An overview on thyroid nodules

The thyroid nodules are fluid filled or solid lumps that develop within the thyroid gland. This gland is located at the base of the neck above your breastbone.  Majority of these nodules do not pose serious threats to the person and there are no symptoms. Though there is a chance where thyroid cancer could develop through these nodules, they only account to a very small percentage of the actual development of cancers. A lot of us would not even know that we have such nodules until our physician checks our neck area, usually on a routine medical examination. In some cases, the nodules can reach bigger sizes and this could affect your swallowing and breathing, and from there you might experience the discomfort. There are different forms of thyroid nodules and the treatment will vary from that specific kind.

For the most part, the thyroid nodules do not have any considerable signs. In some cases, the nodules can be too big that you could feel the lump at the base of your neck. You could also sometimes see the lump from your neck. It might even press to the esophagus or the wind pipe and this causes difficulty, if not pain, when trying to swallow or breathe. Some nodules can release a hormone called thyroxine which is normally secreted by the thyroid gland. When this happens, certain problems can happen and these risks include unexpected weight loss, irregular heart beat as well as nervousness. As said earlier, some of the nodules can be malignant or cancer forming. To add more risk to this concern, it is very difficult to detect which of the nodules can actually cause cancer. In some cases, the cancerous forms are mostly the fast growing fixed masses on your throat.

Though almost all of these nodules do not cause cancers to most people, it would be best to ask the doctor to evaluate the nodules especially if you feel that it is making you feel uncomfortable when you breathe or swallow. This will help eliminate the possibilities that you have cancer. You should also ask the doctor if you suddenly experienced any changes in your body such as weakness of your muscles, difficulty in sleeping, heart pounding loss of appetite or a sudden increase of appetite. These symptoms might be connected to hyperthyroidism.

There are several conditions that can be connected to the development of these nodules. It could be iodine deficiency. The lack of iodine in your diet can lead to the development of nodules. In the US, iodine deficiency is very rare since majority of the population gets a serving and other kinds of foods high in iodine. Another possible reason for the development of nodules is the overgrowth of the tissues. This is also known as adenoma. This condition is most of the time non cancerous and is not considered as a serious threat to the person unless it affects the normal functioning of the person. Some will develop more hormones that can lead to hyperthyroidism which is a big concern for many people.

Another possible cause of these nodules is fluid filled cavities along the thyroid area. These cysts develop due to the degeneration of the adenomas. These are normally solid form with fluid inside. They are also usually benign but sometimes, malignant components could be lurking somewhere. Some people develop the so-called thyroiditis which is the chronic or persistent inflammation of the said gland. This could lead to the enlargement of the gland and what this does is reduce the activity in the thyroid gland leading to hypothyroidism.  One other possible cause of the nodules is goiter. This is a general description for the enlargement of the gland caused by thyroid deficiency.

With thyroid cancer, you can say that the chances of the nodules becoming malignant are very small, but if you have a family member that experienced endocrine or thyroid cancer, the chances become higher. Also, if you have a family member, an elderly who has been exposed to radiation in the head and neck, you probably have a higher predisposition to develop cancer of the thyroid gland from the nodules. If you experience form of discomfort, you should ask a doctor and seek medical attention.

There are several complications that are associated with these nodules. These include breathing and swallowing problems that can be prominent if the goiter, inflammation or the nodules themselves have become particularly big that they obstruct the cavities around the neck. Another concern is hyperthyroidism where the release of the thyroid hormone increases, resulting to various symptoms that could affect your quality of life. You could also experience toxicity to thyroxine and increase risks of heart diseases as well as other life threatening diseases that would require intensive care. Lastly, the disease can also lead to issues like hormone replacement therapy if the thyroid gland has to be removed due to the cancer. If the cancer was discovered early on, there is a big chance that the patient will survive and can live a normal life, with medical support and continuous medication.

When you see the thyroid nodule or feel it around your lower neck, you might want to ask a doctor to evaluate that lump. Just like the prostate, any problems or abnormal inflammation or change in size of the thyroid can be difficult to assess unless you have a doctor check you out. Normally, imaging tests are necessary to check the condition off your thyroid and to see how big the lump is. Imaging services like MRI, Ultrasound as well as CT scan is done for evaluation. Once the nodule has been detected, an endocrinologist will examine you and check if you have any conditions that could cause the nodules or if there are any endocrine problems that you suffer. If you feel any symptoms, difficulties and other conditions, it is necessary to tell all these things to your doctor. They can provide you with the information as well as assessment on what to do and if there are further examinations necessary.