Simple Goiter – Causes, Symptoms and Treatments!

Simple Goiter – Causes, Symptoms and Treatments We Should All Be Aware of, Also,  simple goiter is enlargement of the thyroid, an endocrine gland located above the collarbone, just below the walnut. Its mission is to store and release thyroid hormones, which are responsible for regulating our body’s metabolism, which gives them a very important role.

When this gland enlarges without being accompanied by other serious problems such as hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism or cancer, that is, it undergoes a non-toxic inflammatory process it is called simple goiter .

Main Causes of Simple Goiter: Simple  goiter can occur for a variety of reasons as there is no specific pattern. Usually, the cause is unknown. However, this condition is often attributed to a lack of iodine  in the diet. When this occurs, the thyroid gland is not able to generate enough thyroid hormone that the body needs, and it compensates by increasing its size.

In certain geographic areas of the world, especially away from the sea coast, in the water and in the soil Iodine is deficient, so their food lacks this mineral. In these areas, the percentage of simple goiter in the population is higher than in the rest of the world. For this reason, iodized products that provide sufficient dietary iodine are marketed.

Other factors that can influence the appearance of simple goiter are:

  • Family history of goiter.
  • Be woman.
  • Be over 40 years of age.
  • Taking certain drugs, such as lithium or aminoglutethimide.
  • Ingestion of substances that favor your appearance, such as snuff, excess Iodine , Soybean , Sunflower , Nuts , Peanuts .

Main Symptoms of Simple Goiter:  The most visible symptom of simple goiter is enlargement of the thyroid gland. This growth can range from a small lump of tumor to a large, troublesome neck.

More symptoms usually don’t show this, but an enlarged thyroid can sometimes put pressure on the windpipe and esophagus, which leads to:

  • Breathing difficulties, especially when lying down.
  • Cough and hoarseness.
  • Difficulty swallowing food, especially solids.

When simple goiter is very large, inflammation may occur in the veins in the neck and mild dizziness to elevate the arms above the head. For this diagnostic reason, the doctor may ask you to do this movement in addition to feeling your neck. On the other hand, you can use blood tests to measure thyroid function and thyroid ultrasound to look for abnormal areas in the gland.

Treatments For Simple Goiter:  You only need to treat simple goiter if it produces symptoms. Some of the measures that can be taken are as follows:

  • If, due to iodine deficiency , small doses of Lugol or potassium iodide were administered to increase levels in the body.
  • Radioactive iodine can be used to shrink the gland, especially if it is producing excessive thyroid hormone.
  • If it is not hypothyroidism, they should be treated with thyroid hormone supplements in pill form.
  • It is also possible to perform thyroidectomy surgery to remove all or part of the thyroid.

Simple goiter may spontaneously disappear or continue to increase in size. If the latter happens, it can lead to hypothyroidism or even become toxic, producing too much thyroid hormone, causing hyperthyroidism. We advise you not to hesitate to visit your doctor if you experience visible swelling on the front of your neck.

This article is informative, they have no power to prescribe medical treatments or make any diagnosis. We invite you to visit a doctor in case you experience any kind of condition or discomfort.

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