Goiter : Articles

A goiter is an enlargement of the thyroid gland. It is not cancer.

Goiter is a swelling in the neck, caused by a malfunction of the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland, located in the base of the neck, absorbs iodine from the blood and uses this to produce hormones that regulate many body functions, including EXAMPLES OF IODINE-RICH FOODS Food Serving size Micrograms of iodine Source: FDA's Total Diet Study (1982-1984). Cod or haddock, cooked 3-½ oz (100 g) 175 Chocolate milkshake (fast food) 1 average 158 Homemade meatloaf 3-½ oz (100 g) 123 Lima beans, boiled ½ cup (90 g) 104 Chocolate ice cream 1 cup (133 g) 94 Corn grits, cooked ½ cup (120 g) 86 Chocolate milk, low-fat 1 cup (250 g) 83 Yogurt, low-fat 1 cup (227 g) 73 Milk, low-fat 1 cup (244 g) 66 Milk, skim 1 cup (246 g) 64 Milk, whole 1 cup (244 g) 61 growth, nerve function, and absorption of vitamins and calcium. If the thyroid gland does not receive enough iodine from the blood, the gland may enlarge, causing a goiter. A goiter can also develop if the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormones, a condition called hypothyroidism. Goiter is also present in hyperthyroidism, when the gland produces too much thyroid hormone. A common cause of goiter around the world is lack of iodine in the diet. The thyroid needs iodine to produce thyroid hormones, and if sufficient iodine is not available, the gland enlarges because it is working harder. The main dietary sources of iodine are grains and vegetables grown in iodine-rich soil, and saltwater fish and seafoods. The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for iodine for adolescents and adults is 150 micrograms per day. To combat iodine deficiency in the U.S., iodine has been added to salt since 1924. The body needs only very small amounts of iodine for healthy thyroid function, so iodized salt usually provides an adequate dietary amount. There are two forms of thyroid disorder, however, that affect children regardless of diet. Congenital hypothyroidism is a disorder in which a child may be born with an underactive thyroid gland. Symptoms appear when the baby is six to twelve weeks old, and include cool, mottled or yellowish skin, coarse hair, and a dull appetite. The baby's neck will look unusually short and fat. The facial features are also affected: the bridge of the nose is underdeveloped, so the nose appears flat and the eyes seem widely spaced, and the tongue is thick and protrudes. Hypothyroidism slows the baby's growth and development, and the child may have weak muscles and slow reflexes. If untreated, this condition can lead to mental retardation. Hypothyroidism can also begin later in life, in a child born with normal thyroid function. It usually begins when a child is between 11 and 14 years old. Onset of this disease is not related to diet, but it may be a side effect of an auto-immune disease that attacks the thyroid. Children with this disease may develop dry, coarse hair and skin, poor circulation, and low blood pressure. Goiter may appear, along with the facial characteristics of the hypothyroid baby. The disease slows the child's growth, and puberty is usually delayed. All the symptoms of acquired hypothyroidism can be treated with medical intervention, and the condition does not lead to mental retardation. Diagnosis is made with a simple blood test, and treatment involves replacing the deficient thyroid hormones. The goiter may need to be removed surgically. Hyperthyroidism, or overproduction of thyroid hormones, usually affects older women, and only rarely affects children. In children with this condition, goiter may develop, and the eyes may bulge out. Just the opposite of hypothyroidism, the hyperthyroid child grows faster than normal and may have flushed, warm skin, and increased heart rate. The child may be restless and irritable, unable to concentrate, and tire easily. All these symptoms can be reversed by medical treatment. Treatment usually involves medication that blocks the excess hormone production. Surgery may be needed to remove the thyroi

When you have hypothyroidism, your thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough hormone. With hyperthyroidism, the thyroid gland produces too much hormone. A goiter is the enlargement of the thyroid gland.

An example of grade III (large and visible) goiter. Most cases of goiter in the developing world are due to an iodine deficiency. Unable to meet the body's hormonal needs, the thyroid becomes enlarged to compensate. [© Lester V. Bergman/Corbis. Reproduced by permission.] A goiter is a noncancerous enlargement of the thyroid gland in the front of the neck. Many conditions can cause goiter, but the most common is a lack of sufficient iodine in the diet , which is usually a result of the soil in which food is grown being iodine-poor—a condition that occurs in many mountainous regions away from the sea. Iodine is required for the production of thyroid hormones , which regulate the body's metabolism . About 740 million people have goiters, but the percentage varies greatly by region (eastern Mediterranean: 32%; Africa: 20%: Europe: 15%; Southeast Asia: 12%; western Pacific: 8%; the Americas: 5%). Surveying communities for goiters is one of the best ways of detecting iodine deficiency, which, if not treated, can cause stillbirths , miscarriages , cretinism , mental impairments, deafness, and dwarfism. Iodine deficiency is the most common preventable cause of brain damage and mental retardation, affecting about 50 million people worldwide. However, these disorders have been tremendously reduced simply by using table salt fortified with iodine. Adults require at least 20 micrograms of iodine daily, but 150 micrograms is recommended. Seafoods are excellent sources, while the iodine content of other foods varies depending on animal feed and soil. Iodism (iodine poisoning) is a rare condition that results in weakness, swollen salivary glands, a metallic taste in the mouth, and a runny nose. SEE ALSO M INERALS . Donna Staton Marcus Harding

Goiter is an enlargement of the thyroid gland. It may be diffuse, involving all thyroid tissue, or it may be caused by one or more lumps (nodules)—called nodular goiter. Diffuse goiter reflects an underlying thyroid problem, most commonly iodine deficiency in iodine-deficient areas of the world, where nearly 1 billion people may be subject to the disorder. In the United States, iodine deficiency is rare (because of widespread use of iodized salt) and goiter is most commonly caused by Graves' disease or Hashimoto's disease. Nodular goiter affects 3 to 5 percent of adults, mainly women. Nodules may reflect thyroid cancer (in 5% of cases), but the remainder are benign processes due to multiple causes. Cancers can be distinguished from benign disease by microscopic evaluation of thyroid tissue obtained by fine-needle aspiration biopsy. M ARTIN I. S URKS ( SEE ALSO : Hyperthyroidism ; Hypothyroidism ; Iodine ; Thyroid Disorders ; Thyroid Function Tests )

Goiter refers to any visible enlargement of the thyroid gland.