In many people, the thyroid gland is oversized. In some cases, this pathology does not pose any danger, but most often endocrinologists diagnose multinodal goiter. It arises due to poor ecology and lack of iodine in the body. The nodes are most often benign, but sometimes they can degenerate into a malignant tumor, which is removed surgically. In this article, we will examine what a multinodular goiter of the thyroid gland is. Treatment, reviews about it will also be considered.
Disease Description
Due to the insufficient iodine content in food and water, thyroid-stimulating hormones begin to be produced by the thyroid gland in large quantities, since the body itself is not able to produce the necessary amount of its own hormones.
The thyroid-stimulating hormones produced by the pituitary gland provoke the proliferation of gland cells, resulting in its rapid increase. As soon as the need for these special substances begins to decrease, the accumulated colloid in the tissues of the organ leads to the formation of large follicles. Outwardly, it resembles a large goiter, which is visible to the naked eye and can often be felt by the patient himself.
After a certain amount of time, the body starts the production of thyroid hormones again, and the goiter of the thyroid gland continues to increase.
Types of disease
Multinodular goiter of the thyroid gland is of three types:
- nodal - they diagnose it in case of an uneven enlargement of the organ, which occurs due to its excessive activity;
- diffuse - in this case, the gland tissue grows evenly due to a decrease in its secretory function;
- mixed - is rare, while the organ has an uneven increase, but some areas retain their uniformity.
If more than two nodes are found that are larger than 1 cm in diameter, a thyroid puncture is prescribed . Most often they are benign. Basically, these neoplasms have no effect on its function, and such a disease is called "multinodular euthyroid goiter." Only in 5% of cases can nodes be malignant.
In our country, multinodular toxic goiter occurs in 12% of the population, and women suffer from it more often than men. With age, the likelihood of developing this pathology increases, and most of all it is detected at 45-60 years.
Although the presence of nodes in the thyroid gland does not affect the work of this organ, the disease must be treated. There are situations when inattention to a problem can pose a threat to life.
Causes of the disease
The exact reasons why a multinodular goiter occurs are not fully understood, but doctors say with confidence that it is the lack of iodine that provokes this disease to a large extent.
Other factors contributing to the formation of this pathology are:
- malfunctions of the central nervous system;
- psychological overstrain;
- inhibition of humoral immunity;
- harmful working conditions;
- prolonged use of certain drugs;
- genetic predisposition to the onset of this disease;
- diseases of the liver and digestive system;
- overload due to adaptation;
- exposure to radiation;
- frequent inflammation in the thyroid gland;
- malnutrition.
Symptoms
A person may not know that he has a multinodular goiter, the symptoms of which at an early stage may not manifest in any way and do not cause any discomfort to the patient. While the nodes are small, about 2 cm in diameter, it is quite difficult to make out with their naked eyes, so they are often found on an ultrasound during a routine examination.
If you ignore this problem, then after some time hyperthyroidism may develop. Excessive sweating, irritability begins to bother the patient, tachycardia occurs, blood pressure rises, general health worsens. Tingling may occur in the heart, the appetite is increasing, the person is thirsty all the time, he begins to lose weight. The trembling of the fingers, tongue and the whole body is noted. Patients are unbearably hot at night, they begin to experience fear and anxiety. Such symptoms lead to a decrease in sexual desire.
Sometimes a multinodal toxic goiter can increase so much that it begins to compress nearby organs. The patient's voice changes, it becomes difficult for him to swallow, breathe, in the neck there is a feeling of contraction or strangulation, especially when lying down.
Goiter Diagnosis
If there is a suspicion that the patient has multinodular goiter, then the thyroid gland is diagnosed. First, the doctor examines the patient, then directs him to an ultrasound of this organ. If the nodes exceed 1 cm in diameter, then a puncture and fine needle biopsy of these neoplasms is prescribed. Also, studies are conducted on hormones, chest radiography, when there is a sense of compression, MRI and scintigraphy.
Thyroid treatments
Since at the very beginning of its development a disease such as multinodular goiter is almost asymptomatic, after a while a person begins to feel its destructive effect. The patient dramatically loses weight, interruptions occur in the heart, increased nervousness and severe fatigue appear.
If a diagnosis of multinodular goiter has been established, the doctor may prescribe the following for treatment:
- daily intake of iodine-containing medications, the course of treatment in this case is quite long;
- the introduction into the diseased organ of radioactive iodine, which helps to reduce the nodes.
If this treatment does not help, a multinodular goiter of the thyroid gland is subjected to surgical intervention, especially with its large size.
LITT treatment
If conservative methods could not stop the growth of goiter, the doctor may prescribe laser-induced interstitial thermotherapy (LITT). In this case, a fiber is introduced into the assembly. As a result, the protein structures of goiter tissues begin to be affected by a temperature of 41-46 degrees, because of which the cells stop dividing.
The advantages of this method are that prior preparation does not require preliminary preparation, treatment can take place without anesthesia, all thyroid function is preserved.
But there is such a method of treatment and contraindications:
- somatic diseases;
- severe forms of thyrotoxicosis and hypothyroidism;
- mental illness;
- inflammation of the upper respiratory tract.
Alternative methods of treatment
If a person is diagnosed with multinodular goiter, treatment (reviews speak eloquently) with folk remedies can significantly improve the patient's condition. As a result, the normal production of hormones in the body is restored, and it is replenished with the necessary amount of iodine.
Every day, you should eat seaweed, drink tincture of hawthorn, take warm baths with sea salt, etc. With the help of various medicinal herbs, multinodular goiter returns to normal.
The following medicinal preparations have the greatest effect:
- Spring adonis grass is mixed equally with peppermint, tricolor violet, common oregano, flowers of medicinal calendula, pharmacy chamomile and dried mash. This collection is insisted in hot water for two hours and taken before meals.
- The medicinal valerian, lemon balm, dried fruits of mountain ash, plantain leaves, clover high, yellowness lefkaria, common wormwood, leaves of wild strawberry, yarrow, leaves of medicinal sage are mixed, mixed with boiling water and insisted. It is necessary to take the infusion every day, 15 minutes before eating.
- The medicinal calendula, common wormwood, coughweed, heart-shaped linden, prickly hawthorn, narrow-leaved fireweed, chamomile flowers, rose hips, garden thyme are mixed in equal proportions and poured with boiling water. The collection is heated in a water bath, insisted for about 2 hours, filtered and consumed several times a day.
- Combine such medicinal plants as prickly rose hips, common lemon balm, pharmacy chamomile, common oregano, heart-shaped linden, narrow-leaved fireweed, comfrey, cyanosis azure, large plantain and garden thyme. A small amount of the collection is crushed into powder and poured with boiling water. Drink several times a day.
Herbal medicine usually lasts 1.5-2 months, after which they take a break of several weeks.
To consolidate the result with an improvement in the thyroid gland, the following drug collections are recommended:
- Take the same amount of calendula, pharmacy chamomile, valerian, peppermint and wild strawberries, mix and pour boiling water. Insist should be 2 hours in a warm place, after which it is filtered and taken three times a day 15 minutes after a meal.
- The perforated St. John's wort is mixed, leaves of narrow-leaved fireweed, rosehips, oregano, common oregano, dry flowers of heart-shaped linden, pour boiling water and insist in a warm room. Filter and consume 4 times a day after meals.
Output
So, we examined what a multinodular goiter of the thyroid gland is. Treatment (many people's reviews confirm this) is quite successful with timely medical attention. This dangerous disease cannot be started because it is fraught with many life-threatening complications.