Are there any medicines that I can take to stop the enlargement of my left thyroid or do I need surgery?


The thyroid gland in the human body is a small butterfly shaped gland that is located just below your adam’s apple. This gland produces hormones that controls not only the body’s metabolism, but also plays a significant role in the regulation of other functions of the body. When the thyroid gland starts to inflame, it is usually an indication that the gland is not working properly and the condition is known as ‘goiter’. Although goiter is seen more often in women, it is known to occur in both sexes. Sometimes the swelling may also contain a liquid filled cyst or mast – this structure is known as a nodule and is extremely common when suffering from goiter. However, these cases need to be taken a little more seriously as they have the potential to turn cancerous if ignored. If the condition is triggered by a deficiency of iodine, the patient needs to increase his or her consumption of foods like fish, drinking water and table salt as they are all rich sources of the substance. A lack of iodine will usually trigger the condition of hypothyroidism where the thyroid gland creates an excessively high amount of hormones. Some other causes of goiter include Graves’ disease and thyroid cancer. During the first tri-mester of a pregnancy, an expecting mother will also develop an enlarged thyroid gland that is caused mainly by a hormone called Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (or HCG for short), but this condition will usually subside by itself.

Some of the more noticeable symptoms that will show, besides the swelling of the neck, include a loss of concentration, constant depression, extreme irritability, hoarseness, coughing, and difficulty in breathing and swallowing and even emotional discomfort. In order to keep the muscles surrounding the thyroid gland in prime condition – one should perform a regular routine of neck stretches. With regards to diet – a higher intake of cucumber is highly recommended and should be included in all meals in the form of a salad. You could also cure the condition by grinding the seeds of flax in some water and heat it, before applying it over the swollen area. After this, simply bandage a few leaves of the tree over it for a considerable period of time for best results. Instead of indulging in three big meals during the course of the day, you should start to split them up into 5 or 6 smaller meals that are consumed throughout the course of the day at regular intervals.

answered by G M

Thyroid is a key gland located at the lower neck region. This gland produces hormones that control your body’s metabolism. Metabolic activities imply the pace at which your body completes routine activities. Such activity includes the beating of the heart and rate at which calories are burned by your body.

Large thyroid glands or enlarged glands are known as goiter. Such a condition causes symptoms such as choking, change in voice, neck pain, difficult breathing, fatigue, weight loss, depression, hair loss, anxiety or difficulty in swallowing food. Thyroid enlargement symptoms could be caused due to a wide variety of reasons ranging from inflammation of the thyroid to thyroid cancer.

An enlarged thyroid or goiter can be caused due to certain diseases such as Graves’ disease, Hashimoto disease, thyroid imbalances or due to nutritional deficiencies. An enlarged thyroid gland could be due to the presence of a thyroid nodule, a ruptured nodule or cysts, tumors, bumps or lumps. Other symptoms that indicate an enlarged thyroid are: rapid heartbeat, trembling hands or fingers, anxiety, nervousness, changes in menstrual patterns, muscle weakness, sleeping difficulty, increased perspiration, discomfort in the eyes or blurry vision and weight loss. Diagnosing the presence of this condition is based on a TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) test and other conditions such as rapid pulse, eye or vision changes or trembling hands to confirm a thyroid disorder. An untreated thyroid condition can cause further complications such as osteoporosis, vision impairment, skin changes and severe heart problems or heart failure.

There is no scientific evidence to the effectiveness of yoga in treating thyroid but regular practice of yoga postures can arrest its growth. Certain yoga postures or asanas such as pranayama (breathing exercise),halasana( plough pose), paripurna navasana ( full boat pose) are known to open up the thyroid congestion ,improve the quality of sleep and induce overall relaxation of the mind, body and spirit. A prescribed yogic diet for all aliments includes vegetarian foods high on salads and fruits. Avoidable food intake includes fast foods, refined and processed foods and deep fried spicy snacks. This is advisable incase of mild to moderate cases of thyroid enlargement.

Diagnosis of the condition can be a beneficial indicator of the extent of treatment required. If home remedies alone can suffice you can try some beneficial solutions. Goiter or thyroid enlargement is caused due to lack of iodine this can be compensated by eating iodine rich foods such as carrots, salt and garlic.

answered by M W


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