| Your thyroid controls a host of important bodily | | | | is a benign (not cancerous) condition often caused by |
| functions. You can think of this - the largest of your | | | | iodine deficiency. Goiter can also be caused by |
| endocrine glands - as a master regulator. Located | | | | Hashimoto's disease or Graves' disease (see above). |
| inside your neck just below your Adam's apple, the | | | | Goiter may not need to be treated, or in some case it |
| thyroid controls the speed at which your body burns | | | | is treated with antithyroid drugs, removal of the thyroid, |
| energy (calories). It also controls the proper functioning | | | | or iodine-131 treatments. |
| of other hormones. | | | | On the other handle, thyroid nodules are more specific |
| When your thyroid is healthy, it is one of those glands | | | | to one or more areas of thyroid, rather than a |
| that you will never see, feel or even need to think | | | | generalized enlargement. |
| about. It just silently and faithfully does its job, making | | | | Facts about Thyroid Nodules |
| sure that your body's ability to access and burn energy | | | | The vast majority - about 95% - of thyroid nodules are |
| is humming along just fine. | | | | benign, meaning that they are not cancerous. In fact, |
| However, the thyroid can develop a number of | | | | thyroid nodules rarely require treatment if they are |
| problems, some of which may require the removal of | | | | determined to be: |
| part or all of your thyroid. | | | | * not cancerous (benign) |
| Common Thyroid Problems | | | | * not causing any other troubles, such as pressing on |
| There a number of potential diseases of the thyroid, | | | | other structure in the neck or body |
| including Hashimoto's disease, Graves' disease, | | | | * not causing the gland to make too much thyroid |
| hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. All of these | | | | hormone |
| involve the thyroid producing too much or too little | | | | A simple biopsy will be able to determine whether the |
| thyroid hormone. | | | | nodule is benign or cancerous. If the nodule is |
| Another common thyroid problem is that of a lump or | | | | cancerous or is otherwise causing problems, the |
| mass on the gland itself. | | | | physician may choose to treat it via hormone pills, |
| Mass on the Thyroid | | | | radioactive iodine (iodine-131), or direct injections into the |
| You may have noticed a visible lump or bump in the | | | | gland with ethyl alcohol. |
| neck area on yourself, a loved one or an | | | | In some cases, thyroid surgery is required to remove |
| acquaintance. Or, a medical professional may have | | | | the thyroid completely. Also called a thyroidectomy, this |
| discovered such a lump when performing a routine | | | | type of treatment has very high success rates, and |
| checkup or a CT, MRI or ultrasound scan of the neck. | | | | patients can usually expect a smooth recovery. |
| In some cases, this lump may turn out to be a thyroid | | | | Should your doctor decide that your thyroid is to be |
| nodule. | | | | removed via surgery due to a mass or nodule being |
| There are two main reasons for a lumpy thyroid: a | | | | discovered there, this should not be a cause for |
| nodule or a thyroid enlargement. | | | | concern. By following the right steps after surgery, you |
| Enlarged thyroids are different than nodules in that | | | | can expect a full recovery and, with the help of thyroid |
| enlarged thyroids usually affect the entire gland, rather | | | | supplements, not even notice the absence of this very |
| than just having bumps here or there on one or both | | | | important gland. |
| of the lobes. An enlarged thyroid - also called a goiter - | | | | |