Goitre... when you lack iodine

GOITRE is a swelling (hypertrophy) of a gland in the neck which is the thyroid. This can be found in front of
the wind pipe which produces a hormone that regulates  metabolism in the human body. This was disclosed by Caroline Egbuche, nurse with General Hospital, Awka in Anambra State.
 She said that the large size of the gland is very rare due to cancer and when it is diagnosis for the swelling would be thyroid cancer.
  According to Egbuche, a simple goitre can occur without a known reason. “It can occur when the thyroid gland is not able to make enough thyroid hormone to meet the body’s needs. This can be due to lack of iodine in a person’s diet, she said, “to make up for the shortage of thyroid hormone, it grows larger.”
  At times, Egbuche continued, the cause of simple goitre is known other than lack of iodine and other factors like infection and family history of goitre.
  In rare cases, an enlarged thyroid can put pressure on the windpipe which can lead to breathing difficulties and swallowing  difficulties, she said.
  Once goitre is diagnosed, the doctor may wish to uncover the problem with thyroid function and tests which are carried out, she noted. Radioactive iodine scan is done to provide a detailed picture of the gland following an injection and also, ultra sound scan  is also needed to assess the gland and the size of goitre.
  Goitre can be prevented by using iodized table salt which prevents simple goitre, Egbuche noted.
  Treatment of this disease  may include, medication, hormone therapy and surgery. If the tests reveal that the thyroid gland is working normally and that the goitre is small, no immediate treatment may be necessary and the condition may be monitored, she said.
  On the other hand, if there is a problem with the thyroid gland, however, it will be treated, surgery maybe needed if the condition doesn’t improve with treatment, she said.
  Studies have estimated that up to one in seven patients with goitre may eventually require surgery, she said.
  There is another thyroid growth called sporadic goitre which can form if one’s diet includes too many goitre promoting food like soyabeans, peanuts, though one should have to eat huge amounts of these foods to cause a goitre, she said. These foods can suppress the manufacture of thyroid hormone by interfering with one’s thyroids ability to process iodine  in the diet.
  Iodine deficiency is the major cause of goitre, she noted, but world wide, the availability of iodine in the diet is acceptable.
  The thyroid gland needs iodine in order to manufacture thyroid hormones which regulate the body’s rate of metabolism, she said.
  Hyperthyroid is also a cause of goitre from an overactive thyroid gland which produces too much hormones, Egbuche continues, in situations where one’s test reveal that he or she has an  underactive thyroid gland, treatment could include using a synthetic hormone to replicate the normal thyroid function.
  This synthetic hormone is levothyroxine and is taken orally, usually once a day. The side effect usually occur when too much of it has been taken which includes irregular rapid heartbeat and muscle cramps.