Medical Questions » Glands Questions » Question No. 420
| Question: | My doctor has told me that the swelling in the front of my neck is a goitre, and has sent me for blood tests. I didn' t even notice that it was there. What is a goitre? Can it be serious? |
| Answer: | A goitre is an enlarged thyroid gland. It may be due to an overactive gland, or lack of iodine in the diet. Iodine is essential for the formation of thyroid hormones, and if it is lacking, the gland swells up in an attempt to compensate.
At other times, swelling may be due to overactivity of the thyroid, or other diseases.
Blood tests and special scans can be done to determine the cause, and then the appropriate treatment may be given. Thyroid cysts and cancer may cause swelling of one part of the gland, but this is not strictly a goitre.
The vast majority of goitres can be completely cured, and there is no reason for concern.
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