What is it about ?
The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland that sits at the base of the neck, just below the Adam’s apple.
It produces thyroid hormones (T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine)). These hormones play an important role at all stages of life. They allow
- normal growth and development,
- the regulation of many processes, including metabolism (they stimulate the metabolism),
- and that the pregnancy is proceeding normally.
Small balls (nodules) may develop in the thyroid; sometimes there is only one, and other times there is a lot. The nodules are usually discovered by chance during a neck exam. The thyroid itself can also get bigger (enlarged); this is called a goiter.
A thyroid nodule can be:
- a benign cyst,
- a solitary thyroid nodule,
- part of the enlargement of the thyroid,
- inflammation of the thyroid of autoimmune origin,
- a benign tumor,
- a malignant tumor (rarely).
How to recognize them?
You feel a lump in your neck near the thyroid. Usually, cysts and benign tumors are soft and grow slowly. A malignant tumor is usually hard and grows quickly. If the thyroid has grown in size, you can often see it in your mirror. The lower part of the neck then thickened.
Usually you don’t have any symptoms. Sometimes the nodule grows on the esophagus or on the trachea. You have difficulty swallowing, or you feel pain in your windpipe and your breathing is wheezy.
The thyroid is functioning normally in most cases. It is also possible that the nodule is producing too many hormones and the thyroid is working too hard (hyperthyroidism). You notice it with weight loss, tremors, sweating, diarrhea, and palpitations. The reverse is also possible: the thyroid does not produce enough hormones and becomes lazy (hypothyroidism). The most common symptoms are weight gain, constipation, dry skin, and hair loss.
How is the diagnosis made?
The doctor will ask you questions about the growth of the lump (s) and look for symptoms of a disturbance in thyroid function. He will feel your thyroid. A blood test will allow him to check the function of the thyroid. He will send you to a radiologist for an ultrasound of the thyroid and possibly a biopsy of the nodule. This is done by sticking a needle into the nodule to remove tissue to be examined.
What can you do ?
If you feel a lump in the thyroid or notice swelling in the neck, contact the doctor. Don’t worry too much: 95 times out of 100, that’s okay.
What can your doctor do?
The doctor will try to distinguish between a benign and a malignant mass. If the results of the puncture are abnormal, he will refer you to a surgeon to remove the thyroid (thyroidectomy), in part or in whole. It is also advisable to surgically remove benign lesions which press on neighboring structures or which are aesthetically embarrassing.
If the thyroid is generally ‘swollen’ (enlarged), the doctor will do a blood test to find the cause. It may be inflammation or a disturbance in the proper functioning of the thyroid. If the thyroid is growing rapidly, a puncture will usually also be done. When the thyroid is enlarged, it is rarely cancer. After a thyroidectomy, thyroid hormones must be taken every day.
Want to know more?
- Hypothyroidism: when the thyroid falls asleep – mongeneraliste.be – SSMG – Scientific Society of General Medicine
- Hyperthyroidism: when the thyroid is racing – mongeneraliste.be – SSMG – Scientific Society of General Medicine
- Ultrasound here Where to find on this page of Cliniques St Luc UCL
- The thyroid puncture, here, Where to find on this page of Cliniques St Luc UCL
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