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Enlarged Thyroid Complications

An enlarged thyroid is one of the first signals that some sort of disorder may be developing in this important gland of the endocrine system. It alerts physicians to the possibility of several disorders that produce a wide variety of complications in the body.

  1. Enlarged Thyroid

    • An enlarged thyroid is commonly referred to as a goiter. It's one of the first signs that thyroid disease may be present. This goiter most frequently forms as a result of the uninhibited growth of thyroid nodules. These lumps of thyroid cells develop within the thyroid gland--and usually over the course of years--are nurtured to the point that they become symptomatic or, more commonly, are accidentally discovered as the result of another test such as an MRI or CT scan. They very rarely produce any noticeable symptoms until they are highly developed.

    Nodules

    • While these nodules are very common, especially in older adults, only about 5 percent of nodules are cancerous. The Hormone Foundation says that a nodule may be cancerous if the lymph nodes under the jaw are swollen or if the nodule grows quickly, feels hard and causes pain. These cancerous nodules may cause hoarseness and make swallowing or breathing difficult. Other symptoms may include a sort of "tickle" in the throat. In highly progressed cases, a goiter may be viewed through skin above the thyroid in the throat.

    Nodule Cause

    • Nodules may be filled with fluid (cysts) or solid and occur much more frequently in females (80 percent of cases involve women) than males. Interestingly, men are more likely to develop thyroid cancer as a result. A physician will test any suspicious growth of this sort. However, many adults live their entire lives unaware of the presence of nodules in their thyroid gland. Still, it's important for a physician to investigate suspicious growths in order to rule out cancer or the presence of enlarged thyroid complications like Hashimoto's disease or Graves' disease.

    Hashimoto's Disease

    • A goiter often hints at the presence of Hashimoto's disease which is a chronic inflammation of the thyroid gland caused by abnormal blood antibodies and white blood cells that attack and damage thyroid cells, according to the Thyroid Foundation of Canada. It's an autoimmune disorder where the body mistakenly tells the immune system to destroy thyroid cells. This bombardment hurts the gland's ability to produce critical hormones, bringing on hypothyroidism, commonly referred to as an under-active thyroid. This results in fatigue, high blood cholesterol, hoarse voice, puffy face, pale or dry skin, constipation, weight gain, depression and dry hair or finger nails.

    Graves' Disease

    • An enlarged thyroid also can be caused by Graves' disease. Just like Hashimoto's, this disorder is brought on by a mistaken attack on the thyroid. But the result is just the opposite. It produces hyperthyroidism, referred to as an overactive thyroid. The Mayo Clinic reports that complications include bulging eyes (known as Graves' ophthalmopathy), teariness in eyes, diarrhea, irregular bowel movements, infertility, weight loss, trembling hands, fatigue, rapid heart beat, irritability, abnormal menstruation and excessive sweating.

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