Overview

The thyroid, located at the front of your neck, is a small butterfly shaped gland that is part of the bodys
endocrine system. A swollen thyroid, or goiter, occurs when the gland swells to larger than normal. Large
goiters, seen or felt at the base of the neck, may cause tightness in the throat, hoarseness, and difficulty
breathing or swallowing. A swollen thyroid can increase or decrease the production of thyroid hormone and can
present additional symptoms.

Autoimmune Thyroid Disease

Graves' disease is when the immune system attacks the thyroid gland, causing an overproduction of the thyroid
hormone thyroxine. The excess hormones and increased stimulation of the gland causes the thyroid to swell.
Hashimoto's disease is when the immune system causes damage to the thyroid and does not produce enough
thyroid hormone. The pituitary gland produces more TSH, or thyroid stimulating hormone, to try to stimulate
the thyroid, which can cause a goiter.

Thyroiditis
Thyroiditis can cause temporary hyperthyroidism followed by hypothyroidism. It is an inflammation of the
thyroid gland, which may cause tenderness or pain to the neck, jaw or ears. Viruses, fever, medication,
pregnancy or immune disorders may cause thyroidtitis, though often the cause is unknown.

Nodules
Nodules are lumps and bumps in the thyroid gland. Singular nodules, found on only part of the thyroid, are often
found to be benign. A multinodular goiter is when multiple bumps develop on the thyroid, causing the entire
gland to swell.

Thyroid Cancer
Thyroid cancer may present itself with a swollen nodule or cancerous growth on one side of the neck. According
to the American Cancer Society, only around one in 20 nodules are found to be cancerous.

Iodine Deficiencies
Iodine, found in seawater and the soil of coastal areas, is needed to produce thyroid hormones. A diet deficient
in iodine can cause an enlarged goiter. The thyroid swells in an effort to obtain more iodine from the body.
Iodine deficiencies are not typically seen in First World countries, where iodine is added to foods and to table
salt. People who reside at high elevations or inland and developing countries can be at risk for iodine
deficiencies.

Overview
The thyroid is a butterfly shaped gland located at the front base of the neck, and when it becomes enlarged it is
referred to as goiter. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) explains that it enlarges when it is not able to
produce enough thyroid hormones needed by the body. Foods that can affect production of thyroid hormones
and aggravate a goiter are called "goitrogens" and should be avoided if you are experiencing goiter symptoms.

Cruciferous Vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables. Photo Credit Blue

Jean Images/Photodisc/Getty Images

Cruciferous vegetables contain sulfur compounds called glucosinolates, and when these compounds are broken
down they produce byproducts called isothiocyanates. A Cornell University study reported in the June 1995
issue of "Food and Chemical Toxicology" found that isothiocyanates can produce goiter by blocking the
absorption and uptake of iodine by the thyroid gland. Lack of iodine can cause goiters, and when you consume
cruciferous vegetables, you are hindering the positive effects that iodine has on thyroid function. These
vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, kale, turnips, mustard, cabbage, rutabaga and
kohlrabi. These vegetables are especially goitrogenic if eaten whole and raw. If you desire to eat cruciferous
vegetables but you have a problem with goiter, try shredding them or boiling them. The February 2007 issue of
"Food and Chemical Toxicology" reports that if the vegetables are shredded, they lose up to 75 percent of their
isothiocyanate content, and if boiled they lose up to 95 percent.

Soy Products

Soybeans. Photo
Credit Marccophoto/iStock/Getty Images

If you are experiencing problems with goiter, or inadequate iodine intake, you will want to avoid soybeans and
food products made with soy. A report from "Environmental Health Perspectives," published by the National
Institutes of Health, reports that soy has anti-thyroid properties and their action is heightened when there is
already a deficiency of iodine in the diet. Soy products to avoid are soybeans, tofu, soy milk, soy bars and any
items that contain "soy" on the label, including some mayonnaise and salad dressings.

Other Foods

Avoid peaches. Photo Credit Hemera

Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images

Goitrogenic foods are not limited to cruciferous vegetables and soy products. Peanuts, peaches, strawberries,
millet, radishes and spinach can also be a concern. While these foods are high in flavonoids, plant compounds
that offer health benefits, the March 2007 issue of the "Journal of Nutrition" reports that there are some
flavonoids that can interfere with thyroid function by stopping the production of thyroid hormones.

