- Thyroid nodules - abnormal growths
- Goiter
- Treatment
Treatment of thyroid nodules
The choice of treatment depends on thyroid nodules on how the nodes affected - or can affect - on the condition of the patient. If they are benign and cause no problems, the doctor will most likely decide to simply observe changes nodes. If they cause any problems, appointed by the medical treatment or surgery.
Antithyroid drugs and radioactive iodine can be used for the treatment of benign thyroid nodules that cause the production of excessive amounts of thyroid hormone (hyperthyroidism).
Surgery is usually needed only in cases where the thyroid nodules are so great that interfere with a person breathe and swallow food, and if they are malignant. Once the cancerous node removed, the patient may need treatment with radioactive iodine, in the course of which will be destroyed thyroid tissue along with the remnants of cancer cells - otherwise they can cause serious problems a few years later.
If the patient had to completely remove the thyroid gland, it must be for the whole future life to take drugs containing thyroid hormones.
Home treatment
For patients with thyroid nodules found, there are three basic types of treatment.
Observation. If non-cancerous thyroid nodules and small, your doctor may prescribe a patient examination times of 6-12 months to monitor possible changes knots.
Surgery (thyroidectomy) may be required in the following cases:
- Node is a thyroid malignancy, or the doctor suspects that it might be cancer;
- Node increased so much that interferes with breathing and swallowing.
Sometimes also remove nodes that cause excessive production of thyroid hormones.
Radioactive iodine can be used if:
- Node and malignant thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone, causing hyperthyroidism. However, pregnant women are treated with radioactive iodine is not recommended - it was too dangerous for the fetus;
- The patient has multiple thyroid nodules (multinodular goiter), and surgery is contraindicated because of other health problems. In such cases, the radioactive iodine may reduce the nodes, but after some time they tend to return to its previous size.
Further treatment
If, after removal of the thyroid gland
Removal of thyroid nodules - special readings
by surgery or treatment with radioactive iodine, after the doctor has appointed taking any medications, take as recommended by, and do not stop taking even if you feel well. Regularly donate blood for analysis to the level of thyroid hormones
Thyroid hormones: mechanism of action and physiological effects
and go to the survey. Be sure to call your doctor if you have any symptoms of hyperthyroidism, such as jitters, increased heart rate, increased sweating, weight loss for no apparent reason. Sometimes these symptoms are due to hormone replacement therapy, or due to the fact that the benign nodes begin to produce too much hormone. You also need to consult a doctor if you develop symptoms of hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism - Symptoms: What should pay particular attention
For example, fatigue, feeling cold at a sufficiently high temperature environment, and / or sudden increase in weight. Hypothyroidism can develop after treatment with radioactive iodine or after surgical removal of the thyroid gland.
If the node is a benign thyroid
The thyroid gland - is responsible for your hormones
will begin to grow rapidly, the doctor may prescribe fine-needle aspiration biopsy - This procedure allows you to determine whether the node does not become cancerous. In practice this rarely happens. Most patients thyroid nodules on for many years did not increase, and do not cause any symptoms.