Thyroid nodules are a common problem in endocrinology. One of the main reasons for its occurrence is the lack of iodine in the body. This pathology occurs as a result of disruption of the endocrine system and looks like a pathological change affecting the thyroid gland. If timely treatment is not carried out, then nodular formations can provoke the occurrence of many diseases.
The disease is rather complicated, with the formation of one or more nodes of different sizes and symptoms, as well as different malignant and benign course. Such formations may consist of a capsule or liquid. The predominantly nodular formation of the right lobe of the thyroid gland, just like the left one, is benign, but it is imperative to undergo diagnostics and subsequent treatment. If the disease is not cured in a timely manner, then it can provoke the occurrence of various pathologies.
The most common nodular lesion in the right lobe of the thyroid gland, and with age, the risk of its occurrence increases. Men have thispathology is much more common than in women.
Structure of the thyroid gland
One of the most important organs of the endocrine system is the thyroid gland. It produces hormones containing iodine. It is shaped like a butterfly and is located on the neck.
The thyroid gland consists of the isthmus, left and right lobe. Some people have an extra lobe pointing up from the isthmus. Epithelial cells are made up of follicles that produce hormones. The follicle is a small bladder with fluid inside. With various disorders in the functioning of the gland, the follicle overflows with liquid, and as a result, nodular formations occur.
What is a knot and how is it formed
Thyroid nodules are seals that differ in structure from he althy tissue. Each person, knowing the normal parameters, can conduct a self-examination to detect neoplasms. A he althy thyroid gland is characterized by:
- has the same surface without protrusions and depressions;
- same density;
- no pain when pressed;
- both shares are symmetrical.
To determine the cause of the pathology, you need to contact an endocrinologist. By the number of thyroid nodules can be:
- solitary, that is, single;
- multiple;
- conglomerate, that is, multiple nodes united with each other.
Single ones look like a small protruding ball and canbe in any of the lobes or on the isthmus. Multiple formations can affect any area of the thyroid gland. Over time, they grow and form a nodular goiter. It can increase gradually, over many years, or appear rapidly, in just a few weeks.
Types of thyroid nodules
There are several different types of nodular neoplasms, differing in structure and quantity. Depending on the structural features, nodular formations of the thyroid gland are:
- colloidal;
- cyst;
- adenoma;
- malignant neoplasm.
Colloid nodes contain many hormones and can be single or multiple. They grow very slowly and are often diagnosed quite by accident, as they do not provoke any symptoms. Sometimes there may be a degeneration of a benign tumor into a malignant neoplasm.
A cyst looks like a capsule filled with fluid. It often affects women and is characterized by very slow growth. As they grow, their shell becomes thinner and you can feel the fluctuation of the liquid inside during palpation.
Adenoma looks like a ball located in a fibrous capsule. It is characterized by gradual growth and does not affect adjacent organs. It mostly occurs in people over 40, and most often in women.
Malignant neoplasms are predominantly a single node containing cancer cells. Atthis neoplasm has no clear boundaries, shell, and it is characterized by rapid growth. To the touch it is quite dense, but does not provoke painful sensations.
Causes of pathology
It is not completely known what exactly provokes the nodular formation of the thyroid lobe, but there are certain predisposing factors for the occurrence of such a pathology. These factors include:
- hypothermia;
- frequent stress;
- bad environment;
- iodine deficiency;
- inflammation;
- bad heredity.
When hypothermia occurs, vasospasm occurs, which provokes a violation of certain parts of the thyroid gland, as a result of which immunity is sharply reduced, which leads to the problem of cell division. The reason for the uncontrolled release of hormones is poor ecology. This can provoke the formation of a tumor.
With iodine deficiency, the thyroid gland begins to increase. Nodular formation occurs due to the fact that the gland is trying to get the missing amount of iodine from the blood. Swelling of the thyroid lobes can occur during inflammatory processes, resulting in the formation of nodes that look like a tumor. Also, pathology can also occur due to heredity.
At risk are:
- women;
- people over 55;
- patients with other diseases of the endocrine system;
- having heredity to thyroid diseases.
People of these categories should definitely carefully monitor their condition and periodically palpate the thyroid gland. In the presence of soreness, seals or an increase in size, you should definitely consult a doctor and undergo a diagnosis to determine the pathology.
Main symptoms of nodular formation
Signs of thyroid nodules largely depend on the size and amount of hormones produced. The absence of symptoms with small sizes indicates that the affected organ does not produce hormones. That is why formations at the initial stage can only be determined during ultrasound diagnostics.
You should be alerted by such signs of nodular formation of the left lobe of the thyroid gland as:
- voice changes;
- difficulty swallowing;
- shortness of breath;
- febrile condition;
- tachycardia;
- indigestion;
- muscle weakness.
This disease is characterized by the fact that it can affect children and adults. The danger lies in the fact that there is a direct impact on the physical and mental indicators of the development of the child. The process of delivering therapy can be quite complex.
With retrosternal location of the goiter, the patient may be disturbed by shortness of breath and a feeling of constriction in the throat. If you have one or more signs of the disease, you should immediately consult a doctor for an examination and subsequent treatment. It is much easier to get rid of the pathology at the initial stage than to deal with complications.
Diagnosis of thyroid nodules
If the thyroid gland is affected, nodular formation in the initial stages can be detected only after a comprehensive examination. When signs of illness appear, be sure to consult a doctor. For those at risk, it is important to undergo periodic preventive examinations that will help identify the disease in the initial stages.
