What is diffuse thyroid

As we all know, the thyroid gland is the most important and largest endocrine gland in our body. The thyroid gland is responsible for regulating the body's hormones and metabolism. But if we suffer from diffuse thyroid disease, the impact on the body will be enormous. So, what is diffuse thyroid? Today we will look at the main dangers of diffuse goiter.

The human thyroid gland requires 60-80ug of iodine every day to produce physiologically active thyroid hormones. In the body, there is a mutually dependent and mutually restrictive feedback relationship between the thyroid hormone secreted by the thyroid gland and the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) secreted by the pituitary gland. When iodine is deficient, thyroid cells cannot synthesize enough thyroid hormone, the concentration of thyroid hormone in the blood decreases, the inhibitory effect of thyroid hormone on pituitary secretion (TSH) weakens, the secretion of pituitary TSH increases, and the TSH level in the blood increases, causing thyroid hypertrophy and hyperplasia.

The main causes of diffuse thyroid disease are:

(1) Iodine deficiency or excess in the water and soil in epidemic areas.

(2) Increased iodine requirement (due to growth and development, breastfeeding, cold, infection, poisoning, emotions, etc.).

(3) Goitrogens (cassava, radish, cabbage, thiouracil, thiocyanate, sodium para-aminosalicylate, phenylbutazone, potassium perchlorate, cobalt, and lithium salts).

(4) Drinking deep well water (containing excessive sulfur hydrocarbons, calcium and fluoride), the water source is contaminated by bacteria.

(5) Familial congenital thyroid hormone synthase deficiency.

(6) Artificial radioactive nuclides (nuclear fission products) - iodine-131 exceeds the standard in the air.

The hazards of diffuse thyroid disease are mainly manifested in:

1. The lump will also compress our recurrent laryngeal nerve, which controls the activity of our vocal cords. If compressed, you will suddenly find that your voice becomes hoarse. Another more serious diffuse thyroid disease is that it compresses our neck venous return and causes facial swelling.

2. Severe diffuse thyroid disease will compress adjacent organs or form a retrosternal goiter. A small part of it will transform into thyroid cancer, which makes treatment more difficult, and makes surgical complications and treatment costs more likely to occur. Cancer will directly threaten life safety.

3. Goiter often causes compression of large blood vessels, especially the jugular vein, which causes congestion in the face and neck. If the swollen gland extends behind the sternum, it often compresses the great vein trunks. If it compresses the superior vena cava, the venous blood return of the head and neck will be obstructed, which can cause facial edema, varicose veins of the neck, edema of the chest skin and upper arms, and obvious varicose veins.

4. Diffuse thyroid disease can also cause eye changes. As the eye muscles are invaded, the movement of the eyeball is restricted, resulting in double vision or conjunctiva and cornea edema, which may also rupture. Patients often have exophthalmos. Severe eye lesions may cause edema and hemorrhage of the optic disc and/or retina. Damage to the optic nerve can cause vision loss or even blindness.

5. Changes in voice tone: When the recurrent laryngeal nerve is compressed, irritation symptoms such as hoarseness and spasmodic cough often appear at first. When the recurrent laryngeal nerve is paralyzed, severe hoarseness and aphonia often occur.

6. Congestion of the face and neck: Adenoma often causes compression of large blood vessels, especially the jugular vein. At this time, congestion of the face and neck, such as enlarged glands extending to the back of the sternum, often compresses the large vein trunks. If the compression is on the superior vena cava, the venous blood return of the head and neck is blocked, which can cause facial edema and varicose veins of the neck. There is also edema and obvious varicose veins on the chest skin and upper arms.

7. Dysphagia: Dysphagia caused by esophageal compression is generally rare and is only seen when the glandular swelling extends between the esophagus and trachea, or when there is malignant change, then the symptoms of persistent dysphagia often appear, which indicates diffuse thyroid damage.

8. Eye symptoms: When the cervical sympathetic nerve is compressed, the pupil on the same side will dilate. If the nerve is severely compressed and paralyzed, the eyeball will sink, the eyelid will droop, and the pupil will shrink.

9. Dyspnea: It is more common, especially in patients with large diffuse thyroid gland enlargement. If the trachea is compressed and there is a symptom of shortness of breath during movement, when the tumor is too large, the trachea may be displaced, bent or narrowed, causing severe dyspnea and the harm of diffuse thyroid gland.

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