Goiter Awareness: Recognizing Symptoms and Seeking Solutions—Southlake General Surgery

1
Goiter Awareness Recognizing Symptoms and
Seeking Solutions

• By
• Dr. Valeria Simone MD
• (Southlake General Surgery, Texas, USA)

2
Overview

• Goiter, a condition characterized by the
  enlargement of the thyroid gland, is a common
  thyroid disorder that affects millions of people
  worldwide. This condition can have a significant
  impact on an individual's overall health and
  well-being, causing a range of symptoms and
  complications. Understanding the causes,
  symptoms, and potential treatments for goiter is
  crucial to managing this condition effectively.

3
What is a goiter?

• A goiter is a swelling or enlargement of the
  thyroid gland, which is located in the front of
  the neck. It can develop due to a variety of
  factors, including iodine deficiency,
  inflammation, hormonal imbalances, or certain
  medications. The size of a goiter can vary
  greatly, ranging from a small lump to a
  noticeable enlargement that can be felt or seen.
  In some cases, goiters may be painless and cause
  no symptoms, while in others, they can lead to a
  range of issues that affect the thyroid's
  function and overall health.
• Goiters can cause difficulties with swallowing or
  breathing, as they can put pressure on the
  surrounding structures in the neck.
• Additionally, they may lead to an overactive or
  underactive thyroid, resulting in symptoms such
  as
• weight changes
• fatigue
• mood swings
• changes in heart rate.
• Treatment for goiters depends on the underlying
  cause and severity, ranging from medication to
  surgery. Regular monitoring and management of
  goiters are essential to prevent complications
  and ensure optimal thyroid health.

4
How many types of Goiters are there?

• In medical terms, goiter has several categories
  that can swell your thyroid, which include
• Simple Goiters In this condition, your thyroid
  doesnt produce sufficient hormones and
  consequently is enlarged in size to meet the
  requirement.
• Multinodular Goiters  It occurs due to lumps
  known as nodules, which develop in the thyroid.
• Nontoxic Goiters or Sporadic Goiters  This type
  of goiter generally has no known reason. Some
  medicines and medical treatments can cause them.
• Endemic Goiters  It is also known as colloid
  goiters, and mainly happens in individuals who've
  got iodine deficiency. The thyroid uses iodine to
  produce hormones for our body. This condition is
  usually found in people where iodine is mixed in
  table salt and is found in countries like the
  United States.
• When a goiter is specified as harmful it is
  associated with hyperthyroidism. This condition
  refers to the excess production of thyroid
  hormone. A harmless goiter doesnt lead to any
  of these thyroid conditions, like hyperthyroidism
  or hypothyroidism (insufficient thyroid hormone).

5
What are the Symptoms of Goiter?

• According to Dr. Valeria Simone MD experienced
  board-certified general surgeon and thyroid
  specialist at Southlake General Surgery, Texas.,
  the symptoms of goiter may include swelling at
  the front of your neck. It can be a small bulge
  or several nodules to one large goiter either at
  one side of the neck or on both sides.
• An individual may also experience
• A rough voice
• Swollen veins of the neck
• Feeling of dizziness on raising arms
• Coughing
• Difficulty in breathing
• Problem in swallowing
• Stiffness in the throat

6

• In case of a harmful goiter with hyperthyroidism,
  an individual may experience
• Nausea, nervousness, or Sweating
• Diarrhea
• High blood pressure
• Weight loss
• A high pulse rate or heartbeat
• Trembling, weakness in muscles, or hand tremors

• In case of hypothyroidism, you may experience
• Weight gain, depression, dry skin, or fatigue
• Latency in mental and physical functions
• Constipation
• Feeling of cold, or Numbness in hands
• Irregular menstrual cycle
• Low pulse rate

7
What are the causes of Goiter?

• Goiters dont constitute any one illness. They
  can develop rapidly or gradually over the years.
• Iodine deficiency was the main reason for goiters
  in individuals in the U.S. before it was
  marketized with salt as iodized salt in 1920. In
  the United States, one of the main causes of
  goiters is an autoimmune disorder (that includes
  Hashimotos disease or Graves disease) and
  multinodular goiter.
• A goiter can also be caused by thyroid
  inflammation, also known as thyroiditis. An
  individual may experience this condition after
  getting infected with any sort of virus or after
  pregnancy.

8
Risk Factors for Goiters

• Individuals over 40 years old are at higher risk.
• Women are more likely to have goiters and thyroid
  disorders.
• Menopause and pregnancy are two factors that are
  associated with thyroid problems.
• Family history of autoimmune disorders.
• Drugs and medicines.
• Medical treatments that expose patients to
  radiation, such as radiation therapy for cancer
• Iodine deficiency in the body.

9
Diagnosis of Goiter

• Diagnosis of goiter at Southlake General Surgery,
  Texas, will be easy and simple by examining the
  neck. Our doctor may prescribe that you go for a
  few tests to find out the exact reason and how it
  is affecting you. Tests may include
• Ultrasound to check the size of the thyroid and
  nodules.
• CT scan and MRI, in case the size of the goiter
  is large and it has spread to the chest.
• Blood tests to evaluate the thyroid hormone
  levels and check for antibodies that cause
  goiters.
• Thyroid Scan  In this procedure, the doctor
  injects radioactive material to develop a picture
  of the thyroid on a computer screen. This helps
  to find out the size of the thyroid and its
  functionality.
• Biopsy  In this procedure, the doctor collects a
  sample of tissue or fluid through a needle and
  sends it to a lab for testing to check for
  cancer.

10
Treatment of Goiter

• An individual may not require any treatment for
  goiter if the thyroid hormone level is normal and
  the size of the goiter is small. However, goiter
  treatment is recommended if the thyroid hormone
  levels are too low or too high.
• Your doctor will level up the thyroid hormones if
  they are not normal. Your doctor will also
  examine the causes of goiter and its seriousness
  to suggest treatment, which includes
• Medicines  Your doctor may prescribe a thyroid
  hormone replacement medication for an individual
  experiencing hypothyroidism. A successful
  medication course may settle the thyroid to its
  normal size. However, a large goiter with
  internal scar tissue might not settle with
  medicine.
• Radioactive Iodine  This treatment destroys the
  cells to settle the thyroid. This is included in
  a pill for the treatment of an overactive
  thyroid. After this treatment, an individual will
  require hormone medicines throughout his or her
  life.
• Surgery  Thyroid surgery, also known
  as thyroidectomy, is an alternative in cases
  where the goiter size is large or its not
  responding to medicines.
• Lets explore more Goiter - Causes, Symptoms,
  Treatment, and Surgery - Southlake General
  Surgery

11
Appointment

• For more information about Goiter Awareness
  Recognizing Symptoms and Seeking Solutions or
  consultation with us. Please contact our
  healthcare expert today at 1 [phone]. You
  can also make an online appointment with us.
• Follow us on Facebook.
• Source Goiter - Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, and
  Surgery - Southlake General Surgery

12
THANK YOU!
SOUTHLAKE GENERAL SURGERY
1545 E. Southlake Blvd, Suite 270 Southlake, TX
76092
EMAIL info_at_southlakegeneralsurgery.com
VISIT US AT www.southlakegeneralsurgery.com