Download ArticleDownload ArticleThis article was co-authored by Lisa Bryant, ND. Dr. Lisa Bryant is Licensed Naturopathic Physician and natural medicine expert based in Portland, Oregon. She earned a Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine from the National College of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon and completed her residency in Naturopathic Family Medicine there in 2014.
There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
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A goiter is when your thyroid gland grows to an abnormal size, causing a lump on the front of your neck. It’s probably alarming to find a lump on your neck, but don't worry! Luckily, a goiter usually doesn’t mean that you have a serious medical condition. With the proper treatment, your thyroid can shrink back to a normal size and stop causing problems.[1] Unfortunately, there are no effective home remedies for shrinking a goiter, so this is a problem that you need medical attention to treat properly. Visit your doctor if you notice a lump on the front of your neck and follow their suggestions for proper treatment.
Steps
A goiter could have several different causes, so it’s very important to see your doctor if you suspect that you have one. Your doctor will then examine your neck to confirm that you have a goiter, then recommend a series of treatments to fix it. Follow your doctor’s instructions to treat yourself correctly.
Observe the goiter and see if it shrinks on its own. After your doctor examines the goiter, they may decide that it isn’t causing major problems. In this case, they’ll simply use a “wait and see” approach. If the goiter doesn’t get any worse, then they’ll probably leave it alone without any specific treatment.[2]- Your doctor will probably want you to come back in for regular exams to monitor the goiter. If it grows or starts causing problems, then they’ll probably start treatment.
Take hormone medications to regulate your thyroid. A goiter can be caused by an over or under-active thyroid, and you need medication for either condition. Hormone replacement should bring your thyroid function back into balance and shrink the goiter.- For hyperthyroidism, an overactive thyroid, common medications include methimazole and propylthiouracil. These should slow your thyroid function and treat the goiter.
- For hypothyroidism, an underactive thyroid, the common medication is levothyroxine. This should boost your thyroid function.
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Treat the swelling with anti-inflammatory medications. Along with hormone therapy, your doctor may also recommend anti-inflammatory drugs to try and shrink the goiter. In most cases, over-the-counter drugs like aspirin will work. Follow your doctor’s instructions and take the medication as directed.[3]- Your doctor may also prescribe corticosteroid medications if the swelling is too severe for over-the-counter drugs.
Shrink your thyroid with radioactive iodine treatments. Radioactive iodine is an oral medication that attacks the thyroid gland. It’s sometimes used on a very overactive thyroid. The medication reduces the thyroid’s activity and shrinks it, which should get rid of the goiter. If your doctor prescribes this medication, take it exactly as directed.- Radioactive iodine destroys the thyroid gland, so you’ll probably have to take thyroid hormones for the rest of your life afterward.
Undergo thyroid-removal surgery for severe cases. If the goiter is very large and causing breathing problems, then the doctor will probably recommend surgery to remove it. A surgeon will make a small incision on the front of your neck and shave away part of your thyroid. This gets rid of the goiter and relieves pressure in your neck.[4]- Surgeons try to remove enough of the thyroid to treat the goiter but leave enough so the thyroid can function properly. This isn’t always possible, however, so you may need to take thyroid hormones after the surgery.
Avoid unverified home remedies for goiters. There are some home remedies online for shrinking goiters, like taking turmeric for reducing inflammation. Unfortunately, there are no verified home remedies for goiters. It's best to avoid these and follow the treatment plan that your doctor suggests.[5]
While it’s not very common, a goiter could be caused by insufficient or excessive iodine in your diet. After you see your doctor, they may tell you that you need to get more or less iodine. Correcting the iodine levels in your body can shrink the goiter or prevent it from getting worse. Take the following steps to make sure you’re getting adequate iodine each day.
