Taking tea: Drink tea almonds combined with a teaspoon full of fresh cabbage leaves juice. Drink this mixture twice or thrice a day.


• Barley water: consume barley water and combine it with a healthy diet to treat goiter.


• Kachnar: This is orchid tree known for its medicinal purposes. Take the bark of this tree and make a decoction with it. Drink it two times a day.

Goiter

Goiter

Goiter can be defined as an enlargement of your Thyroid gland that is abnormal. Thyroid is a gland that is butterfly in shape which is located at the neck base, just below your Adam’s apple. Goiters are normally painless. However, a goiter that is very large can make it hard for you to swallow food or breathe, and can cause a cough. Lack of iodine in the diet is the most common cause of goiter in the world. In countries where iodized salt is very common, goiter is caused by under production or overproduction of thyroid nodules or hormones that develop in the gland.

Treatment of goiter depends on how big the gland is, the cause of goiter, and the symptoms that an individual is having. Small sized goiters are hard to notice. They hardly ever cause problems, and they do not require any treatment. Swollen thyroid gland, Enlarged Thyroid, thyroid swellings are other names that can be used to describe goiter.

What Are the Symptoms of Goiter?
Symptoms due to Swollen Neck


This can cause hoarseness, tightness and coughing. A swollen neck can also give one trouble swallowing.

Symptoms due to Underlying Health Conditions
The overactive thyroid can result in a list of other symptoms like palpitations, nervousness, hyperactivity, heat hypersensitivity, increased sweating, fatigue, Weight Loss and increased appetite if the cause is Hyperthyroidism. On the other hand, if the cause is Hypothyroidism, the underactive thyroid can result in symptoms like Constipation, cold intolerance, personality change, forgetfulness and weight gain.

When to See a Doctor
If you suspect that you have goiter, see your GP – they will carry out certain tests to conclude whether or not you have the goiter infection. Your neck will be examined by your GP to determine whether or not your thyroid gland is swollen. You may also be referred to a thyroid function test to examine how well your thyroid is functioning.

This test measures some hormonal levels in a person’s blood. It helps to show whether your thyroid is underactive or overactive (both cases are linked to goiter).

Watch this video to get more information about goiter from a MD:

What Are the Causes of Goiter?
There are different types of goiter, and they all have different causes.

Diffuse Smooth Goiter

Type	Description
Thyroiditis	Thyroid inflammation can be caused by various conditions. For example, viral infection.
Iodine deficiency	The thyroid requires iodine to make T3 and thyroxin. If a diet lacks iodine, the thyroid will swell as it attempts to make sufficient T3 and thyroxin.
Graves' disease	Autoimmune disorders cause swelling of the thyroid and over manufacture of thyroxin. In autoimmune diseases, the body produces an antibody that causes damage to a part of the body - for example your thyroid.
Heredity factors	There are people who inherit the tendencies for their thyroids to swell.
Hormone disorder	This is any disorder that may hinder proper production of T3 and thyroxin. In some people, the goiter is associated with an abnormality of thyroid function. You may make too much thyroxin or T3 (overactive thyroid or hyperthyroidism) or too little thyroxin or T3 (underactive thyroid or Hypothyroidism). Both will cause goiter. The human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) may cause your thyroid gland to enlarge slightly. HCG is a hormone produced during pregnancy.
Medicine side effects	Medicines like lithium have side-effects like swelling of the thyroid.

Nodular Goiter

Multinodular goiter	This means that there are many nodules or lumps that have developed in the thyroid gland. Generally, the thyroid will feel very lumpy.
Single nodule	Some of the causes of single nodule include: Cancerous Tumor, solid benign tumor (adenoma), and benign tumor filled with fluid (cyst).

What Are the Treatments for Goiter?
Treatment of goiter depends on the cause of goiter.

Causative condition	How to treat it
Iodine deficiency	Oral Iodine supplementation. This will reduce the goiter size, but in most cases, goiter is not resolved completely.
Hyperthyroidism	Treatment will depend on the cause of hyperthyroidism. For some hyperthyroidism causes, treatment may cause disappearance of goiter. For example, Graves’ disease can be treated by radioactive iodine and it may cause disappearance or decrease of goiter.
Thyroiditis	In Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and hypothyroid, a thyroid hormone daily pill supplement is given. It restores the levels of the thyroid hormone back to normal. However, the goiter may not completely disappear but it prevents it from getting larger.
Multinodular goiter	These goiters are associated with normal thyroid hormone levels in the blood. They do not need specific treatment after correct diagnosis has been made. If there is no diagnosis, the patient may be warned of future risk of becoming hyperthyroid or hypothyroid. If the goiter size brings problems like constricting the airway, surgical removal may be necessary.

