The thyroid is an organ which is located in human neck, in front of the trachea. Thyroid looks like a butterfly. Its function is to secrete thyroid hormones into the bloodstream to control the body metabolic processes, to stimulate the heartbeat, to keep body temperature and sweating. Therefore, when thyroid gland malfunctions, the body will experience changes inside and may become cancer cells. Early detection of thyroid disease allows for more effective treatment.
Warning Signs of Thyroid Disease that should not be overlooked:
- Hyperthyroidism is caused by the secretion of excessive thyroid hormones, causing the body to have a high metabolism (Hyper Metabolism). Then, it causes stimulating abnormal symptoms.
- Symptoms: easily tried, palpitations, look thinner, weight loss, excessive appetite, frequent hunger, hot flashes, and easy sweating. Symptoms will be more severe when the heart beat irregularly, hands tremble and heart palpitation. In some cases, there can be noticed about bulging eyes and a larger neck.
- Hypothyroidism is a condition which the thyroid gland cannot produce enough thyroid hormones. The result of hypothyroid is a decrease in the body’s metabolic processes.
- Symptoms: fatigue, feel cold, dry skin, weight gain, swelling, and in some cases, constipation and frequent drowsiness.
- Thyroid Nodule: An abnormal lump on the thyroid gland but still be able to produce hormones normally. It can be found both cystic and fibrous lumps. Thyroid nodules have a 5-10% chance of developing to be thyroid cancer.
- Symptoms: There is a lump on the thyroid gland, with an abnormally bulging neck, a previous thyroid lump that is growing rapidly, or difficulty swallowing, hoarseness along with a lump in the neck. If someone experience with one of these symptoms, they should go to see the doctor.
- Thyroid Cancer is a development of the disease from a thyroid nodule or non-toxic thyroid condition.
- Symptoms: Thyroid cancer symptoms are not clearly expressed, anyway if there are one of a family member cancer who has had radiation therapy to the neck, has had hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, or a lump in the neck that larger than 4 cm. That person should go to see the doctor, to get a diagnosis immediately. The method of diagnosis is taking cells from the thyroid gland to look for cancer cells.
Examine for sure, is it really thyroid disease?
The thyroid disease testing method is done by thyroid ultrasound and blood test to check thyroid hormone levels. After that if the lump in the thyroid gland is found, the FNA (Fine Needle Aspiration) method will be used. This method is conducted by using a needle to aspirate tissue in the thyroid gland to checks the cells to look for abnormal cells which are at risk of being thyroid cancer.
Thyroid has a Higher Than 95% Chance of Being Cured.
Treatment for thyroid diseases depends on whether the cells that are biopsied are normal cells or cancerous cells. The surgery may not, and compression of organs in the neck is necessary, if the cells are normal and there is a small lump. However, periodically follow-up is required or surgery can be performed, if the patients wish. But the following symptoms and indications require surgery
- FNA cell biopsy found abnormalities in cells that are consistent with thyroid cancer or are at risk of thyroid cancer.
- There is a lump in the thyroid gland along with hoarseness, difficulty swallowing and compression of organs in the neck
For thyroid cancer, if the lump and the thyroid gland are surgically removed, the patient has to swallow radioactive iodine and repeat checks every 6 months or 1 years. This treatment will give the patient a 95% of chance of being cured.
Thyroid Center, Phyathai 2 Hospital:
There are 4 options for thyroid surgery at Thyroid Center, Phyathai 2 Hospital, however, the patient can choose for himself along with the doctor’s recommendation.
- Open surgery in the middle of the neck which is suitable for the larger lumps, or large lumps on both sides and suitable for patients who have had neck surgery before. With this method the lump can be taken out more easily. The method is not complicate and it is easier to stop the bleeding, however, there will be a wound in the middle of the neck.
- Endoscopic surgery method is conducted in the armpits and chest. This method is suitable for small lumps and remove part of the thyroid gland is required. Because surgery can be done on one side at a time and the wound is easy to hide.
- Open surgery behind the ear, this method is suitable for small lumps. Surgery is conducted directed at the thyroid tumor. The wound is hidden behind the ear.
- Surgery without scars by using oral endoscopy method. This is suitable for small batches. It has the shortest distance between the mouth and the thyroid. Compared to other methods of endoscopic surgery, this method causes no wounds on the skin as well as little blood loss.
Even thyroid disease is unable to prevent, however, it can be better if you have an annual health check, frequently observe and feel for abnormalities in the throat. When you find an abnormality, do not wait for a while because the treatment of the Thyroid Center at Phyathai 2 Hospital has several treatment guidelines to help patients improve or recover from their disease.
