Goiter Explained

What Is Goiter?

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland situated at the bottom of the neck just beneath the Adam's apple. At times, this gland can grow larger than its normal size. When this happens it is referred to as a goiter. Generally speaking, goiters are more or less painless. However a particularly large one can make it a challenge to breathe or swallow.

Goiters are commonly associated with a lack of iodine. In fact, this is actually the common cause of the unusual thyroid growth. In the U.S., goiters tend to be attributed to the under or over production of thyroid hormone. Another cause may be nodules that develop in the gland itself. Currently very little is known as to why thyroid nodules develop in people but a number of them can lead to goiter or multinodular goiter.

Treatment options depend on the size of the growth, the symptoms and underlying cause. Small sized goiters may not need treatment but this will vary case by case.

Symptoms

Goiters will not always show signs or symptoms but when they do, they include:

Risk Factors

No one is really exempt from developing goiters. Sometimes people are born with them but they can occur at anytime. Statistically speaking, they are more commonly seen after the age of 50. Here are some risk factors:

Complications

Small goiters are not as much of a concern as large ones. Large goiters make it a challenge to swallow or breathe. They also cause coughing and hoarseness. There are associated symptoms such as fatigue, inexplicable weight loss or insomnia.