How to Manage Goiter

When your thyroid glad swells you are said to have a goiter. There are numerous causes for goiters. The cause will determine how to manage your goiter.

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Instructions

How to Manage a Goiter

• 1

  Two of the most common causes for goiters are auto immune conditions in which your body’s antibodies attack the thyroid glad itself. These conditions cause either an over or under production of thyroid hormone resulting in a goiter on the thyroid gland. Hypothyroidism is the first such condition and is caused when your body doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormone. For this condition you will be given medication that will shrink the goiter and control the condition. Hyperthyroidism is caused when your body produces too much thyroid hormone. Radioactive iodine is often used to shrink goiters in people with hyperthyroidism. Should the radioactive iodine treatment cause hypothyroidism these individuals will then be put on thyroid replacement medication.

• 2

  Iodine deficiency is another cause of goiters. If you don’t get enough iodine your thyroid gland will not work properly and will enlarge. If you are in need of iodine you can take supplements if there are not enough iodine rich foods available.

• 3

  Sometimes you can develop inflammation in your thyroid gland. If this is the cause of your goiter you can take aspirin or anti inflammatory medications.

• 4

  If the reason for your goiter is nodules, nodes, or cancer, surgery may be the best option. If medications can’t shrink or eliminate goiters in these cases then the whole thyroid glad has to be removed.

• 5

  If the goiter isn’t causing you any problems, and isn’t caused by an underlying medical condition, then observation is all that’s needed. A regular physical checkup with your doctor is the best course of action no matter what the cause of the goiter.