Why are my thyroids swollen

A struma usually develops between the 20th and the 40th year of life. At Schoen Clinic, we specialise in thyroid diseases. We offer you various therapeutic methods to cure your disease. What is thyroid enlargement?

The thyroid gland is located on the front of the neck under the larynx and next to the trachea and oesophagus. A normal-sized thyroid gland is butterfly-shaped and consists of two lobes joined together. The parathyroid glands are located at the back. The thyroid gland produces certain hormones, the main component of which is iodine. They are responsible for a normal metabolism. If the thyroid does not get enough iodine, it cannot produce enough hormones.

To compensate for the hormone deficiency, the thyroid gland is stimulated in its growth, forms new gland cells and enlarges. On average, the thyroid gland has a normal volume of up to 18 ml. We speak of an enlarged thyroid gland when its total volume exceeds 25 ml in men and 18 ml in women. If necessary, you may be referred to a specialist in hospital for further tests or treatment. If the goitre is small and not causing any problems, a wait-and-see approach is usually recommended.

Other possible treatments include radioiodine treatment and thyroid surgery. Although most goitres are non-cancerous, it's estimated that in 1 in 20 cases they may be a sign of thyroid cancer. Anyone can develop a goitre, but the chances increase with age. Women are also more likely to develop a goitre.

For details see our conditions. In this series. In this article What is a goitre? Types of goitre Goitres and production of thyroid hormones Goitre symptoms Assessing the situation Goitre treatment.

Goitre Thyroid Swelling In this article What is a goitre? What is a goitre? Neck cross-section showing the thyroid gland. Previous article Overactive Thyroid Gland Hyperthyroidism. Next article Thyroid Eye Disease. Are you protected against flu? Further reading and references.

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