Thyroid Nodules
Thyroid Nodules
If you feel something that looks like a lump in your neck or if your doctor feels it and tells you that you have a thyroid nodule, don't panic.
The majority of thyroid nodules, which are very common in the general population, turn out to be benign and manageable.
What are Thyroid Nodules?
Thyroid nodules are solid or fluid-filled lumps and range in size from a few millimeters to a few centimeters.
Thyroid nodules could be characterized as a problem with the structure of the gland, without most of the time affecting its function. In a small percentage they are associated with malignancy in the area which is generally considered rare.
Thyroid Nodules Types
The different types of thyroid nodules include:
- Cystic nodules, which are usually benign nodules that contain only fluid and do not affect thyroid function.
- Solid nodules, the majority of which are also benign.
- Mixed nodules.
- Hyperactive toxic thyroid nodules (toxic adenomas) that produce extra hormone, also mostly benign.
- Multinodular goiter, which describes a swelling of the thyroid in which many nodules are seen.
Another basic categorization of nodules is:
- Cold nodules, which do not produce thyroid hormones and are mostly benign.
- Warm nodules, which produce more thyroid hormones and are most often benign.
The chances of a thyroid nodule being cancerous are very small. Even in the cases, however, where there is malignancy, it is largely curable and for this reason there is no need for additional stress on the patient.
Who Do Thyroid Nodules Affect?
Thyroid nodules can occur in anyone. However, their frequency is four times greater in women than in men. However, when they occur in men, they are more likely to be cancerous.
Additionally, the likelihood of developing a nodule or nodules appears to increase with age.
Also, it seems to occur more often in people who live in areas where food is not fortified with iodine.
Thyroid Nodules & Symptoms
Thyroid nodules usually cause no symptoms. Often they are an incidental finding of a clinical examination, while at other times their size is more increased so that they are felt by the patient or appear as a swelling.
Larger nodules can cause:
- swallowing difficulty
- shortness of breath
Diagnosis
Most likely, the doctor will feel a lump on your thyroid during a random physical exam.
The immediate next step, and after taking a complete history, is to recommend tests to identify the characteristics of the nodule and above all to rule out malignancy.
In the first phase, he will ask you for blood tests, from which he will determine whether you suffer from hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, and a thyroid ultrasound, which gives a lot of important information about the characteristics of the nodule.
In addition, he may recommend fine-needle aspiration biopsy, an examination with great diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic utility, and thyroid scintigraphy.
Treatment
Depending on the type of thyroid nodule, its size and characteristics, the corresponding treatment is recommended by the doctor.
In the event that the nodule is not cancerous, the doctor may recommend the following treatments:
- Follow-up with clinical examination, blood tests and possibly ultrasound at regular intervals.
- Thyroid hormone therapy.
- Surgical removal if the nodule is large in size and affects breathing or swallowing.
If the nodule is cancerous, surgical removal is the most common treatment option.
Thyroid Nodules and Stress
Can stress trigger thyroid hormones and contribute to nodules? Stress is a link in the chain of nodules, as many of them are linked to overproduction of thyroid hormones causing hyperthyroidism, which in turn manifests itself with stress.
