What are thyroid nodules? What are the symptoms?

What are thyroid nodules?

Thyroid nodules refer to lumps in the thyroid gland that can move up and down with the thyroid gland during swallowing. They are common clinical symptoms and can be caused by a variety of causes. There are many thyroid diseases in clinical practice, such as thyroid degeneration, inflammation, autoimmunity, and neoplasms, which can manifest as nodules. Thyroid nodules can be single or multiple. The incidence of multiple nodules is higher than that of single nodules, but the incidence of thyroid cancer in single nodules is higher.

Symptoms:

1. Nodular thyroid

It is more common in middle-aged women. When the body's thyroid hormone is relatively insufficient, the pituitary gland secretes more TSH. Under the long-term stimulation of this increased TSH, the thyroid gland undergoes repeated or continuous hyperplasia, leading to uneven enlargement and nodular changes of the thyroid gland. Bleeding, cystic changes, and calcification may occur within the nodules. The size of the nodules can range from a few millimeters to a few centimeters. The main clinical manifestation is thyroid enlargement. Multiple nodules of varying sizes can be palpated during diagnosis. The texture of the nodules is mostly of medium hardness. A small number of patients can only palpate a single nodule, but multiple nodules are often found during thyroid imaging or surgery. Patients do not have many clinical symptoms, generally only discomfort in the front of the neck, and thyroid function tests are mostly normal.

2. Nodular toxic thyroiditis

The disease has a slow onset and often occurs in patients who have had nodular thyroiditis for many years. The age is usually over 40 to 50 years old, and it is more common in women. It may be accompanied by symptoms and symptoms of hyperthyroidism, but the symptoms of hyperthyroidism are generally mild and often atypical, and infiltrative exophthalmos generally does not occur. When the thyroid is palpated, a smooth round or oval nodule with clear boundaries and a hard texture can be felt. It moves up and down with swallowing, and there is no vascular murmur in the thyroid area. Thyroid function tests show elevated thyroid hormone in the blood. If it is caused by functional autonomous nodules, radionuclide scanning will show "hot nodules".

3. Inflammatory nodules

It is divided into infectious and non-infectious types. The former is mainly caused by viral infection, and other infections are rare. In addition to thyroid nodules, subacute thyroiditis is also accompanied by fever and local thyroid pain. The size of the nodules depends on the scope of the lesions, and the texture is relatively tough. The latter is mainly caused by autoimmune thyroiditis, which is more common in middle-aged and young women. The patients have fewer conscious symptoms. During the examination, multiple or single nodules can be palpated. The texture is hard and there is little tenderness. Thyroid function tests show that thyroid globulin antibodies and thyroid microsomal antibodies are often strongly positive.