Diet
In some cases, an enlarged thyroid may be caused by not eating enough iodine. However, this is rare
in developed countries, where salt and other foods are fortified with plenty of iodine. If insufficient
iodine is the cause, and the swelling is not causing pain or other complications, adding more iodine to
the diet may reduce the swelling. In other rare cases, excess iodine in the diet may be causing the
enlargement. If that is the case, then food with high levels of iodine, such as fortified salt, seaweed
and shellfish should be avoided,

Iodine Deficiency
The Institute of Medicine sets the recommended daily intake of iodine at 150 mcg per day for adults.
Salt manufacturers began adding iodine to salt more than a century ago. Since then, the incidence of
iodine deficiency and goiter caused by a lack of iodine has become rare in the United States.
However, because only 70 percent of the world's households can get iodized salt, iodine deficiency
disorders continue to plague those in other countries, according to the Salt Institute.

Goiter Symptoms
The symptoms caused by goiter vary depending on how large the thyroid becomes. Many experience
no noticeable symptoms, and the doctor may suggest a wait-and-see approach that involves watching
for additional growth and assessing the onset of any symptoms. As the goiter grows larger, it can

press on the other structures in the neck such as the trachea or esophagus. This can lead to
symptoms including a visible swelling at the base of the neck, coughing, difficulty swallowing, tight
feeling in the throat, hoarseness or trouble breathing. Your doctor may suggest surgery to remove all
or part of the thyroid gland or the use of radioactive iodine or iodine supplements.

What Are the Causes of One Side of a Thyroid

Becoming Enlarged?
Last Updated: Mar 30, 2011 | By Helen Williams

Most enlargements of the thyroid

are benign. Photo CreditJupiterimages/Goodshoot/Getty Images

The thyroid is a butterfly shaped gland located just under the skin at the base of the neck that regulates the
body's energy rate, including heart pulse and blood pressure. The thyroid can become enlarged for many
reasons, including production of too much or too little thyroid hormone, reports MayoClinic.com. Enlargement
on just one side, however, is usually suggestive of a few conditions, including a nodule or cancer.

Thyroid Cyst
A thyroid cyst is filled with fluid and ranges in size from less than one third of an inch to over an inch,
according to MayoClinic.com. Most are benign, although complex cysts, which have solid parts too, are more
likely to be cancerous.

Solitary Colloid Nodule

A single colloid nodule, which is overgrowth of normal tissue, can appear on one side of the neck, reports
MayoClinic.com. Colloid nodules are benign and do not spread outside of the thyroid gland.

Inflammatory Nodule
Rarely, an inflammatory nodule may develop on one side of the neck. It can be caused by chronic swelling of
the thyroid gland or be set off by pregnancy, which is called postpartum thyroiditis, reports MayoClinic.com.

Thyroid Cancer
Thyroid cancer, which is rare, usually appears as a separate lump within the thryoid gland, reports
EndocrineWeb.com. Unlike other causes of thyroid swelling, it typically appears as an enlargement on just one

side of the thyroid, reports MayoClinic.com. The lump is hard and may grow quickly. It can cause hoarseness
and difficult swallowing. The lymph nodes near the neck or jaw may be swollen too.

High Thyroid Symptoms

Last Updated: Jan 09, 2014 | By Jillian O'Keeffe

A classic hyperthyroidism
symptom is an increase in appetite. Photo Credit Don Bayley/iStock/Getty Images

The thyroid gland produces hormones that have various effects on the body. These hormones are
called T3 and T4 for short, but T3 is the more actively available form and T4 is turned into T3 where
necessary. At a normal level of production, the thyroid hormones help regulate many of the body's
metabolic activities. Examples of thyroid-influenced processes include beneficial effects on bone
turnover, movement of food through the digestive tract, the ability of the muscles to contract and
control of breathing pattern and heart rate. Due to these varied effects, when too much thyroid
hormone is produced, the affected person can suffer a wide variety of symptoms. Hyperthyroidism, or
a high thyroid, may also be known as an overactive thyroid or thyrotoxicosis.

Metabolic Effects

Weight loss is a common symptom

of high thyroid hormone levels. Photo Credit AGorohov/iStock/Getty Images

Weight loss is a common symptom of high thyroid hormone levels, even though the affected person generally
has an increased or normal appetite. On the other hand, an increased appetite can actually cause weight gain,
especially in young people. The increase in appetite is due to an increase in energy use by the body that is
triggered by excess thyroid hormone. This excessive energy burning also makes the body warmer than usual,
making many people with an overactive thyroid less tolerant of hot environments. A tremor can also be present,
which is an inability to keep the muscles still. Some people suffer from palpitations, which describes being
aware of your heartbeat, and a faster than normal heart rate is also common. Sweating is another possible
symptom.