No matter the cause, you should have regular (yearly) monitoring when you have been diagnosed with goiter.

What Are the Home Remedies for Goiter?
While these measures do not cure goiter, they do help treat it. They include:

• Eating vegetables rich in iodine: Vegetables like cucumber, garlic, carrots and turnips are beneficial in the treatment of goiter. For those living near the coast, eating locally grown vegetables and fruits will provide them with sufficient iodine. Seafood, seaweed (like sushi) and shellfish (like shrimp) are rich in iodine. Eat them about twice a week. Cow milk and yogurt also contain iodine. On average, a person needs about 150 micrograms of iodine each day. While lactating and pregnant women, need about 200 micrograms of iodine.


• Reduce excessive intake of iodine: even though it is uncommon, taking excess iodine sometimes causes goiter. If the problem is excess iodine, avoid taking salt that is iodine-fortified, iodine supplements, seaweed and shellfish.


• Taking tea: Drink tea almonds combined with a teaspoon full of fresh cabbage leaves juice. Drink this mixture twice or thrice a day.


• Barley water: consume barley water and combine it with a healthy diet to treat goiter.


• Kachnar: This is orchid tree known for its medicinal purposes. Take the bark of this tree and make a decoction with it. Drink it two times a day.

Goiter

Goiter






Thyroid gland is found below the neck located just below the Adam’s apple. Goiter is the condition in which the thyroid gland grows bigger than normal size. Though it may not cause any pain still it makes you difficult to breathe and eat. Lack of iodine is the main cause for getting goiter. Goiter can be treated and managed either through medications or by surgery. But the method of treatment depends on the size of the goiter and age of the patient.

Symptoms :

There are some goiters that may not cause any symptoms. Some of the common symptoms are coughing, tight feeling on the throat and difficulty in swallowing. There would be large swelling at the base of the neck making it visible for all. Goiter can cause hoarseness in your voice and difficulty in breathing.

Causes :

If your body does not contain sufficient amount of iodine it can cause goiter. Thyroid gland produces normal amounts of thyroid hormone even if it is enlarged. One cannot say for sure, that improper functioning of thyroid gland causes goiter.

Iodine is vital for normal production of thyroid hormone and is available in salt and soil. People who don’t take enough amounts of iodine in their diet can develop goiter due to enlargement of thyroid gland.

Grave’s disease can attack the thyroid gland by mistake making it to produce excess of hormone leading to goiter. It would also cause inflammation of thyroid gland. Similarly goiter can also develop due to Hypothyroidism (less production of thyroid) caused by Hashimoto’s disease. This is an autoimmune disorder attacking the thyroid gland which produces very low levels of thyroxin. This in turn triggers the pituitary gland to secrete more of TSH which causes goiter.

In rare cases, pregnancy hormone called Human Chorionic Gonadotropin can cause enlargement of thyroid gland leading to goiter. Inflammation on the thyroid gland can cause swelling and goiter.

Who are at risk?

Goiter predominantly occurs on people who consume less iodine. Women are more prone to get goiter due to thyroid disorders. Individuals who are aged, having autoimmune disorders, women who are in menopause stage can get goiter. Effect of certain medications taken for suppressing the immune system can cause goiter. Goiter as such will not create any complication. But large sized goiters can make breathing difficult and create repeated cough.

Tests :

It is easy to detect goiter by the Enlarged Thyroid gland present below the neck. Your doctor can order for hormone test for checking the level of thyroid stimulating hormone and ultrasonography test.

Treatment :

Treatment of goiter depends on many factors like age of the person, his health condition, the size of goiter and the intensity of symptoms. For small sized goiter no treatment is necessary. Medications like levoThyroxine are given for treating hypothyroidism which would eventually reduce the secretion of TSH from the pituitary gland. For reducing swelling, you can take aspirin after consulting your doctor.

Surgery is done for removing part of thyroid gland or in full and this process is called thyroidectomy. People having large goiter and nodular goiter can opt for surgery. But after surgery the person should take levothyroxine to regulate the levels of thyroid hormone. For some people, doctors use radioactive iodine for suppressing the overactive thyroid gland. It destroys the excess of thyroid cells thus reducing the size of goiter.

Pictures of Goiter :

Images, Pics, Pictures and Photos of Goiter

Home Remedies :

For people who have developed goiter due to lack of iodine, taking enough of iodine in daily diet will help. Increase seafood like shrimp or shellfish in your diet. Cow’s milk and yogurt are rich source of iodine and make sure you take 150 micrograms of iodine daily.

Goiter – Pictures, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Surgery, Cure

Goiter – Pictures, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Surgery, Cure

What is a Goiter?

