| Goitre can occur as a normal feature of puberty and | | | | Irritability |
| pregnancy and is not caused by disease. However | | | | Swelling of the thyroid gland. |
| goitre can be caused by a range of factors that may | | | | Breathing problems, if the goitre is large enough to |
| need medical attention. According to ayurveda this is | | | | press on the windpipe (trachea). |
| caused by the aggravation of Kapha and diminution of | | | | Swallowing problems, if the goitre is large enough to |
| pitta. If a person's diet is low in iodine, the pituitary | | | | press on the oesophagus. |
| keeps sending chemical messages to the thyroid, but in | | | | Treatment of Goitre |
| vain. The thyroid gland enlarges as it attempts to | | | | Goitres are often removed because of cosmetic |
| comply with the pituitary's demands. Apart from iodine | | | | reasons or, more commonly, because they compress |
| deficiency, other causes of goitre involve conditions of | | | | other vital structures of the neck including the trachea |
| the thyroid - such as nodules, cancer, hyperthyroidism | | | | and the oesophagus making breathing and swallowing |
| and hypothyroidism. | | | | difficult |
| Causes of Goitre | | | | Benign thyroid nodules - are shrunk with medications, |
| The common Causes of Goitre: | | | | destroyed with radioactive iodine treatment or |
| Juvenile goitre due to congenital hypothyroidism | | | | surgically removed, depending on the type.is treated by |
| High consumption of certain foods that neutralise iodine, | | | | surgical removal of the gland, followed by radioactive |
| such as cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower. Other foods, | | | | iodine treatment |
| like soy, may also induce goitres. | | | | If you have a small goitre that is not due to a |
| Puberty, pregnancy | | | | cancerous nodule, and your thyroid is making the |
| Dyshormonogenesis, a genetic enzyme deficiency that | | | | correct amount of thyroxine and T3, then you may not |
| interferes with normal thyroid hormone synthesis. | | | | need any treatment. |
| Benign or malignant tumours of the thyroid gland. | | | | If you have cancer of the thyroid, you will probably |
| Certain drugs, such as lithium and phenylbutazone | | | | need surgery. |
| Symptoms of Goitre | | | | If these fail to work, part or all of the thyroid gland is |
| Some Symptoms of Goitre: | | | | surgically removed alternatively, some or all of the |
| Diminished power of concentration. | | | | thyroid's hormone-producing cells can be destroyed |
| Emotional upsets | | | | with radioactive iodine treatment. |
| Depression | | | | |