Goitre is an enlargement of the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is situated across the front of the neck, just below the larynx.

The thyroid gland may swell slightly or severely. Goitre is more common in men than it is in women. It can occur as a normal feature of puberty or pregnancy. However there are several conditions, which require medical attention.
 

Symptoms:

Goitre hardly ever causes any symptoms. It is often more of a cosmetic problem than a medical problem. However, when the swelling becomes very large, it may press on your windpipe, resulting in breathing difficulties. It can also cause difficulty in swallowing as it can press against your oesophagus.

Some thyroid gland swellings are smooth and even, but some contain firm nodules and can be easily felt.

How it is contracted?

One of the causes of goitre is the deficiency of iodine. The function of thyroid gland is to manufacture protein hormones, and for this purpose it requires iodine. If the body does not have a sufficient quantity of iodine, the gland carries on producing the hormone and increases its action. The result of increased activity and action is the swelling of the thyroid gland i.e. goitre.
 
In many countries, iodine deficiency is now very rare, but some developing countries have an iodine deficiency problem.

Goitre can occur if you have too much iodine as the gland becomes overactive, resulting in the enlargement and the unnecessary increased production of thyroid hormones. Other conditions which, may cause goitre include:

• Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, which is caused by antibodies to the thyroid hormone.
• Sub-acute thyroiditis, which is probably due to a viral infection.
• Dyshormonogenesis, which is a genetic enzyme deficiency that interferes with normal thyroid hormone mixture and fusion.
• Benign or malignant tumours of the thyroid gland.

Thyroid gland tumours are rare.

Diagnosis:

For the diagnosis of goitre, a thyroid function test is done, which will show if hormone levels are increased or decreased and will also show if there is under activity or over activity in the gland (over active or under active thyroid).
Nodules can be seen through an ultrasound scan.

Another way of diagnosis is a fine-needle biopsy of the nodules, which will distinguish those few cases caused by cancer. A scan of the thyroid gland using radioactive iodine can differentiate working from non-working nodules. A working nodule is hardly ever cancerous, but on the other hand, about 10% of non-working nodules are cancerous.

Complications:

Occasionally, breathing or swallowing difficulties may be caused by a large swelling.

Treatment:

Treatment may not be necessary, but it totally depends on the cause. An over active or under active thyroid will usually require treatment.