The thyroid gland is an organ that is butterfly-shaped found at the base of the neck right below the Adam’s apple. Often this thyroid gland will grow larger than is normal – and this condition is referred to as goiter or in the United Kingdom goitre. While goiters are normally painless, a goiter that is very large can trigger a cough as well as making it hard for the individual to breathe or swallow.

The more common reason for a goiter globally is an absence of dietary iodine. In the United States, most individual use salt that is iodized, so goiter is most often caused by the underproduction or overproduction of hormones from the thyroid gland or due to nodes that grow in the gland itself.

Treatment for a goiter is determined by the goiter size, the symptoms as well as the underlying reason for the problem. Small goiters which are not noticeable and do not cause any problem normally do not need treatment.

Goiter Symptoms

Symptoms and signs are not cause by all goiters. When they do develop, they can include:

• A swelling that is visible at the base of the neck which can be especially obvious when the individual shaves or applies makeup


• Feeling of tightness in the throat


• Hoarseness


• Coughing


• Difficulty in breathing


• Difficulty in swallowing

Goiter Causes

The thyroid gland manages 2 hormones –triiodothyronine or T-3 and Thyroxine. These hormones flow in the blood system and help to regulate the body metabolism. They do the following:

• Manage the rate which the body uses carbohydrates as well as fats


• Helps manage the control of the temperature of the body


• Effect the heart rate


• Helps control the manufacture of proteins


• Produces calcitonin – hormone that manages the calcium amount in the blood

The pituitary gland as well as Hypothalamus manages the degree at which these hormones are released and produced. This process starts when the hypothalamus –a tiny organ at the base of the brain that performs as a thermostat for the entire system – motions to the pituitary gland to create a hormone referred to as “thyroid-stimulating hormone” or TSH. The pituitary gland – also situated at the base of the brain – discharges a definite amount of TSH, contingent on how much T-3 and thyroxine are in the blood. The thyroid gland then in turn controls the creation of hormones built on the quantity of TSH received from the pituitary gland.

A goiter does not automatically mean the thyroid gland is not working routinely. Even if it is enlarged, the thyroid may create amounts that are normal of hormones. It can similarly, still, produce too little or too much T-3 and thyroxine.

There are numerous factors that may cause the thyroid gland to expand. Amid the more common are:

Deficiency of Iodine
Iodine is vital for the creation of hormones of the thyroid and occurs generally in seawater as well as in the soil on the coast. In the unindustrialized areas of the world, individuals living at higher elevations or live inland are very frequently iodine-poor and may develop goiters when the thyroid grows as the result of a struggle to acquire further iodine. The iodine deficiency initially can be made worse by diets which are high in hormone hindering foods, for instance broccoli, cabbage as well as cauliflower. While a deficiency of iodine in the diet is the major cause for a goiter in numerous areas of the globe, this is not the situation in those countries anywhere iodine is routinely added to regular table salt as well as added foods.

Graves’ disease
Goiter may often occur when the thyroid gland creates too much hormones (hyperthyroidism). With Graves’ disease, antibodies created by the immune system incorrectly attack the thyroid gland, causing an excess production of thyroxine. This causes the thyroid to swell.

Hashimoto’s disease
A goiter can result also from a thyroid that is underactive (Hypothyroidism). Like Graves’ disease, Hashimoto’s disease is a disorder of the autoimmune type. But rather than causing the thyroid to create too much hormone, Hashimoto’s damage the thyroid so that it creates too little. Detecting a lower level of hormone, the pituitary gland creates more TSH to motivate the thyroid. Detecting a lower level of hormone the pituitary gland creates more TSH to encourage the thyroid that then causes the gland to become enlarged.

Solitary thyroid nodules
With this condition, a single nodule grows in one side of thyroid. Most nodules are non-cancerous (benign) and does not develop into cancer.

Multinodular goiter
With this disorder, some fluid-filled or solid lumps referred to as nodules grow in both sides of the thyroid, causing whole growth of the gland.

Thyroid cancer
Thyroid cancer is much less common than benign thyroid nodules. Thyroid cancer typically seems as an expansion on one side of the thyroid.

Pregnancy
A hormone created during pregnancy, human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), can trigger the thyroid gland to increase to some degree.

Inflammation
Thyroiditis is an inflammatory problem that may cause swelling as well as pain in the thyroid.

Goiters may affect everyone. They can exist at birth and arise at any time thru out life, although, they are most common after the age of 50. Certain common issues that are risks for developing a goiter include:

Lack of dietary iodine
Individuals living in those areas where iodine is a small resource and do not have access to iodine supplementation have a high risk of developing goiters.

