If you have a lump at the front of your neck, it could be a goitre (sometimes spelled ‘goiter’). This is when your thyroid gland gets bigger than normal.
If you have a lump at the front of your neck, it could be a goitre (sometimes spelled ‘goiter’). This is when your thyroid gland gets bigger than normal.
A small goitre won’t always cause any physical problems or symptoms, although it may make you feel self-conscious about your appearance. But larger goitres can cause symptoms and need treatment.
Your thyroid gland makes hormones that help regulate your metabolism – keeping your body at the right temperature and helping your brain, heart and other organs to work properly. Having a goitre doesn’t always make a difference to how your thyroid gland works, but it’s sometimes associated with changing levels of thyroid hormones, which can affect how you feel.
We know you might be worried about how you look if you have a goitre, or concerned that it means you’re going to have health problems. So read on to learn about why you might get a goitre, the symptoms it can cause, and the treatments that can help you feel yourself again.
Anyone can get a goitre. It can be there when you’re born, or develop at any time during your life.
How likely it is that you’ll get one depends partly on what country you live in, and estimates about how common it is vary. But research by the World Health Organisation suggests it affects about 16% of people worldwide.
Things that mean you may be more likely to get a goitre include:
Several health conditions and other factors can cause a goitre, including:
Find useful information on other areas of thyroid health with our .
There are 2 main types of goitre: ‘diffuse’ – where your thyroid gland swells up and feels smooth to touch – and ‘nodular’, where your thyroid gland feels lumpy.
The signs of a goitre vary, depending on their size and what’s causing them, but can include the following symptoms.
For many people, the only symptom is a small swelling at the base of the neck. Sometimes goitres are so small that you only find out you have one during a routine medical examination or imaging test for another condition.
Occasionally, bigger goitres can block your airways and voicebox, leading to physical symptoms such as:
Because a goitre can be associated with your thyroid gland being either overactive or underactive, you may also have symptoms of these conditions.
include:If you have a large goitre, it can be visible to you and other people. This might make you feel self-conscious about how you look, which could lead to feelings of anxiety and low self-esteem.
You should make an appointment to see your doctor if you think you can feel a swelling or lump in your neck.
You should see a doctor as soon as possible if you have a neck lump or goitre and:
You should seek urgent medical advice or go to your local emergency department if you have a goitre and it’s causing:
To make a diagnosis, your doctor will first ask about:
They’ll examine your neck, do a general physical check-up, and may arrange blood tests to check how well your thyroid gland is working, called
.They may also send you for other tests to find what’s causing your goitre and check for thyroid nodules.
Depending on your symptoms, they may refer you to a hormone specialist (endocrinologist), including if:
Your specialist may arrange some hospital tests to investigate your goitre in more detail and check for any abnormal cells. These can include:
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.How your goitre is treated will depend on how big it is, your symptoms and what’s causing it. Whether its appearance is affecting you will also be taken into account.
If your goitre is small and blood tests show your thyroid gland is working normally, it will usually just be monitored with regular check-ups. But if it’s causing symptoms, it will need treatment.
Depending on your symptoms, treatment can include:
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“Many goitres are associated with normal levels of thyroid hormones. Often, if your goitre isn’t causing symptoms and an accurate diagnosis has been made, no specific treatment is needed. However, you’ll need blood tests every 3 to 6 months to check your thyroid hormone levels, to make sure you don’t develop an overactive or underactive thyroid.”
Important: Our website provides useful information but is not a substitute for medical advice. You should always seek the advice of your doctor when making decisions about your health.