What is a goiter, its symptoms and treatment?

Answer 1

Goiter is an enlargement of the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is a small gland located in the neck, below your Adam’s apple. The thyroid can be enlarged due to generalized enlargement of the thyroid or nodules (tissue growths) within the thyroid. The thyroid gland produces the hormones thyroxine (also called T4) and a small amount of triiodothyronine (also called T3). Most of the T4 is converted to T3 outside of the thyroid. These thyroid hormones influence such bodily functions as a person’s body temperature, mood and excitability, pulse rate, digestive functions, and other processes necessary for life. It is important to understand that goiter is not cancer and that most goiters are, in fact, benign.

Main symptoms include:

1. A swelling, ranging in size from a small nodule to a massive lump, in the front of the neck just below your Adam’s apple.
2. A feeling of tightness in the throat area.
3. Difficulty breathing (shortness of breath), coughing, wheezing (due to compression of the windpipe).
4. Difficulty swallowing (due to compression of the esophagus).
5. Hoarseness.
6. Neck vein distention.
7. Dizziness when the arms are raised above the head.

Other symptoms can include:

8. An increased resting pulse rate.
9. Rapid heartbeat.
10. Diarrhea, nausea, vomiting.
11. Sweating without exercise or increased room temperature.
12. Shaking.
13. Agitation.
(The above group of symptoms are signs of hyperthyroidism -- a condition in which the thyroid is overstimulated. Some people with goiter may also have hyperthyroidism.)

14. Fatigue, constipation, dry skin
15. Weight gain
16. Menstrual irregularities
(The above group of symptoms are signs of hypothyroidism -- a condition in which the thyroid is underactive. Some people with goiter may also have hypothyroidism

Treatment options depend on the size of the enlargement, your symptoms, and the underlying cause. Treatments typically considered by your doctor include:

1. No treatment/"watchful waiting." If the goiter is small and not bothering you, your doctor may decide that no treatment is necessary at this time, but will continue to watch your condition for changes.

2. Medications. Levothyroxine (Levothroid, Synthroid) is a thyroid hormone replacement therapy that can be prescribed if your doctor determines that the cause of your goiter is an underactive thyroid (a condition called hypothyroidism). Other medications can be prescribed if tests indicate your thyroid is overactive (hyperthyroidism). Aspirin or a corticosteroid mediation might be prescribed if the underlying cause of your goiter is inflammation. Small does of iodine (in the form of Lugol’s or potassium iodine solution) can be prescribed if the goiter is due to iodine deficiency.

3. Radioactive iodine treatment. This treatment, used in cases of an overactive thyroid gland, involves injecting radioactive iodine into your bloodstream. The iodine is delivered to the thyroid gland, killing thyroid cells, which shrinks the gland. Radioactive iodine treatment is usually followed by the use of hormone replacement therapy for life.

4. Biopsy. This may be required if you have large nodules in the thyroid to exclude cancer.

5. Surgery. Surgery, to remove all or part of the thyroid gland, may be necessary if the goiter is large and causing difficulty with breathing and swallowing or sometimes to remove nodules and certainly if cancer is present. Depending on the amount of thyroid gland removed, lifelong thyroid hormone replacement therapy may be necessary.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

Goiter Cause

Answer 4

What Is A Goiter

Answer 5

With thyroid problems you get swelling in the glads of your neck the thyroid itself or glands around it. My wife had problems caused by stress which huge lumps either side of her thyroid but these were just bloated with blood and after draining they went away. You can also get changes in body activity if you have hyper or hypo thyroid ism. So that makes you either too thin or too fat depending on what your problem is. My brother had various drug treatments and in the end had a radioactive therapy which did the trick and thankfully he has been okay since.

Answer 6

A goiter is an enlarged thyroid gland, and the symptoms are largely those of its physical presence, that is, a lump in the front of the neck, that can press on the nearby structures; and it may, depending on cause, be associated with abnormalities of function, either hyper- or hypo-thyroidism ( over or under), both of which are easy enough to Google.

Answer 7

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Answer 8

3

Answer 9

2

Answer 10

A goitre (or goiter), also called a bronchocele, is a swelling in the neck (just below adam's apple or larynx) due to an enlarged thyroid gland. They are classified in different ways:

A "diffuse goitre" is a goitre that has spread through all of the thyroid (and is contrasted with a "simple goitre", "single thyroid nodule" and "multinodular goitre").
"Toxic goitre" refers to goitre with hyperthyroidism. These are derived from inflammation, neoplasm, and some kinds of activating autoimmune disease (Grave's disease). "Nontoxic goitre" (associated with normal or low thyroid levels) refers to all other types (such as that caused by lithium or certain other autoimmune diseases).

Symptoms
Often a goitre is a cosmetic problem only. Although large swellings may press on the windpipe, causing some difficulty in breathing. A goitre may also compress the gullet (oesophagus), causing difficulty in swallowing.
Some goitres are smooth and even. Some contain firm nodules that can be felt.

Treatment
Treatment may not be necessary if the goitre is not caused by disease and is small. Removal of the goitre may be necessary if it is causing difficulty with breathing or swallowing.
Treatment depends on the cause. Thyroid overactivity or underactivity will usually require treatment for those conditions.

Answer 11

I'm not familar with it, but you can find answers i'm sure at MD.COM
or do a google search for Goiter.You should be able to find your answers.