Take iodine supplements only if your doctor tells you to. If you hear that you need more iodine, you might initially think that taking a supplement will help. However, only take a supplement with your doctor’s directions. Too much iodine could cause thyroid problems as well.[6]
Reduce your iodine intake if excess iodine caused your goiter. In rare cases, too much iodine could cause a goiter as well. If you have too much iodine in your system, then take steps to reduce your iodine intake to see if this treats the goiter.[7]- Switch from iodized to non-iodized salt.
- Reduce your intake of seafood and seaweed.
- Only cut your iodine intake if your doctor tells you to. You could cause other health problems if you don’t get enough iodine.
Include 150 mcg of iodine in your diet each day. This recommended daily serving of iodine is enough to help your thyroid function properly, as long as you don’t have an underlying health issue. If the goiter was caused by your diet, then getting enough iodine could help treat it.[8]- While everyone needs enough iodine in their diet, it’s especially important for pregnant or lactating women and children. Children less than a year old need 110-130 mcg each day, while pregnant women need 220 mcg and breastfeeding women need 290.[9]
Use iodized salt in your diet. For most people, their main source of iodine is iodized salt. If you use non-iodized salt, then switch over to an iodized type to get your daily iodine serving.[10]- While frozen and processed foods are usually very salty, they don’t use iodized salt, so you won’t get the health benefits if you eat a lot of these meals.[11]
- Excess salt can cause other health problems, so don’t overdo it. The American FDA recommends consuming less than 2,300 mg per day, or a bit more than a teaspoon.[12] You can get all the iodine you need from 1/2 tsp (1,000 mg) of iodized salt, well below the daily limit.[13]
Medical Takeaways
While a goiter usually isn’t dangerous, it’s not something that you can treat from home. Natural remedies probably won’t work unless the goiter is from an iodine deficiency. Luckily, it is treatable with medical attention. Visit your doctor for an exam and follow their instructions for effective treatment.
Expert Q&A
- QuestionCan food supplements cause a goiter to grow?
Jurdy Dugdale, RNJurdy Dugdale is a Registered Nurse in Florida. She received her Nursing License from the Florida Board of Nursing in 1989.
Medical Review BoardWe do not want foods high in Iodine with a goiter. If you're concerned about how food supplements might affect your thyroid, talk to a doctor.
Tips
- Fruits and vegetables may contain some iodine as well, but only if they grew near a coastline.[16]Thanks
Warnings
- If you have any trouble breathing or swallowing, call your doctor right away. This probably means that the goiter is pressing on your airway and should be removed.[17]Thanks
References
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/goiter/symptoms-causes/syc-20351829
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/goiter/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20351834
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/goiter/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20351834
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/goitre/treatment/
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/goiter/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20351834
- ↑ https://www.thyroid.org/goiter/
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/goiter/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20351834
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/goiter/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20351834
- ↑ https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iodine-Consumer/
- ↑ https://www.uclahealth.org/endocrine-center/colloid-nodular-goiter
- ↑ https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iodine-Consumer/
- ↑ https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-education-resources-materials/sodium-your-diet
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/goiter/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20351834
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/goiter/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20351834
- ↑ https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iodine-Consumer/
- ↑ https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iodine-Consumer/
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/goiter/symptoms-causes/syc-20351829
About This Article
Medical Disclaimer
The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment.
Having a goiter can be a little unpleasant, but fortunately you can shrink yours naturally with some simple changes to your diet. Before you try to treat your goiter naturally, make sure you get a diagnosis from your doctor to rule out any other health conditions. If your goiter was caused by an iodine deficiency, use salt with iodine in it, which should be most table salts. You can also eat fruit and vegetables high in iodine, like citrus fruits, strawberries, lettuce, and onions. However, if your goiter was caused by excess iodine, reduce these foods and try to limit your salt intake. Regardless of your goiter's cause, you can take turmeric supplements or add a little powdered turmeric to your meals to help reduce the inflammation. For more tips from our Naturopathic co-author, including how to improve your overall health to shrink your goiter, read on!
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