The Thyroid gland is a small butterfly shaped gland located in the front portion of the neck under your skin. Thyroid Gland is a part of the endocrine system and is responsible for production of the thyroid hormone. Thyroid Hormones take care of critical functions in the body such as metabolic speed, regulating heart rate and even is a part of normal cell function.
Thyroid Nodules are unusual growth of cells in the thyroid gland and are often benign nodules. Benign thyroid nodules mean they are non-cancerous nodules and do no cause much harm. However, thyroid nodules in general can cause disturbing symptoms such as difficulty swallowing or breathing, hoarseness in your voice, enlargement of the thyroid gland etc.
While many people may not experience symptoms, larger nodules can lead to severe discomfort or complications. This article explores various methods to shrink thyroid nodules without surgery, including natural remedies and interventional radiology options.
Understanding Thyroid Nodules
What does your Thyroid Gland do?
Your thyroid gland is a small gland that is located in the neck and produces hormones to regulate metabolism of your body. The thyroid gland is an important part of the endocrine system and is also held responsible for the production of thyroid hormone. Apart from this it maintains the hormonal balance in the body, looks after the body temperature, heartbeat, concentration and even helps regulate how your body uses calcium.
What is a Thyroid Nodule?
Overgrowth of Normal Thyroid Tissue
An excess growth of normal thyroid tissue results in the formation of lumps within the thyroid gland known as thyroid nodules. They may be solid, or fluid filled and can vary in size. Often people assume that the size of the thyroid nodule is corelated to thyroid disease such as thyroid cancer etc.
While this is not entirely true, larger thyroid nodules can indeed have a significant impact on health and can contribute to severe conditions such as a goiter, which is an enlarged thyroid gland. Large multinodular goiters have the ability to cause symptoms of hyperthyroidism which is basically an underactive thyroid gland that does not produce enough thyroid hormone. On the other hand, it is alarming if the body produces too much thyroid hormone, as it can cause a condition named thyrotoxicosis.
While thyroid nodules cause multiple effects on the body ranging from mild to severe, in certain cases they can become cancerous thyroid nodules. Thyroid nodules treated before it’s too late can prevent multiple complications too. On the other hand, if you are wondering if thyroid nodules can shrink on their own? Then, you’re not wrong. The answer is yes.
Knowing more about your Thyroid Nodule
Before looking into what can be done to shrink thyroid nodules, first we’ll have to understand our enemy inside out. To start off, there are different types of thyroid nodules such as Cystic Nodules, solid nodules, single thyroid nodule, multiple nodules and even cancerous nodules. Here is a detailed explanation on the same,
Cystic Nodules
Thyroid Nodules that are filled with fluid also known as colloid nodules are considered to be cystic. Colloid Nodules may be filled with fluid completely or partially. Thyroid cysts are rarely cancerous however, they can cause issues with swallowing, pain in the neck or even mucus seeping out of the skin near the lump.
Solid Nodules
Solid Nodules are the most common type of thyroid nodule. They mostly do not contribute to thyroid cancer and don’t show any significant symptoms too. However, when compared to cystic thyroid nodules, Solid nodules show a higher chance of becoming cancerous nodules. Solid thyroid nodules can be detected during a thyroid ultrasound and have irregular borders.
Multiple Nodules
Multiple thyroid nodules are enlarged thyroid gland that contain more than one thyroid nodule. More often than not, these turn out to be benign nodule. Benign Thyroid Nodule does not contribute to thyroid cancer. However, it can be challenging to identify and treat multiple nodules using traditional surgical methods.
Cancerous Nodules
Thyroid Cancer has been more prevalent than before, especially in countries such as India. With an alarming increase of about 55% in both men and women, thyroid cancer can spread to other parts of the body as well. Nevertheless, if caught early it is highly treatable.
Diagnostic tests, such as radioactive iodine scan is extremely helpful in detecting cancer cells and can provide the patient, healthcare provider with key information on intensity of the condition and available treatment options.
How to Shrink Thyroid Nodules Naturally
Watch your Diet
Diet plays a crucial role in preventing any health condition. This holds true for Thyroid Nodules as well. Selenium plays an important role in thyroid hormone regulation. Nuts, fish, eggs are sources which are rich in selenium. Also, including foods that contain zinc and Vitamin B supports overall thyroid function.
