What is the thyroid: The thyroid is a small hormonal gland in the neck. The primary work of the thyroid gland is to take the iodine from the body to produce hormones and it also helps to control the body's metabolism, and also regulates how speedily the body should work and use energy. This gland is shaped like a butterfly and lies at the front of the neck. It has two kinds of cells that make hormones. Follicular cells make thyroid hormone and C cells make calcitonin. The thyroid hormone affects heart rate, body temperature, and energy level and the calcitomin helps to control the level of calcium in the blood. Sometimes there is a swelling in this gland that is called the thyroid swelling.

What are the symptoms of the thyroid swelling:

There are many reasons of thyroid swelling. The usual cause is harmless formation of cells or the overgrowth or degeneration of the gland cells. The thyroid can also enlarge due to mild inflammation that is called the thyroid swelling. It also sometimes happens due to the viral infection. Cysts and harmless tumors are often responsible for a single thyroid lump. Cancerous malignant growths are rare, but it is also a reason for the thyroid swelling.

How does it occur and the treatment of the thyroid swelling: the problem of the thyroid swelling can be inherited from the earlier generations. Thyroid swelling may also happen at certain times of life such as infancy, puberty or pregnancy. At this time the body needs more thyroid hormone, and the gland is expected to work that much harder. In some people, goiter appears in the neck. Too little iodine in the diet causes these goiters. To diagnose the thyroid swelling the blood tests are done to check whether the hormone levels are normal. Sometimes the thyroid scan is performed, to get an idea of the size and shape of the thyroid. There are many ways to treat the thyroid swelling but the most common medication is the radioactive method and the thyroxin tablets. In some of the worst cases the operation is also performed.