The most common types of goiter - Signs and treatment

Types of goiter are manifestations of thyroid disease, have different causes and nature. Depending on the type of goiter the patient has, there are different treatments, or even no treatment at all.

How many types of goiter are there?

The thyroid is the body's largest endocrine gland, shaped like a butterfly, located at the base of the neck, under the skin and muscles, and just above the windpipe. Behind the thyroid gland is the trachea, esophagus, and laryngeal nerve system that controls the larynx.

Goiter , also known as thyroid goiter, is a general name for tumors that arise from thyroid disease. The manifestations of goiter types are diverse, from an enlarged thyroid gland to a granular form, which is a sign of diseases such as thyroiditis, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism or even cancer.

Signs that you have a goiter

Smaller types of goiter rarely cause any specific symptoms. It is too small to be seen with the naked eye, and can only be detected through tests such as CT scans or ultrasounds.

Large goiters are easily seen with the naked eye as a large lump appears in the front of the neck. In addition, you need to recognize through the signs of goiter such as:

• The neck is stiff and stretched;
• Neck, sore throat;
• Difficulty swallowing, difficulty breathing;
• Excited, sometimes heart palpitations, sweating profusely…
• Fatigue, stress, impaired memory, dry skin, constipation, frequent chills…

Neck stiffness and fatigue are also signs of a goiter.

If any of the above symptoms are present, the patient should visit a medical center for timely diagnosis and treatment.

Most goiters are benign, but it is possible that they are a sign of thyroid cancer . The only way to know if a patient has cancer is to do a test. In addition, if accompanied by the following signs, it is highly likely to be a sign of cancer:

• There is a hard hump;
• This tumor grows larger;
• The tumor does not move when touched;
• Hoarse voice.

When a goiter appears, it is advisable to go to a medical facility to do the necessary tests to detect and treat the disease in time.

Common types of goiter

The most common of the types of goiter - Simple goiter

Simple goiter, also known as euthyroid goiter, mainly occurs in women at puberty, pregnancy, and perimenopause. In the early stages, the disease has no obvious signs, but when the tumor is abnormally large, it can compress the trachea, causing difficulty breathing, hoarseness, difficulty swallowing ...

The growth of a goiter alone does not affect the thyroid hormone levels in the body. Usually, the disease will go away on its own or go away after medical treatment. However, some people "live with the flood" for a while, then the disease develops strongly and has a negative impact on health. Therefore, if the disease is detected, the patient should be treated stably with drugs and supportive foods, periodically monitoring the development of the disease.

Mononuclear goiter

It is also one of the most common types of goiter in women. Mononuclear tumors usually grow slowly, rarely growing aggressively. Mononucleosis is about 1cm in size, moves with swallowing rhythm and can be easily observed with the naked eye.

If detected early, mononucleosis can be treated with hormonal drugs. If it cannot be treated with drugs, the tumor becomes large, causing unsightly and adversely affecting health, then surgical intervention is required. In cases of rapid disease progression, multiple methods should be combined.

Mononuclear tumors are often confused with thyroid cancer. Therefore, testing should be done to rule out the risk of cancer.

Most likely to lead to cancer of all types of goiter - Multinodular goiter

Multinodular tumors have rapid growth causing enlargement of the thyroid gland and the appearance of multiple nodules.

If multinodular tumors are treated repeatedly, the risk of cancer should be taken into account. Before treatment, various tests should be done to determine whether the tumor is benign or malignant. If it is benign, it can be treated with hormones. When an enlarged goiter poses a risk of compression, affecting health, it is necessary to consider removing part or all of the thyroid gland.

Attention should be paid to the risk of cancer when multinodular goiter recurs many times.

It is important to note that not all cases of goiter require surgical intervention. Only goiter surgery if falling into the following cases:

• The enlarged tumor causes unsightly, pressure on breathing, difficulty swallowing.
• Cancer or suspected cancer.
• Hyperthyroidism: Surgery is considered along with oral medications or radioactive iodine.

In addition, you need to find out what the goiter should eat to have a post-operative care regimen, most types of goiter are benign. However, goiter can affect aesthetics and potentially lead to complications of malignancy or tracheal compression. Therefore, prevention is better than cure, each person should have a diet full of iodine and healthy living habits to prevent goiter.