Avoid Diary and Gluten
A gluten free diet may decrease the production of thyroid stimulating hormone. Correct levels of thyroid hormones can regulate the size of a nodule. It can even play a crucial role in preventing Hashimoto’s thyroiditis which is a type of auto immune thyroid disease.
Lifestyle Changes
Taking control over what you can control is the best decision you can do for your health. Although there are several factors that can cause thyroid nodules, adapting a healthy lifestyle along with a few positive changes can prominently impact your life and health for the better. Here are a few changes you can adopt to help prevent thyroid nodules.
Regular Exercise
Exercising regularly not only helps you stay active and fit but can also help balance hormone levels and reduces overall stress. Exercise supports elevating your mood and helps you combat tiredness and fatigue. It maintains your energy levels and helps you get a better night’s sleep too.
Stress Management
Stress can impact your health in almost all possible ways. Chronic stress can cause various negative health effects including high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, muscle tension, anxiety and can even weaken your immune system.
Apart from these effects on the body, stress can also contribute to inflammatory nodules, which is chronic swelling or inflammation of your thyroid gland. Managing Stress by practicing yoga, meditation, breathing exercises and most importantly not worrying too much can indeed bring about a positive change in your life.
Adequate Sleep
Thyroid function can have a huge positive impact if you get enough sleep and rest. Quality sleep does not mean sleeping till 10:00 AM in the morning. It simply means adjusting your body clock to get in bed early and waking up during the first hours of sunlight. Also, getting to bed and waking up at consistent timings helps your body adjust itself and maintains thyroid function.
How is Thyroid Nodules Diagnosed?
Thyroid Ultrasound
Using ultrasound guidance healthcare providers can detect and evaluate thyroid nodules. It provides accurate diagnosis of the thyroid gland with detailed images and is completely non-invasive in nature. This imaging technique can also provide details on the nodule such as dimensions and even look out for additional nodule growth.
Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy
In a Fine needle aspiration biopsy, a very thin needle and a syringe is utilized to pull out cells, tissues and liquid form fluids from the thyroid nodules. Then the healthcare provider sends the sample to a cytology lab to get them tested.
Physical Examination
During a physical examination the healthcare provider examines your neck for any unwanted bulge or lump. If the doctor notices any unusual lump they immediately take actions for further evaluation and may send you for thyroid function tests.
Medical Approaches to Shrink Benign Thyroid Nodules
Thyroid nodules diagnosed at early stages can prevent complications and supports prevent formation of other thyroid disorders. On a vast majority, most thyroid nodules are benign. Only a small percentage of thyroid nodules turn out be cancerous.
Nevertheless, if natural methods do not support shrink thyroid nodules alternatives from complex procedures such as thyroid surgery to non-surgical interventional radiology techniques such as radiofrequency ablation are still available.
Interventional Radiology
Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA)
Radiofrequency Ablation is a nonsurgical, minimally invasive, Interventional Radiology technique that uses radio waves to create a current that heats a small portion of the nerve tissues. An interventional radiologist uses ultrasound features to precisely detect the area of cancer.
They then insert a probe through the skin into the thyroid nodule to send these radio waves which heat up the cancer cells in the nodule, causing them to die. Patients with enlarged benign nodules are often considered good candidates for radiofrequency ablation and have shown promising results in reducing nodule size and thus alleviating symptoms.
Alcohol Ablation
Alcohol Ablation is a non-surgical treatment that uses concentrated ethanol alcohol solution to completely cut off the blood supply to cancer cells in the lymph nodes causing them to die. This treatment can be used to shrink large thyroid cysts and also destroy reoccurring thyroid cancer without a surgery.
Neck Surgery
Thyroidectomy
Thyroidectomy is a surgical procedure that involves removing a part of the thyroid gland or sometimes the entire thyroid gland in itself. Thyroidectomy is an open neck surgery and can treat thyroid nodules as well in certain cases, depending on the severity. Thyroidectomy is considered a major surgery and is often preferred to treat thyroid cancer as it helps eliminate the risk of any type of reoccurrence.
Conclusion
While most thyroid nodules are benign and may shrink on their own, there are effective methods to promote their reduction without surgery. Natural remedies such as dietary changes and lifestyle modifications can be beneficial.
For those seeking more immediate results, interventional radiology options like radiofrequency ablation provide safe, effective alternatives to traditional surgery. Regular monitoring and consultations with healthcare providers are essential for managing thyroid health effectively.