Enlarged Thyroid Symptoms

The thyroid gland is located in the front of the neck. This gland is responsible for regulating the chemical processes in the cells, the process of converting food into energy and the use of this energy by the body. It is further responsible for regulation of the metabolism and the use of oxygen in the body. For performing these responsibilities, the thyroid gland secretes hormones called triiodothyronine and thyroxine. If these hormones are not secreted in the needed amount, the functions of the body get affected. Also, if the thyroid gland doesn't work well, then the body might face a lot of other health issues too. This means that the thyroid gland is a vital gland. However, like all the other organs and glands in the body, the thyroid gland is also susceptible to problems. Enlarged thyroid gland is one of these problems.

An enlarged thyroid is known as a goiter. This enlargement is caused due a number of causes like iodine deficiencies, medications, hereditary factors, Grave's disease etc. This enlargement leads to abnormal thyroid activity. Enlargement of the gland can happen to anyone and may be slight or significant. As there is no change in the appearance of the person and in some cases, there might not be a swelling from the outside, it is difficult to detect that the person has an enlarged thyroid gland.

Symptoms of Enlarged Thyroid

Swelling
Not an uncommon symptom, swelling on the neck could be due to the enlarged thyroid. This swelling would be very prominent in case the enlargement is severe. Due to the swelling of the thyroid gland, the esophagus and the wind pipe get compressed which leads to coughing and the sensation of unable to breathe properly.

Joint Pain
Pain in the joints and muscle pain are also symptoms of enlarged thyroid. The person feels fatigued and tired due to the muscle weakness and pain. The frequency of muscle cramps in hands and legs increases. There is a high possibility of the person facing tendonitis problems too. Joint pain is one of the common thyroid disease symptoms. It is recommended that if a person experiences joint pain and is not able to put a finger on the causes of these issues, then he/she must consult the doctor so that there are no further complications.

Wheezing
Wheezing is a whistling sound that is high-pitched and is caused due to narrow wind pipe. As enlarged thyroid presses the windpipe and narrows it, there is a whistling noise created when the person exhales. This is called wheezing and is one of the several symptoms. Sometimes, the person may make very loud breathing sounds too. This could also be one of the slightly enlarged thyroid symptoms.

Swallowing Problems
As mentioned above, enlargement of the thyroid gland results in the compression of the esophagus and the wind pipe. This enlargement causes swallowing problems for the person. If the person finds it difficult to swallow the food and if he/she is not suffering from any throat problems, then it is necessary to consult the doctors and get the tests done.

Dizziness
A person with an enlarged thyroid gland can feel dizzy whenever arms are raised above the head. This is also caused due to the obstruction of the blood flow in the veins. Sudden head jerks will also cause dizziness. This dizziness can be accompanied by a feeling of confusion.

Others
The other enlarged thyroid symptoms include shortness of breath, gagging, hoarseness and neck lumps. In some cases bowel obstruction is also the symptom of this thyroid problem. Though these symptoms may not sound serious, they cannot be ignored. As they are the symptoms of other minor health issues too, these are usually ignored. But if the person cannot nail these symptoms with any other health issues, then it is necessary to get the tests done. If the tests show an enlarged thyroid gland, then the treatments need to start on time to avoid thyroid cancer and other further complications.

I hope the article has been useful to understand the enlarged thyroid symptoms. The other thyroid problems include hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. As mentioned above, these should not be ignored and timely tests need to be done to start off with the thyroid treatments.