Thyroid gland is found at the base of your neck having butterfly like shape. It is placed below the Adam’s apple in front of the neck. Goiter is the name given for enlarged thyroid. A goiter is normally harmless but sometimes if the size of thyroid gland becomes too big it can cause breathing problems and difficulty in swallowing/drinking.
Enlarged thyroid can be mild or severe and accordingly treatment is done. Iodine insufficiency is the major cause of enlarged thyroid. For some people thyroid gland gets swollen and even small lumps can develop inside it. Two types of hormone T3 and T4 are secreted from the thyroid glands which are needed for body metabolism and right function.
Enlargement of thyroid gland can occur in two ways :
- In the first type (diffused goiter) the entire thyroid gland becomes big in size.
- In the second time (nodular goiter) small lumps are formed in the gland.
Causes :
Even when the thyroid gland gets enlarged still it can carry out its normal activities namely secretion of hormones. But sometime it will produce too much of hormones (hyperthyroidism) or very little hormone (hypothyroidism).
Thyroid gland gets enlarged due to many factors given below:-
Deficiency of Iodine : Iodine is richly found in seawater/salt. In some countries people are still getting enlarged thyroid due to iodine deficiency. Nowadays iodine is added in table salt so that the body can get good supply of iodine easily.
Grave’s Disease : Enlargement of gland occurs due to autoimmune disorder in which the body’s own immune system will attack thyroid gland. This in turn will produce too much of thyroid hormone leading to swelling of gland.
Hashimoto Disease : Here the thyroid gland becomes underactive producing less or almost no hormone.