Initially, the endocrinologist conducts a visual examination, and if nodular formations of both lobes of the thyroid gland were detected, then their size, soreness, density, mobility, as well as the condition of the skin in the area of the neoplasm are evaluated. After that, the patient must undergo a laboratory test to determine the amount of hormones in the blood. However, it is worth remembering that this indicator is influenced by many factors, in particular, such as:
- intense physical activity;
- pregnancy;
- taking certain medications;
- low protein diet.
In addition, scintigraphy is also carried out, which implies the introduction of agents containing radioactive iodine. However, it should be borne in mind that this diagnostic method is contraindicated during pregnancy. An ultrasound of thyroid nodules is mandatory, which allows you to determine the number and exact location of neoplasms, as well as assess the condition of the organ itself.
When conducting ultrasound diagnostics, the size of the thyroid gland is assessed. Norms for each age category may vary. However, if the deviations are insignificant, then this means that there may not be a pathology. An upward deviation from the norm may indicate diseases such as:
- nodular goiter;
- cyst;
- inflammatory processes;
- malignant and benign tumors.
Deciphering the results of ultrasound diagnostics should be done only by a doctor who can determine diffuse changes in the thyroid gland. The nodule in this case may be benign or malignant.
A biopsy is done to determine if a tumor is benign or malignant. It involves the collection of tissue cells for examination under a microscope. The whole procedure is controlled by ultrasound diagnostics. According to the results of the biopsy, the doctor selects the treatment.
Patients with neoplasms with a diameter of 5-10 mm and indirect signs that the tumor is malignant are sent for a biopsy. The main signs of the presence of a malignant tumor are considered to be:
- dense knot consistency;
- strong growth;
- spread to neighboring organs;
- voice violation;
- presence of ultrasound signs.
If a malignant tumor is suspected, diagnosis and treatment should be carried out by an oncologist. For sizingof the thyroid gland, tomography is performed, which allows you to clearly determine its contour, structure and visualize the lymph nodes.
Treatment of nodular formations
If a patient is diagnosed with a nodular formation of the left lobe of the thyroid gland, treatment should be complex, and the method of therapy is selected depending on the complexity of the course of the disease. Self-treatment is unacceptable, as this can provoke serious consequences and complications, which is why all drugs should be prescribed only by an endocrinologist after the examination.
A benign knot is completely safe and often does not cause much harm to the body. Treatment in this case is carried out through the use of medications and traditional medicine. A malignant neoplasm necessarily requires surgical intervention, as it grows very quickly, metastases move to other organs, and this can lead to the death of the patient.
If the thyroid nodule turned out to be a colloid goiter, then treatment is not carried out, and the patient is shown constant monitoring, and if there is a tendency for the neoplasm to grow, then the doctor selects the method of therapy.
Drug therapy is aimed at suppressing the produced hormones. In the presence of diffuse goiter, medications are used to eliminate the lack of iodine in the body. In this case, doctors often prescribe Iodomarin, as this is a very good modern drug.
If a patient is diagnosed withmalignant nodular formations of the thyroid gland, treatment is carried out exclusively by surgery. The operation, depending on the degree of development of the disease, can be carried out in several ways, namely:
- partial resection;
- excision of the affected lobe of the thyroid gland;
- complete removal of the thyroid.
After surgery, radioactive iodine treatment is often additionally performed. This is necessary so that the remnants of malignant neoplasms can be completely removed. After the operation, the patient regularly needs to artificially compensate for the lack of iodine in the body.
The most benign method of the operation is laser therapy. The light beam supplied by the laser heats the tumor and destroys pathogenic cells. Then tissue scarring occurs. Such an operation is performed only if the size of the neoplasm is not more than 4 cm.
Prevention of thyroid nodules
To avoid problems with the thyroid gland, it is imperative to take certain preventive measures, namely:
- consume foods high in iodine;
- pay enough attention to sleep and rest;
- keep active;
- control hormone levels;
- get periodic medical checkups.
It is forbidden to take drugs containing iodine on your own without a doctor's prescription, as this maycause serious side effects.
Features of nutrition and dieting
Treatment of a thyroid nodule must be combined with a he althy lifestyle and a special diet. The most important thing is that a sufficient amount of iodine enters the body daily. The daily diet should include:
- seafood;
- seaweed;
- kiwi;
- eggs;
- rye bread.
You can use iodized s alt when cooking. It is also important to cleanse the body of toxins, and for this you need to consume cereals, legumes, beets, apples, freshly squeezed juices, drink plenty of water. You also need to limit the consumption of harmful foods, fatty and fried foods, confectionery, preservatives. Following a diet will help saturate the body with useful substances and prevent the onset of disease.
Complications of thyroid nodules
Untimely treatment and lack of prevention of the disease can cause some complications. In a neglected state, the nodular formation of the left lobe of the thyroid gland, just like the right one, can be combined into a multinodular goiter.
Over time, a benign neoplasm can turn into a malignant one, and its treatment will require surgery and complex chemotherapy. If timely treatment is not carried out, it can lead to the death of the patient. In addition, nodules can lead to:
- violation of metabolic processes in the body;
- difficulty swallowing;
- squeezing nerve endings;
- choking.
Without timely medical care, a person is not able to cope with the existing disease on his own, which is why at the first signs of pathology, you should definitely seek help from a doctor.
