Understanding Thyroid Tumors: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Options.!
What is a thyroid tumor?
The thyroid is a small gland located at the base of your neck that produces hormones that regulate metabolism. A thyroid tumor occurs when abnormal cells grow in the thyroid gland and cause it to expand into nearby tissues. When detected early, these tumors can be successfully treated with medication or surgery; however, if left untreated, they can get larger and spread to other parts of the body. This article will explore how you can detect this condition and what steps you should take if you suspect you have one.
Thyroid tumors are non-cancerous masses in the thyroid gland. Thyroid cancer is rare and accounts for only about 1% of all cancers. However, it’s more common in women than men: 1 in 100 women will develop thyroid cancer at some point in their lifetime compared to 1 in 1000 men.
What are the symptoms of a thyroid tumor?
You may have a thyroid tumor if you experience symptoms such as:
- Difficulty swallowing, or feeling like food is stuck in your throat.
- Swollen neck and/or hoarseness. This can be caused by swelling of the vocal cords, which can make them harder to move properly during speech. The voice may also sound different when you talk because it’s hard for air to pass through the swollen area of the vocal cords (called vocoids).
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath; pain in the throat or neck; lump(s) in the front part of your neck near where your collarbones meet (larynx). These are all signs that something might be blocking airflow into and out from around where air passes through while speaking–and could indicate cancerous growths inside this area known as laryngeal carcinoma (LCA).
How is a thyroid tumor diagnosed and treated?
A thyroid tumor can be diagnosed using a variety of tests, including:
- A physical exam. Your doctor will feel your neck and ask questions about your symptoms.
- Blood tests. A blood test can measure the levels of certain hormones in your body that help regulate metabolism, such as TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone). If these levels are too high or low, it may mean that there’s something wrong with your thyroid gland–including cancerous growths called nodules or cysts.
- Ultrasound scan. This test uses sound waves to create images of organs and tissues inside the body, such as a tumor on the thyroid gland; it’s sometimes used with intravenous contrast material so doctors can see more clearly what they’re looking at on ultrasound images when they’re examining possible cancers like papillary carcinoma or follicular adenoma (a benign nodule).
What long-term effects does a thyroid tumor have?
When you have a thyroid tumor, there is a chance that it can spread to other organs. This means that the cancer cells will go past your thyroid and into other parts of your body. If this happens, it’s called metastasis.
If a patient has had their thyroid removed due to cancer or another reason, they are at an increased risk for other health problems like heart disease and osteoporosis (weak bones). Also if a patient’s parathyroid glands were removed during surgery then they may have low calcium levels which can cause symptoms such as numbness or tingling in fingers/toes; muscle cramps; nausea/vomiting; constipation
If you or someone you know has symptoms of a thyroid tumor, see your doctor right away.
Thyroid tumors are rare, but they can cause serious problems if they’re not diagnosed and treated right away. If you or someone you know has symptoms of a thyroid tumor, see your doctor right away.
- Thyroid tumors are hard to diagnose because they look like normal tissue on an imaging test (like an MRI) or biopsy.*
- Surgery is the most common way to treat thyroid cancer.*
Conclusion
A thyroid tumor can be a scary diagnosis to receive, but it doesn’t mean that you have to live with the condition forever. With proper treatment and regular checkups, you can lead a healthy life and enjoy all the things you love doing.