What is a goiter?
A goiter occurs when the thyroid gland becomes enlarged. No one is immune to a goiter, although the risk of developing it in women is 4 times higher than in men. Goiter is expected with age - statistically, it is most common in people over 40.
Risk factors include:
- Obesity;
- Insulin resistance;
- Metabolic syndrome;
- A family history of thyroid disease;
- Radiation therapy to the head and neck for treatment.
Goiter is a common diagnosis. According to statistics, about 5% of people in the United States have it. The most common cause of goiter worldwide is iodine deficiency.
The main symptoms of a goiter are:
- A lump-like lump in the throat;
- Tightness in the larynx;
- Hoarseness;
- Enlarged jugular vein;
- Dizziness.
Less common symptoms include:
- Difficulty breathing;
- Coughing;
- Difficulty swallowing.
Causes of goiter include:
- Iodine deficiency;
- Graves' disease;
- Hashimoto's disease;
- Thyroid cancer;
- Pregnancy;
- Thyroiditis.
The cause of sporadic goiter remains unknown in a large percentage of clinical cases.
Source:
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12625-goiter
