Thyroid gland enlarged: symptoms. The first symptoms of thyroid disease

Thyroid gland is one of the most important components of the endocrine system of the body. It constantly falls under the influence of various unfavorable factors, which leads to a violation of its performance. The hormones it produces can control a variety of processes in the body. Consequently, a disruption in the thyroid gland causes imbalance and pathological changes in all systems and tissues.

An important link in the body

The three most important hormones - thyroxine, triiodothyronine and calcitonin are thrown directly into the blood. Their development occurs in the epithelial layer of the thyroid gland. The first two of the three listed hormones contain iodine. Insufficient or excess amount of this element in the water and food that a person consumes, causes diseases associated with the performance of the thyroid gland.

The development of thyroid-stimulating hormones can be rejected both in the large and in the lower side. The performance of organs and body systems in this case is significantly different, up to the complete opposite. Even if the thyroid gland is enlarged, the symptoms may be different. Correctly diagnose the disease can be by external indicators and laboratory research.

Too much

Hyperthyroidism or thyrotoxicosis is characterized by increased production of hormones. It is not difficult to calculate the disease of the thyroid gland. Hormones poison the body with excessive iodine. A person is excited, emotional, nervous. He has sweating, tremor of hands, palpitation, arrhythmia, leanness, not associated with appetite.

It is assumed that the disease has a hereditary predisposition and affects mainly women. Such selectivity is associated with the fact that women are subject to constant hormonal changes that are associated with various processes, such as lactation, pregnancy, menstruation.

Exacerbation of the disease can contribute to severe emotional upheavals, brain trauma, viral diseases, or a disruption in the work of the hypothalamic-pituitary system. External factors also matter. For example, a decisive influence on the development of hyperthyroidism can have an excessive amount of iodine, which enters the body with food.

Excess hormones entering the blood, change the balance in the metabolism. The body stops absorbing carbohydrates and uses fat tissue heavily. In severe cases, the "thyroid heart" develops, due to circulatory insufficiency, while the thyroid gland is enlarged, the ultrasound confirms the diagnosis.

In the development of the disease, many eye symptoms are distinguished, such as a rare flashing, the inability to fix a sight on closely located objects, etc. In diagnosis, it is important to understand that if the thyroid gland is enlarged, the causes and consequences can be very diverse. They require a clear differentiation.

Too few

Hypothyroidism is a disease caused by a low level of hormones in the blood. The thyroid gland is enlarged, the symptoms are completely opposite to thyrotoxicosis, but from this the disease does not become less serious. The patient is braked, swollen, has poor memory, heart rate is lower than normal, in severe cases, dementia may develop, up to cretinism.

The degree of development of hormonal insufficiency is almost never comparable with complaints and requires clinical diagnosis. The first symptoms of a problem with the thyroid gland are described by patients as hair loss, lethargy, a constant desire to sleep.

When examining the tongue, its pronounced puffiness and traces of teeth along its edges are noticeable. Nasal breathing is difficult. The hearing, sight, voice becomes hoarse. These manifestations are associated with swelling of all organs and tissues. Thyroid gland enlarged. Symptoms of cardiovascular damage are reflected in the ECG.

For women, myxedema is dangerous due to infertility, due to the defeat of the ovaries. In addition, the development of anemia is characteristic of hypothyroidism. Severe development of the disease, if not take any measures, can lead to myxedematous coma and then - death.

Other causes of changes in the structure and size of the thyroid gland

In addition to these abnormalities, other prerequisites are possible that affect the enlargement of the thyroid gland. Causes, symptoms of the increase determines the endocrinologist, based on anamnesis, external manifestations of the disease and the study of blood on hormones. As a result, the doctor can make a diagnosis that is different from hypothyroidism or thyrotoxicosis, for example, nodular goiter or thyroid adenoma. A malignant tumor is possible, which also affects the thyroid gland. Symptoms of pathology are quite typical.

Nodal Toxic Goiter

Clinical manifestations in many respects are similar to thyrotoxicosis, since the disease itself is caused by an increased amount of thyrotropic in the blood. However, there is a difference. With nodular goiter there are no ophthalmic disorders and some other manifestations.

The causes of this disease are not fully understood. It is believed that there is a genetic predisposition and an unfavorable ecological situation. In the presence of multiple sites, it is necessary to use a thin-needle biopsy method to exclude a cancer tumor.

Simple nontoxic goiter

Symptoms and diagnosis of thyroid diseases are directly related, but should be supported by general information about the living conditions of a sick person, and also based on the results of laboratory studies.

So, for example, sporadic goitre gives a clinical picture, similar to endemic. At the same time the thyroid gland is enlarged. Symptoms, complaints are reduced to a common syndrome, which reveals the pathological nature of the process. The correct diagnosis helps to provide a detailed history and biopsy of the gland material.

Aberrant goiter

The disease, which increases the additional thyroid gland, while the normal - is absent. There are different localizations of this pathology. It can be sublingual, retrograde, zapuschevodnoy, etc. Pressing adjacent organs, the tumor causes passing symptoms: difficulty breathing, swallowing, hoarseness , etc. In order to distinguish the aberrant goiter from any other, conduct research. A decisive role in the diagnosis is played by radioisotope scanning.

Operative and conservative treatment

If a characteristic enlargement of the thyroid gland has been established , the leading endocrinologist should monitor the symptoms and treatment of the increase. He will determine the possibility of a conservative approach to treatment, which is desirable. Iodine preparations or hormone replacement therapy will be prescribed.

This is done in order to remove the workload from the patient as much as possible. It ceases to mobilize additional capabilities of the body to compensate for its insufficiency, thereby relieving vital systems such as respiratory, nervous, cardiovascular.

With neglect of the thyroid disease signs, the symptoms can be quite serious and require surgical intervention. Patients are assigned radioactive iodine. The degree of intervention can be different: from the complete removal of the diseased organ to resection of the affected part or part thereof.

Timely treatment of thyroid diseases, as a rule, provides a favorable prognosis for recovery. In order to prevent, especially in regions with a complex endemic situation, it is necessary to regularly undergo an examination with an endocrinologist.