Thyroid Goiter | Painful Swelling in Neck | Treatment and Home Remedies

Goiter means enlargement or swelling of thyroid gland. Iodine is the main substrate for the formation of thyroid hormones (T3 and T4), while TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) which is secreted by the anterior pituitary is under negative feed back of T4 and T3.

Commonest cause of goiter is deficiency of iodine. Other causes are hyperthyroidism or thyrotoxicosis (excess secretion of thyroid hormones T3 and T4) and in thyroiditis.
Normally goiter is a painless condition but symptoms which arise are due to the pressure over the neck caused by the thyroid swelling.
In acute thyroiditis in which there is a cause of bacterial, viral or fungal origin pain may be a symptom along with sudden swelling in anterior part of neck with fever.
Other symptoms associated are- anxiety, weakness, heat intolerance, pruritis (itching of skin), palpitations, and shortness of breath.
In association with hyperthyroidism ophthalmic symptoms like staring, lid lag, diplopia (double vision) may be present.

Certain foods like white flour products, white sugar, flesh foods, fried or greasy foods, condiments, tea, coffee and alcohol are to be completely avoided by patients with goiter.
For management of iodine deficiency, an average intake of 150ugm of iodine has to be ensured. All foods containing iodine should be taken liberally like lettuce, turnips, carrots, garlic onion, oats, pineapples, whole rice, tomatoes, strawberries, guavas, citrus fruits, egg yolk and sea foods.

Cabbage leaves are useful in goiter especially with ophthalmic (eye) complaints. Juice of cabbage should be consumed daily.
Flex seeds should be grounded in water. This should be then heated and made it into paste. This paste is to be applied externally. This is useful in reducing swellings.
Cucumber has to be consumed daily around 100gm as salad.

For treatment of goiter kachnar, botanically called as Bauhinia variegate is used.

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