A thyroid nodule could be a growth (lump) within the ductless gland. The ductless gland is found within the neck, simply on top of wherever your collarbones meet within the middle.
Causes
Thyroid nodules area unit growths of cells within the ductless gland. These growths will be:
Not cancer (benign) or thyroid cancer
Fluid-filled (cysts)
One nodule or a gaggle of tiny nodules
Producing thyroid hormones (hot) or not creating thyroid hormones (cold)
Thyroid nodules area unit additional common in ladies than in men. a human probability of obtaining a thyroid nodule will increase with age.
Only some thyroid nodules area unit as a result of thyroid cancer. A thyroid nodule is additional doubtless to be cancer if you:
Have a tough nodule
Have a nodule that's stuck to close structures
Have a case history of thyroid cancer
Have noticed a amendment in your voice
Are younger than twenty or older than seventy
Have a history of radiation exposure to the top or neck
Are male
Causes of thyroid nodules aren't continuously found, however will include:
Hashimoto's malady
Lack of iodine within the diet
Symptoms
Most thyroid nodules don't cause symptoms.
Large nodules will press against different structures within the neck, inflicting symptoms such as:
Goiter or AN enlarged ductless gland or lump(s) within the neck
Hoarseness or ever-changing voice
Pain within the neck
Problems respiration, particularly once lying down flat
Problems swallowing food
Nodules that manufacture thyroid hormones can doubtless cause symptoms of active ductless gland, including:
Warm, wet skin
Fast pulse
Increased appetence
Nervousness
Restlessness
Skin discomposed or flushing
Weight loss
Irregular discharge periods
Thyroid nodules area unit generally found in people that have autoimmune disorder, which can cause symptoms of AN hypoactive ductless gland, such as:
Dry skin
Face swelling
Fatigue
Hair loss
Feeling cold once people don't
Weight gain
Irregular discharge periods
Exams and tests
Very often, nodules manufacture no symptoms. Doctors realize thyroid nodules solely throughout a routine physical test or imaging tests that area unit finished one more reason. some individuals have thyroid nodules that area unit sufficiently big that they notice the nodule on their own, inflicting them to own a doctor examine their neck.
If the doctor finds a nodule otherwise you have symptoms of a nodule, the subsequent tests could also be done:
TSH level and different thyroid blood tests
Thyroid ultrasound
Thyroid scan
Fine needle aspiration diagnostic assay
Treatment
Your health care supplier might suggest surgery to get rid of all or a part of your ductless gland if the nodule is:
Due to thyroid cancer
Causing symptoms like swallowing or respiration issues
Not able to be diagnosed as cancer or not cancer
Believe to be creating an excessive amount of hormone
Patients with nodules that area unit creating an excessive amount of hormone could also be treated with radioactive iodine. This treatment reduces the scale and activity of the nodule. Pregnant ladies aren't given this treatment.
Both surgery to get rid of ductless gland tissue and radioactive iodine treatment will cause womb-to-tomb gland disease (underactive thyroid), that must be treated with hormone replacement.
For noncancerous nodules that don't cause symptoms and aren't growing, the most effective treatment might be:
Careful follow-up with a physical test and ultrasound
A thyroid diagnostic assay recurrent half dozen to twelve months when designation, particularly if the nodule has full-grown
Another doable treatment is ethyl alcohol (alcohol) injection into the nodule to shrink it.
Outlook (Prognosis)
Noncancerous thyroid nodules aren't serious. several don't need treatment. Follow-up exams area unit enough.
The outlook for thyroid cancer depends on the sort of cancer. With commonest varieties of thyroid cancer, the outlook is extremely smart when treatment.
When to Contact a Medical skilled
Call your health care supplier if you are feeling or see a lump in your neck, or if you expertise any symptoms of a thyroid nodule.
If you've got been exposed to radiation within the face or neck space, decision your health care supplier. A neck ultrasound are often done to seem for thyroid nodules.
Alternative Names
The most common causes in younger patients embody the following:
Reactive redness
Primary microorganism lymphoid tissue infection
Systemic infections
Reactive redness happens in response to infective agent or microorganism infection somewhere within the cavity. Some general infections (eg, infectious disease, HIV, TB) cause cervical lymphoid tissue enlargement—usually generalized instead of isolated.
Congenital disorders might cause a neck mass, generally long. the foremost common area unit thyroglossal duct cysts, body structure cysts, and dermoid or fatty cysts.
Cancerous plenty area unit additional common among older patients however might occur in younger ones. These plenty might represent an area primary growth or lymphoid tissue involvement from an area, regional, or distant primary cancer. concerning hr of supraclavicular triangle plenty area unit metastases from distant primary sites. Elsewhere within the neck, eightieth of cancerous cervical adenosis originates within the higher metabolism or epithelial duct. doubtless sites of origin area unit the posterior-lateral border of the tongue and also the floor of the mouth followed by the cavum, tonsil, cartilaginous structure surface of the cartilaginous structure, and hypopharynx, together with the pyriform sinuses.
The ductless gland might enlarge in numerous disorders, together with easy nontoxic struma (see easy Nontoxic Goiter), acute rubor (see acute Thyroiditis), and, less often, thyroid cancer (see Thyroid Cancers).
A submandibular exocrine gland will enlarge if it's blocked by a stone, becomes infected, or develops a cancer.
Evaluation
History: History of gift sickness ought to note however long the mass has been gift and whether or not it's painful. vital associated acute symptoms embody inflammatory disease, URI symptoms, and aching.
Review of systems ought to raise concerning issue swallowing or speaking and symptoms of chronic malady (eg, fever, weight loss, malaise). Regional and distant cancers inflicting metastases to the neck often cause symptoms in their system of origin (eg, cough in carcinoma, swallowing issue in muscular structure cancer). as a result of varied willcers can metastasise to the neck, an entire review of systems is vital to assist establish a supply.
Past case history ought to inquire concerning legendary HIV or TB and risk factors for them. Risk factors for cancer area unit assessed, together with consumption of alcohol or use of tobacco (particularly snuff or chew tobacco), ill-fitting dental appliances, and chronic oral monilia disease. Poor oral hygiene additionally could also be a risk.
Physical examination: The neck mass is palpated to work out consistency (ie, whether or not soft and fluctuant, rubbery, or hard) and presence and degree of tenderness. whether or not the mass is freely mobile or seems mounted to the skin or underlying tissue additionally must be determined.