Goiter

ARTICLE SECTIONS

Introduction Signs and symptoms Causes

When to seek medical advice Screening and diagnosis Treatment

Introduction

Goiter is an enlargement of your thyroid gland — a small, butterfly-shaped gland weighing less than an ounce, located just below your Adam's apple. Hormones produced by your thyroid gland regulate all aspects of your metabolism, from the rate at which your heart beats to the speed at which you burn calories.

Although generally not uncomfortable, goiter can interfere with swallowing or breathing. Goiters are more common in women and older adults.

The possible causes are numerous. In the past, the most common cause of goiter was a shortage of iodine in the diet in areas where the soil was deficient in iodine. Without enough dietary iodine, your thyroid can't make and release enough of the two essential iodine-containing hormones. Goiter became rare in the United States after iodized salt was introduced. In some parts of the world, however, goiter is still common because of iodine deficiency.

Treatment for goiter depends on the size of the enlargement, signs and symptoms, and the underlying cause.

NEXT:

Signs and symptoms