All about Goiter !

Goiter 

                                         What is Goiter ?

Goiter is not a cancer but it is the enlargement of the thyroid gland. Our thyroid is normally a butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of our neck . Although goiters are usually painless but a large goiter can cause serious coughing and make it difficult for us to swallow and to breathe normally. 

As shown in Attachment 1.1 is the difference of out normal thyroid and Goiter. 

Types of Goiters

There are 2 types of Goiters which are:

1. The Simple Goiter - Can occur with unknown reason. 

2. Toxic Nodular Goiter -  It is an enlarged thyroid gland that has a small, rounded growth or many growths called nodules.

How and what will the patient with Goiter be suffering?

A patient with Goiter will go through these following: 

- A tight feeling in the throat

- Serious coughing

- Difficult swallowing

- Difficult breathing 

- Dizziness 

- Hoarseness 

- Visible Swelling 

If worst they will reach to some serious disease: 

- Hypothyroidism

- Hyperthyroidism

- Thyroid cancer

- Toxic nodular goiter

Prognosis of this disease

Goiters are not the cause of death but the lacking of Thyroxine hormones hurts the heart of the patient and this is the reason that is caused to death. 

How does Goiter affects Homeostasis? 

The normal thyroid gland of a person works in; the pituitary releases Thyroid Stimulating Hormone into our thyroid gland. If the thyroid has the right amount of minerals it will releases an inactive hormone Thyroxine and with the help of  other hormones in the body Tyroxine (Progesterone Selenium which is an inactive hormone) will turn into Tri- iodothyronine which is an active hormone. Tri- iodothynine activates and energies every cells in the body. But for a person with Goiter, it means that his/her body is lacking of Thyroxine hormones and causing the precursors to the hormone to build up. and that leads to Goiters. 

Treatment for Goiters 

A goiter only require treatments if it is causing symptoms:

Treatments for an enlarged thyroid:  

• Radioactive iodine treatment to shrink the gland, especially if the thyroid is producing too much thyroid hormone.

• Thyroidectomy (surgery) to remove all or part of the gland.

• Small doses of Lugol's iodine or potassium iodine solution if the goiter is caused by iodine deficiency.

• Treatment with thyroid hormone supplements if the goiter is caused by under-active thyroid. 

If the person's goiter is caused by Iodine deficiency they will need to take Iodine supplements; but there must be a limitation in taking Iodine supplements because overtake of it will have toxic or poisonous effects. 

If the goiter is affecting one's breathing and swallowing difficulties they will need to go for a surgery to remove the part with thyroid gland. 

How has science contributed to our understanding? 

On my own opinion, as the advancement of technology in our world is growing better and better so is the advancement of science. The things that people can't do in the olden days can do it now with the advance of science we have now. Well, not all things can be done there are still things which can't be done and some things still needs improvements to be done better. 

"Ancient art and science tell us that the unsightly goiter has been around for as long as we've had tools to record our histories. From the words of ancient China to Indian Ayurvedic documents dating to 1400, we've known that big necks have meant big problems. Even Cleopatra has been depicted as having a goiter in one artifact". (Jackie Rosenhek, May 2008)

Nowadays, the doctors in developed countries recognize the enlargements which are  at the front of the neck as symptomatic of a thyroid disorder. In centuries past, however, the mysterious condition was difficult to treat. Uncomfortable and socially isolating, the lumps were sometimes seen as an indicator of poverty, disproportionately affecting those who couldn't afford the fresh produce whose minerals prevented the condition. In many parts of the world, goiters unfortunately remain prevalent and are a serious public health concern. 

The one who was probably the first to find a relatively good treatment or cure for Goiter would be the ancient Chinese.  As long ago as 1600 they realized that large doses of seaweed and burnt sponge managed the neck swellings nicely. The treatment were very successful and it spread to the westward. 

Aurelius Celcus provided the people with the first clinical description of Goiters in the Roman Times. And which he call it as Bronchocele. He describe it as  a tumor that needs to be cut out or burned away with by using acid. But an author and naturalist Pliny the Elder like the Chinese and he recommended to use the burnt seaweed to treat the neck swelling epidemics in the Swiss Apls Region.  He believed the condition was caused by drinking dirty water.

To know more about the disease and the facts related to it please refer to the links below: 

• http://endocrine.surgery.ucsf.edu/conditions--procedures/goiter.aspx
• http://www.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/goiter/overview.html
• http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/167559.php
• http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Goitre/Pages/Treatment.aspx
• http://www.slideshare.net/cordovahigh/goiter-7563370
• http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/goiter/basics/causes/con-20021266
• http://www.webmd.com/drugs/condition-578-Goiter.aspx?diseaseid=578&diseasename=Goiter&source=0
• http://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/articles/can-natural-thyroid-treatment-methods-cure-goiter/
• http://www.thyroid.org/what-is-a-goiter/
• http://www.healthline.com/symptom/goiter