Symptoms and prevention of goiter

Common symptoms in patients with goiter include enlarged thyroid gland, sore throat, cough, hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, pain, fatigue, loss of appetite, etc. If the condition persists, it is a malignant goiter, and the patient is likely to develop cancer if not treated promptly.

Currently, the issue of diagnosis and treatment of the disease is still controversial, mainly revolving around the detection of the disease as well as the condition leading to thyroid cancer. However, there are still unified procedures in the treatment of goiter.

First, asking about the patient's condition and performing a clinical examination will help the doctor assess the patient's condition and see if it could be the cause of thyroid cancer.

Clinical examination also depends a lot on the skill, level of expertise of the doctor and the condition of the patient. To get accurate results in treating goiter, doctors often conduct biochemical tests, ultrasound of the thyroid and neck area or thyroid scintigraphy.

For biochemical tests, the patient's TSH and FT4 levels will be measured or an additional Antithyroperoxidase (Anti-TPO) antibody test will be performed to determine the condition of the disease.

If the patient's family has a medical history, it is necessary to measure the Calcitonin concentration. Thyroid scintigraphy or ultrasound of the thyroid and neck area is only used in cases of abnormal goiter, which can lead to goiter cancer, endangering the patient's life.

Ultrasound will use high resolution and thyroid scintigraphy with I-123, I-131 or Tc-99m, radioactive iodine is captured and organicized.

In addition to using scientific methods to treat goiter under the guidance and prescription of a doctor, patients also need to supplement necessary nutrients, especially iodine, or exercise and build a scientific and healthy lifestyle.