Hello doctor, I have swelling in the neck and tested in the laboratory about three years ago. They say I have a problem with my thyroid and I need to consult a doctor. Unfortunately, we do not get a chance to go back to the hospital again because of a lack of money. I am 17 now and my neck is still swelling, I do not feel any symptoms as of now. The last doctor who checked my neck says it is a non-toxic thyroid problem (but they did not tell what my illness is, because it is just our school medical. better to consult a doctor). Is there any recommendations to prevent my neck from swelling? What are the foods and activities to control the swelling? Is there any thyroid home test I should try to identify how is my thyroid? I will consult a doctor if the situation is totally fine.
Hi. In most cases, when there is a swelling associated with the thyroid, the swelling moves when you swallow and can be seen when you turn your neck backward and swallow. The surest test to detect a thyroid swelling is by doing an ultrasound to assess minor details, size, blood supply, and other aspects which we need to know before we treat you. Secondly, you need to get a thyroid function test wherein we assess the level of the thyroid hormones in your body. Thirdly, we also do a fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) to find out what was the cause of the swelling to occur in the thyroid. Here we insert a needle in your thyroid gland in areas of interest and then observe these cells under the microscope. For patients having thyroid problems (hypothyroid to be specific), we usually avoid foods belonging to the brassica family such as kale, rape, cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli. These are known to block the synthesis of the thyroid hormones leading to its deficiency and thyroid enlargement. Seafood, bread, and milk are rich sources of iodine. Also, understand that a hyperfunctioning thyroid also can cause a thyroid swelling and the tests mentioned above are basic and have to be done to evaluate any patient with a thyroid problem. So in a nutshell, the doctor who deals with thyroid problems will definitely get these investigations to manage the problem further. I hope this helps.