1. How Big Is Your Thyroid?
During a regular physical exam, your doctor feels your throat to check the size of your thyroid gland. The thyroid gland lies across the windpipe and normally measures about the size of a quarter. If your doctor suspects that you have an enlarged thyroid during a physical exam, he may order an ultrasound to get a more accurate measurement.
2. It May Not Be Cancer
If your doctor notices your thyroid is enlarged during an exam, don't panic and think the worst. Most often, an enlarged thyroid, or goiter, indicates you are suffering from a thyroid disorder. If your thyroid hormone production levels are off, then this can cause swelling in your thyroid gland. If your levels are too high, you have hyperthyroidism and if they're too low, the diagnosis is hypothyroidism.
3. Reduce a Thyroid With Meds
Controlling thyroid disease through prescribed medications reduces the size of an inflamed or enlarged thyroid gland. You developed an enlarged thyroid because the gland is working overtime attempting to maintain normal thyroid hormone levels. Get these production levels under control with medications and the enlarged thyroid usually shrinks. While taking thyroid medications, your doctor will regularly monitor your thyroid gland and thyroid hormone levels. If the size increases or your thyroid hormone levels go up or down while on medications, your dosage may get adjusted.
4. Give Birth to an Enlarged Thyroid
Postpartum thyroiditis is a condition that occurs in women after they have given birth. This condition not only causes an enlarged thyroid, but also causes thyroid hormone levels to dramatically fluctuate. Your doctor may recommend thyroid hormone medications until your levels balance out and the thyroid returns to its normal size. Patients with postpartum thyroiditis typically experience symptoms for about 6 months after giving birth.
5. Low Iodine Leads to Goiters
If you don't have enough iodine in your diet, then you may end up with an enlarged thyroid. Low iodine levels in patients lead to the development of thyroid diseases because the gland requires iodine to function properly. However, if you need to supplement your diet with iodine, you must have a doctor closely monitor you. Too much iodine in your body can cause you to develop other medical problems, including hyperthyroidism.
