Nowadays, people suffering from thyroid nodules are becoming more and more common. Below I have summarized the 7 most common questions about nodules and given professional answers, which I hope will clear your doubts.
1. Why do thyroid nodules grow?
The definite cause of hyperplastic thyroid nodules is not clear, but it may be related to the following factors: high or low iodine intake, consumption of goiter-causing substances, consumption of goiter-causing drugs or defective thyroid hormone synthetase.
It is more common in middle-aged women. In the presence of a relative deficiency of thyroid hormone in the body, the pituitary gland secretes more TSH. Under the long-term stimulation of this increased TSH, the thyroid gland undergoes repeated or continuous hyperplasia resulting in uneven enlargement and nodule-like changes in the thyroid gland. There may be bleeding, cystic changes and calcification in the nodules.
2. What are the health risks of thyroid nodules?
Whether thyroid nodules are harmful to the body depends on the benignity, size and function of the nodules.
Benign and malignant.
Benign nodules are basically harmless and should only be reviewed every 6 to 12 months.
Malignant nodules, i.e. thyroid cancer, need to be treated promptly, otherwise it may lead to death. Of course, most patients with thyroid cancer can survive for a long time with timely and reasonable treatment.
Size.
If the nodule is too large or grows rapidly, it may press on the surrounding tissues and organs, resulting in hoarseness, difficulty in breathing, difficulty in swallowing, etc.
Function.
Some nodules can secrete thyroid hormones on their own, which can lead to hyperthyroidism, manifested as fear of heat, excessive sweating, panic, hand tremors, insomnia, weight loss, diarrhea, menstrual disorders, etc.
Some nodules may be accompanied by hypothyroidism, which may manifest as fear of cold, dry skin, edema, weight gain, drowsiness, lack of energy, bloating, constipation, and menstrual disorders.
3. Is there a high possibility of thyroid nodules becoming malignant?
Eighty to 90 percent of thyroid nodules are benign. Some nodules are benign when they are first discovered, but they may become malignant at a later stage, but the probability of this is very low. Therefore, it is very important to review the nodules regularly after they are found. If the nodules are found once every six months, and if there is no change, review once a year.
4.What can I do to shrink my thyroid nodules?
If the nodule is malignant, early surgery is needed.
If the nodule is benign, the following methods can be tried to shrink the nodule.
Medications: i.e. oral treatment with thyroxine preparations. However, the medication is very ineffective, and only a small percentage of people have nodule shrinkage after taking the medication; most people have little effect.
Surgery: Considering the risk of surgery and other issues, surgery is generally not an option for benign nodules unless the nodules are very large or have recurrent bleeding.
Ablation: This includes thermal ablation, anhydrous ethanol injection, iodine 131
treatment. However, ablation has been introduced for a relatively short period of time, and its safety, applicable population, adverse effects, risk of recurrence and other issues are not well understood. Therefore, ablation is not recommended by the mainstream medical community, and more time and research are needed to verify this treatment method.
The above analysis shows that there is no good way to shrink nodules. Therefore, for benign thyroid nodules, doctors usually only instruct patients to have regular reviews (every 6 to 12 months).
Special warning: If a benign nodule appears to be malignant during the review process, it needs to be operated early.
5. Which thyroid nodules require surgery?
Surgery is needed in the following cases: nodules that are proven to be malignant on puncture biopsy; nodules that are growing rapidly and are highly suspected of being malignant; nodules that are very large and have symptoms of pressure; nodules that are combined with hyperthyroidism; nodules that bleed repeatedly.
6. Can thyroid nodules recur after surgery?
If the surgery is not complete and there are residues, there is a possibility of recurrence after surgery. If a recurrence occurs, the risk of reoperation is 5-10 times higher than the initial surgery. This requires that the surgeon try to remove the nodule as thoroughly as possible during the surgery, which is more difficult.
7. Should I eat non-iodized salt if I have a thyroid nodule?
(1) If you have thyroid nodules combined with hyperthyroidism, or before having iodine 131 treatment for thyroid cancer after surgery, you need to eat non-iodized salt, and you should not eat foods with high iodine content such as seaweed, nori, shrimp and shellfish.
2) If thyroid nodules are combined with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
You do not need to eat non-iodized salt, but just eat normal iodized salt, but you should eat less kelp, nori, shrimp and shellfish, and other foods with high iodine content.
3) If it is a simple benign nodule
There are no special dietary requirements, as long as you do not eat a lot of seafood every day, it does not matter. After all, people who do not have thyroid problems can eat a lot of seafood every day and have problems.