What are thyroid nodules?
Thyroid nodules are growths or lumps in the thyroid gland gland in the front of your neck. This gland controls how your body uses energy. Most thyroid nodules are not cancer and do not cause problems. Many don’t even need treatment. Once in a while, a thyroid nodule can cause problems. Sometimes a nodule can make too much thyroid hormone. When a nodule makes too much hormone, the rest of the gland is suppressed and actually doesn’t work as hard as usual. Only about 5 out of 100 thyroid nodules are cancer.1 In these cases, surgery to remove the nodule is necessary. What causes thyroid nodules? It is not clear what causes thyroid nodules. But people who have been exposed to radiation have a greater chance of getting them. Also, the nodules tend to run in families. So if your parents had thyroid nodules, you are more likely to have one. What are the symptoms? Most thyroid nodules are so small that you don’t even know you have one. If you have a big nodule, you may be able to feel it, or y
A thyroid nodule is an abnormal growth (lump) of thyroid cells within the thyroid gland. The thyroid is a hormone-producing, butterfly-shaped organ (or gland) that is located on the front of the neck, just under the Adam’s apple. The thyroid gland, which is made up of a right lobe and a left lobe, produces and secretes thyroid hormones into the bloodstream. Thyroid hormones are important to functions that include regulating the metabolic rate and body temperature, and helping to maintain heart functioning. What causes a thyroid nodule to form? Sometimes normal tissue begins to grow causing one or more nodules to form. The most important cause related to the development of thyroid nodules is thyroid cancer, but this, fortunately, is a very rare cause (about 5%). Other causes can include an iodine deficiency, suppression of thyroid hormone, and Hashimoto’s disease (a chronic inflammation of the thyroid gland). Most thyroid nodules are benign (noncancerous). The different types of thyroid