Digestive Problems

An overactive thyroid can trigger

the digestive system to become more active than usual, resulting in more trips to the restroom than
usual. Photo CreditClicknique/iStock/Getty Images

An overactive thyroid can trigger the digestive system to become more active than usual. This means that food
and water run through the body more rapidly, producing symptoms such as excessive bowel movements and
more trips to the toilet to urinate. Feeling more thirsty than usual or experiencing diarrhea or vomiting are also
possible symptoms, and on rare occasions, stomach pain is a symptom. Some people find they have trouble
swallowing, and this is associated with the presence of a goiter, the swelling in the neck due to the thyroid gland
enlarging.

Emotional Effects

Abnormally high thyroid levels can

leave some unable to concentrate or sleep normally. Photo Credit Wavebreakmedia Ltd/Wavebreak
Media/Getty Images

Abnormally high thyroid hormone levels can make the affected person less emotionally stable than usual and
more likely to feel anxious. The person may also become hyperactive as a result of the disease. Irritability is
another possible symptom, as is an inability to concentrate or being unable to sleep normally.

Muscle Problems

Excessive fatigue could be an

indicator your thyroid levels are off. Photo Creditamana productions inc/amana images/Getty Images

Excessive thyroid hormone tends to produce muscle weakness, especially in the strong muscles in the thighs and
upper arms. These are the muscles that are most powerful in getting up out of a chair or in lifting the arms over
the head. Another common symptom is excessive tiredness.

Differences in Men and Women

Men with high thyroid levels may

experience erectile dysfunction. Photo CreditWavebreakmedia Ltd/Wavebreak Media/Getty Images

Some men with high thyroid levels may experience erectile dysfunction or breast enlargement. Women may find
that their periods become lighter than normal or disappear altogether, which can have adversely affect fertility.

Graves Disease

Many people with high thyroid

activity have Graves disease. Photo CreditBakiBG/iStock/Getty Images

Many people with high thyroid activity have Graves disease. This type of hyperthyroidism is due to antibodies
mistakenly attaching to the thyroid and signaling to the gland to produce more hormone than usual. According
to "Kumar & Clark's Clinical Medicine," people with hyperthyroidism of the Graves disease variety can have
eye problems such as bulging eyes or weakness of eye movement. Of course, the general hyperthyroidism
symptoms may also be present.

Maternal Hypothyroidism Effects on a Neonate

Last Updated: Dec 30, 2009 | By Suzanne Robin
The thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate growth and metabolism. Approximately 2.5 percent of
women have an underactive thyroid, or hypothyroidism, during pregnancy, according to the American Thyroid
Association. Pregnancy appears to "stress" the thyroid gland, according to a 1999 article published in the journal
"Thyroid," leading to higher medication needs in women who are already using thyroid medication. Inadequate
treatment or lack of diagnosis of hypothyroidism can cause problems for the newborn.

Lower IQ Score
Two large studies reported in 2004 in the "European Journal of Endocrinology" found that children born to
untreated mothers with hypothyroidism had a mean IQ of 100, compared to babies born to mothers with normal
thyroid levels and those with hypothyroidism who received adequate medication. One-third of babies born to
untreated moms had IQs two standard deviations below normal, compared to 15 percent of babies born to
mothers with normal thyroid levels and 7 percent of babies born to adequately treated hypothyroid moms.

Decreased Weight and Head Circumference

In a study reported in "Obstetrics and Gynecology" in 2003, infants born to mothers with hypothyroidism who
were being treated were compared to a control group of infants born to euthyroid (normal thyroid) mothers and
were found to have a mean weight and head circumference lower and smaller than that of the control group.
Infants of lower birth weights and smaller head circumferences are known to have a higher risk of intellectual
and neurological problems, as reported in a 2001 article in "Pediatric Research."

Congenital Anomalies
According to the Mayo Clinic, babies whose mothers have untreated hypothyroidism are more likely to have
birth defects.

Preterm Deliveries
According to the Mayo Clinic, maternal hypothyroidism can increase the chance of preterm delivery, as well as
increase the chances of pre-eclampsia, which is also associated with preterm delivery. Preterm babies are more
prone to heart and lung disease, as well as developmental delays.

Congenital Hypothyroidism
The above-mentioned "Obstetric and Gynecology" article also reported a significant increase in congenital
hypothyroidism in babies born to hypothyroid but treated moms, compared to those born to euthyroid moms.
Babies born with congenital hypothyroidism are at risk for developing mental retardation, growth retardation
and heart problems, according to the National Library of Medicine.