Sex
Since women are most prone to illnesses of the thyroid, they are also most probable to develop goiters.
Age
The chances of developing a goiter will increase with age.

You're reading Goiter – Pictures, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Surgery, Cure posted by minhhai2d, the information is for reference only.

Medical history
A family or personal history of diseases that are autoimmune increases the risk of developing goiters

Menopause and Pregnancy
For causes that are not quite clear, problems with thyroids are most likely to happen during menopause or pregnancy.

Certain medications
Certain medical therapies, including antiretrovirals, immunosuppressants, the heart medication amiodarone (known as Pacerone, Cordarone, others) as well as the psychiatric medication lithium (known as Lithobid, Eskalith, others), rises the risk.

Exposure to radiation
The risk rises if there has been radiation therapy to the chest or neck area or exposure to radiation in a nuclear test, facility or accident.

Goiters which are small that do not cause cosmetic or physical problems are not of any concern. But those goiters which are larger can often make it harder to swallow or breathe and in some cases cause hoarseness or a cough.

Goiters resulting from other problems such as hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism can be linked to numerous symptoms which range from weight gain to fatigue, Weight Loss, problems sleeping as well as irritability.

Goiter Treatment

A primary care physician can ascertain a thyroid gland that is enlarged merely by examining the neck as well as examining the neck as the individual swallows in the course of routine physical exam. In several cases, the physician can also be capable of feeling the occurrence of any nodules.

Making the diagnosis of goiter can also involve:

Hormone test
Tests of the blood can define the hormone amounts being produced by an individual’s pituitary and thyroid glands. If the thyroid is underactive, the thyroid hormone level will have dropped. At this identical time, the hormone that stimulates the thyroid known as TSH will be higher due to the fact that the pituitary gland is trying to stimulate the thyroid gland to create additional thyroid hormone. Goiters which are connected with a thyroid that is overactive normally consist of an elevation of thyroid hormone in the blood system and a lesser than usual level of TSH.

Antibody test
Several reasons for goiter involve the production of antibodies that are abnormal. A blood test can endorse the occurrence of such antibodies.

Ultrasonography
A wand-like device called a transducer is positioned over the neck. Waves of sound are then bounced thru the back and neck, forming images on a screen of a computer. These images can disclose the size of the thyroid gland as well as whether the gland has any nodules that the doctor cannot have felt.

Thyroid scan
With this exam, an isotope that is radioactive is injected into the vein located on the inside of the elbow. The individual is then laid on a table with the head stretched backwards while a different camera will produce images of the thyroid on the screen of the computer. The time that is needed for this procedure can vary, dependent on how long it can take for the isotope to reach the thyroid gland. These scans will deliver data about the size and nature of the thyroid, but they are more intrusive, time-consuming as well as costing more than ultrasound tests.

Biopsy
Using a biopsy with a fine-needle aspiration, the ultrasound is used to situate the needle into the thyroid in order to obtain a fluid or tissue sample for testing.

Treatment for goiter is dependent on the goiter size, the symptoms and signs, and the causal reason. The physician can advise:

Observation
If the goiter is slight and does not cause any problems and the thyroid is working normally, the physician can advise a wait and see period.

Medications

When and individual has hypothyroidism, thyroid replacement therapy with levothyroxine (known as Synthroid, Levothroid) will usually resolve any symptoms occurring with hypothyroidism and slow the release of TSH from the pituitary gland. This often will decrease the goiter size. For a thyroid gland that is inflamed, the physician may advise aspirin or corticosteroid drug to manage the inflammation. For goiter linked with hyperthyroidism, the physician will advise drugs to normalize the levels of hormone.

Goiter Surgery

Taking out all of a part of the thyroid gland (partial or total thyroidectomy) is one option if the goiter is so large that it is causing difficulty with swallowing or breathing or is uncomfortable or other cases if the goiter nodular causes hyperthyroidism. This surgery is as well the therapy for cancer of the thyroid. The individual will need to take levothyroxine following surgery, dependent on the size of the portion of the gland that is detached.

Radioactive Iodine
In other cases, iodine that is radioactive is utilized to treat a thyroid gland that is overactive. The iodine is taken by mouth and extends to the thyroid gland thru the blood system, eliminating thyroid cells. This therapy results in a reduced size of the goiter, but ultimately can also create a thyroid gland that is underactive. Hormone replacement therapy will the synthetic hormone levothyroxine becomes necessary, normally for life.

Goiter Cure

An underactive or overactive thyroid gland will need medication for the remainder of the individual’s life, but a goiter that is causing any problems can be removed or medication can be given in order to alleviate any increase in size of the gland.

Goiter Pictures