Definition:
Goitre, sometimes spelled as goiter and also known as a bronchocele, is a condition characterized by a large thyroid gland, resulting in a swelling of the neck area. The swelling usually occurs right below the Adam's apple. The condition is more common among older adults and in women.
Diagnosis:
A hormone test is conducted to determine how much hormone are being produced by the pituitary and thyroid glands. If an overactive thyroid is the cause of goitre, it will result in high thyroid levels in the blood and a low TSH level.
An antibody test is also conducted to confirm if abnormal antibodies are being produced. An ultrasonography and thyroid scan are also performed.
Treatment:
If the size of the goitre is small, treatment is not necessary. Thyroid hormone replacement through levothyroxine can treat hypothyroidism. It may also decrease progression of thyroid-stimulating hormones in the pituitary gland. Corticosteroids or aspirin medication may treat inflammation of the thyroid gland.
In some cases, the goitre is severe and disrupts breathing and swallowing functions. Surgery is an option as it removes part or all of the thyroid gland. Surgery can also prevent thyroid cancer.
An overactive thyroid gland may be treated with radioactive iodine.
Symptoms and Signs:
Symptoms of goitre include difficulty swallowing and breathing, a tight sensation in the throat, coughing, and enlargement of thyroid gland as a result of swelling in the neck. Other symptoms may also occur depending on what caused the goitre.
Causes:
The causes of goitre may be serious or not. They include iodine deficiency, Graves' disease, inborn errors, acute or chronic thyroiditis, thyroid cancer, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, multinodular goiter, pregnancy, inflammation, or as a side effect of pharmacological therapy.
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