Health encyclopaedia

Health encyclopaedia - Alphabetical Topic List

Causes of Goitre

One cause of goitre is iodine deficiency. The thyroid gland manufactures protein hormones, for which it needs iodine. If the diet doesn’t contain enough iodine, the gland goes on trying to produce the hormones and increases its activity. The result is swelling. Iodine deficiency is almost unknown in Britain but occurs in other parts of the world.

Goitre occurs in the condition called Graves’ disease, in which there is plenty of iodine but the gland is overactive. In this case the enlargement is accompanied by excessive production of thyroid hormones. Other conditions causing goitre include:

• Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, caused by antibodies to thyroid hormone
• Sub-acute thyroiditis, which is probably a virus infection
• Dyshormonogenesis, a genetic enzyme deficiency that interferes with normal thyroid hormone synthesis
• Benign or malignant tumours of the thyroid gland

Tumours of the thyroid gland are rare. In simple goitre, there is diffuse enlargement of the gland but no cause can be found

• GallstonesGangreneGastrectomyGastroenteritisGastroesophageal reflux diseaseGender dysphoriaGeneticsGenital herpesGet the right treatmentGiardiasisGlandular feverGlaucomaGlomerulonephritisGlucose tolerance testGlue earGoitreGonorrhoeaGoutGPsGram stainGuillain-Barre syndromeGum diseaseGynaecologists and obstetricians

  ---