Nodules of the thyroid gland
Thyroid nodules are solid or fluid-filled lumps that form within your thyroid. Mostly, thyroid nodules are benign. You may not always develop symptoms thus nodules are found unexpectedly during examinations for other purposes.
There are different types of benign nodules
- toxic (producing too much thyroid hormones)
- multiple (nodular goiter, when they can produce too much hormone or put pressure on surrounding structures)
- cystic (filled with liquid).
Nodules which produce too much thyroid hormone are called hot nodules. These nodules can cause symptoms like
- weight loss
- muscle weakness
- heat intolerance
- anxiety, irritability
- irregular heart beat
In case of hypoactive thyroid, when the levels of thyroid hormones are too low, the following symptoms may manifest
- fatigues
- cold intolerance
- dry skin
- pain in muscles and joints
- weight gain
- depression
If nodules do not cause functional disorders of thyroid gland and do not press surrounding structures because of their size and position, you will not develop any symptoms.
If nodules are detected, you may need to do blood tests, undergo ultrasound examination and may need fine needle aspiration biopsy for final diagnosis.
If you are diagnosed with benign nodules, which:
- are big in size and press against surrounding structures
- cause a feeling of a lump in your throat or
- cause cosmetic concern
then we can treat these nodules with a technique called ablation.
