Thyroid gland is found below the neck located just below the Adam’s apple. Goiter is the condition in which the thyroid gland grows bigger than normal size. Though it may not cause any pain still it makes you difficult to breathe and eat. Lack of iodine is the main cause for getting goiter. Goiter can be treated and managed either through medications or by surgery. But the method of treatment depends on the size of the goiter and age of the patient.
Symptoms :
There are some goiters that may not cause any symptoms. Some of the common symptoms are coughing, tight feeling on the throat and difficulty in swallowing. There would be large swelling at the base of the neck making it visible for all. Goiter can cause hoarseness in your voice and difficulty in breathing.
Goiter Causes :
If your body does not contain sufficient amount of iodine it can cause goiter. Thyroid gland produces normal amounts of thyroid hormone even if it is enlarged. One cannot say for sure, that improper functioning of thyroid gland causes goiter. Iodine is vital for normal production of thyroid hormone and is available in salt and soil. People who don’t take enough amounts of iodine in their diet can develop goiter due to enlargement of thyroid gland.
Grave’s disease can attack the thyroid gland by mistake making it to produce excess of hormone leading to goiter. It would also cause inflammation of thyroid gland. Similarly goiter can also develop due to hypothyroidism (less production of thyroid) caused by Hashimoto’s disease.
This is an autoimmune disorder attacking the thyroid gland which produces very low levels of thyroxin. This in turn triggers the pituitary gland to secrete more of TSH which causes goiter. In rare cases, pregnancy hormone called Human Chorionic Gonadotropin can cause enlargement of thyroid gland leading to goiter. Inflammation on the thyroid gland can cause swelling and goiter.