Enlargement of the thyroid gland is called as goitre. The enlargement may be the single lobe or both lobe, and it may be a single nodule or multiple nodules.
Thyroid gland situates in front of neck and has two lobes. Thyroid gland is butterfly shaped, and it produces hormones, which have a major role in the metabolism of the whole body.
Simple nodular goitre
Usually occur between the age of 15 and 25 years. It occurs often during pregnancy. On examination, the gland is soft to touch and feels tightness in the neck when swallowing.
Blood examination of T3, T4, and TSH is normal. Usually after a period the thyroid may reduce to normal size and in rare cases, the gland may become multinodular after 10-20 years.
Multinodular goitre
In multinodular goitre, is there is an increased risk of thyroid cancer.
Multinodular goiter is usually diagnosed in patients with thyrotoxicosis, large goitre with or without tracheal compression.
Very large goitre may compress the windpipe or trachea, and there is a difficulty in swallowing. Hoarseness may also occur.
Management
If the goitre is small, no treatment is needed, but annual checkup is necessary. If large one and symptomatic, that is if it causes symptoms like difficulty in swallowing, and compression of trachea surgery is needed.
Treatment
Usually, simple nodular goitre needs no treatment if it is small. But sometimes it may show a tendency to increase in size. In such cases, homeopathic remedies can be tried. Homeopathic remedies are usually very effective in simple nodular goitre. Homeopathic medicines like Conium mac, Spongia, Iodum, etc. can be tried. There is a rule for prescribing Iodum as described in materia medica.
Multinodular goitre needs regular follow up. Medicines like Conium, Hydrastis, Fucus, etc. are usually indicated. In short, homeopathy is found very effective in the treatment not only to reduce the size, but also it prevents from progressing to cancer of thyroid.
