Goiter means "big thyroid". Thyroid Goiter means the same thing--the thyroid has grown to a large size. The vast majority of thyroid goiters are benign (non-cancerous) and thus the biggest problem that goiters cause is from their size. A large thyroid goiter can push on the other structures in the neck causing symptoms discussed on this page. Thyroid goiters are usually made up of multiple thyroid nodules. Occasionally one of the thyroid nodules contained in the thyroid goiter is
cancerous. This page discusses thyroid goiters, the symptoms of thyroid goiters, and surgery for thyroid goiters. Last updated April 20, 2022. Thyroid goiter is a condition where there is an abnormal enlargement of your thyroid gland. The photo here shows how many thyroid goiters look, which
is like the neck is swolen and fat. When you touch it, you can tell it isn't fat since it is firm and doesn't move much. Most thyroid goiters are painless, but they may produce symptoms due to their size itself. The most common symptom from a thyroid goiter is a lump in the neck. Other symptoms from a large thyroid goiter may include a sense of a lump in the throat, difficultly swallowing, difficulty breathing and even in extreme cases, voice changes and even vocal cord paralysis. World
wide, the most common cause of thyroid goiter is in locations where iodine in the diet is low or non-existent. This was similarly the case in the United States where thyroid goiter was commonplace until the contemporary iodination of table salt. Since then, the incidence of thyroid goiters have drastically been reduced in the United States. Today, in the United States, thyroid goiter is more commonly associated with too much production of thyroid hormone (hyperthyroidism), too little
production of thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism), or multiple nodules within the thyroid gland itself (mulitnodular goiter). There are two autoimmune conditions (where the body recognizes something abnormal about itself and produces an antibody against this self part) that can be causes of thyroid goiter. Hashimoto's thyroiditis.
Grave's disease.
Goiter Guru on YouTubeDr. Rashmi Roy, Senior Surgeon at the Clayman Thyroid Center & Hospital for Endorine Surgery, has an entire YouTube channel dedicated to thyroid goiters. Dr. Roy operates on a significant number of patients with thyroid goiters, many of whom other surgeons refuse because of their complexities. Check out the Goiter Guru YouTube Channel here. Symptoms of Thyroid GoitersMost thyroid goiters don't cause symptoms, but they will if the goiter continues to grow. In fact, small thyroid goiters may more commonly be detected by routine examination of the patient's neck by a doctor or by some type of screening x-ray or scan for some other reason. The symptoms occur as the goiter becomes big enough that it presses on other structures in the neck. Larger thyroid goiters most commonly produce symptoms of
What Are The Potential Causes of Thyroid Goiter?Several conditions may cause or predispose to the development of thyroid nodules including:
What Is The Evaluation Of A Thyroid Goiter?The following are a list of tests that are required in the evaluation of a patient with a Thyroid Goiter.
Medical history and physical examination is required for all patients with a thyroid goiter If there is a suspicion that you may have a thyroid goiter, your health care professional will want to know your complete medical history. You will be asked questions about your possible risk factors, symptoms, and any other health problems or concerns. If someone in your family has had a diagnosis of thyroid goiter, thyroid cancer or other endocrine cancers, these are important factors. Your doctor will examine you to get more information about possible signs of thyroid goiter and other health problems. During the exam, the doctor will pay special attention to the size and firmness of your thyroid and any enlarged lymph nodes in your neck. Examination of your voice box is part of the physical examination obtained by the surgeon for any thyroid goiter. A small lighted microscope is used to look at the voice box to determine how the vocal cords of the voice box are functioning. Even though a patient does not report change in their voice does not insure that the vocal cords are working normally. A vocal cord that is paralyzed greatly increases the concern that a thyroid goiter may be hiding a thyroid cancer. Thyroid Goiter: The Definitive Diagnosis of a Thyroid Goiter is Made by High Resolution Ultrasound Examination
Thyroid Goiter: When is a Radioiodine Scan Ordered?If you have a thyroid goiter and your blood tests also demonstrate that your thyroid hormone level is too high (hyperthyroidism), this is the only instance that a radioiodine scan (thyroid scan) is indicated. In these cases, the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) will be very low and in cases of Grave's disease, the thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin will be very high. The thyroid goiter patient may or may not have recognized symptoms of their hyperthyroidism. During the thyroid scan, the patient will be given a small amount of radioactive iodine in a pill and a special imaging camera is utilized to determine how much iodine is taken up by the thyroid gland and if the thyroid goiter takes up iodine throughout the thyroid gland or whether there is a single "hot" area in the thyroid , relative to the remainder of the thyroid gland (this is called a "hot nodule"). If a thyroid nodule has less iodine uptake than the rest of the thyroid gland, then the thyroid nodule is called a "cold nodule". In patients with multinodular goiter, frequently several of the nodules of the thyroid will be cystic and filled with fluid. These cystic areas of a multinodular goiter are expected to take up less iodine than the rest of the gland and appear "cold". Hot nodules are almost always non-cancerous but the preferred management of hot nodules is frequently surgery since it is a clear, safe and 100% effective therapy for the hyperthyroidism. Thyroid Goiter: When is a CT Scan ordered?When physical examination and or ultrasound cannot completely determine how far the goiter actually goes, then a CT scan should be ordered. The CT scan will show areas that the thyroid goiter extends and prepare the expert thyroid surgeon their safe and effective approach to remove all of the goiter gland and spare all other structures. Even though a thyroid goiter may extend extensively below the sternum (breast bone) and go well into the chest, these goiters can almost routinely be removed through a relatively straight forward low collar incision in the lower neck. If your surgeon is telling you that they need to "split your chest" or "open your sternum", make sure that you have identified a highly experience thyroid surgeon. Again, such approaches are almost never actually required. What Are The Treatments For Thyroid Goiter?
Become Our PatientFounded by Dr Gary Clayman, the Clayman Thyroid Center is widely known as America’s leading thyroid surgery center performing nearly 2000 thyroid operations annually. Our reputation as the best thyroid surgeons means patients from all over the US and many foreign countries travel to Tampa for their thyroid surgery. With same-day evaluation and surgery scheduling, we make traveling for thyroid surgery convenient for every patient. Become Our Patient Here What causes an enlarged thyroid on one side?Enlargement of the thyroid can expand the gland well beyond its typical size and cause a noticeable bulge in the neck. This can be caused by single or multiple nodules (lumps) in the thyroid or by an autoimmune process.
How do you treat a swollen thyroid gland in the neck?An overactive thyroid may be treated with an anti-thyroid drug that disrupts hormone production. The most commonly used drug, methimazole (Tapazole), may also reduce the size of the goiter.
What does it feel like when your thyroid gland is swollen?Most goiters are painless, but if you have thyroiditis (an inflamed thyroid gland), it can be painful. The main symptoms of goiter include: A lump in the front of your neck, just below your Adam's apple. A feeling of tightness in your throat area.
What does a thyroid lump in neck feel like?It is usually painless. If it is tender, that could mean that a tumor is growing relatively fast, which could be a warning sign. On the other hand, there are a lot of things that could cause discomfort in the thyroid gland, like inflammation, so pain is not necessarily a good or bad sign.
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