Thyroid
The thyroid gland is an endocrine gland responsible for the production of the thyroid hormone. This hormone regulates the rate at which your body conducts necessary actions. This gland also regulates physiological functions in your body. The thyroid gland is located in the middle of the neck, above the clavicle (collar bone) and below the larynx (voice box). It is bow tie in shape, featuring two lobes connected by bridging tissue. A normal, healthy thyroid is often times unnoticed.
Diseases and disorders of the thyroid glands are exceptionally commonplace. Most frequently, these disorders are hyperthyroidism, known as Grave’s disease, and hypothyroidism (over or under active thyroid gland disorders respectively). Oftentimes, inflammation of the thyroid (Hoshimoto’s disease) will cause the gland to enlarge. When the gland grows, it is usually referred to as a goiter.
Doctors diagnose these disorders using several methods. Common diagnostic tests include taking a medical history and a physical examination. The physical examination typically consists of a close examination of the neck, usually lifting the chin in order to make inspection of the thyroid gland easier as well as asking the patient to swallow. Among other means of diagnosing a thyroid disease, the physician may utilize a CT or MRI scan, a radioactive thyroid scan, blood tests of thyroid function, an ultrasound examination of the neck, a fine needle aspiration biopsy, or a chest X-ray.
In cases where there is a lump on the gland, it is common for a doctor to administer a fine needle aspiration, which is the sampling of tissue. This is a safe and relatively pain free procedure. The sample is taken via a hypodermic needle and the tissue sample is used to determine whether or not a lump is malignant or benign.
Typically, diseases of the thyroid are treated medically. Cases of hyperthyroidism are often treated with hormone pills to regulate the necessary hormonal levels of the patient. Occasionally, this necessitates the removal of the thyroid gland in order to avoid any further complications. In cases where a lump is found, the physician has several options available to him. If a needle aspiration shows the lump to be suspicious or malignant, then it will be removed surgically. If a lump is found to be benign, then suppression therapy may be administered, in which the lump is treated with hormones until it shrinks back to normal size over a period of three to six months.
In cases where thyroid surgery is necessary, the operation is done in a hospital under general anesthesia. Most frequently, this operation involves the removal of one of the lobes of the thyroid gland. Reputable surgical centers for thyroid surgery can be found in both New York and New Jersey.
Copyright ENT and Allergy Associates, LLP
Physicians:
04/15/2010
