Can you shrink thyroid nodules

The most common drug used to treat hyperthyroidism, methimazole, is not a safe long-term medication and can have numerous side effects. Make an Appointment. Breakthrough Treatment Option for Thyroid Nodules. Ahead of the curve. Relief around the corner. Go to Top.

Susan — thank you so much for reaching out and sharing your journey. I am so sorry you are struggling with all of this. I have recently been diagnosed with Hashimotos and am still swimming in a world of confusion about what particularly is wrong with my body. Your books and websites have given me clarity in a very isolating time. Thank you for that. Holistic practitioners are just too expensive for me at this time, so I am trying to take matters into my own hands.

Here is my question- I recently had a thyroid ultrasound done and it showed a 1. They recommend no dedicated follow-up. Here is my question- what does this mean?!

Should I be concerned that the impression indicates a hypervascular thyroid gland? Does hypervascular mean my thyroid gland is under extra stress, or will I always have a hypervascular gland, as a Hashimotos patient?

Hanna — thank you for reaching out. Being able to share ideas of what has worked with one another and offer support for each other can be very helpful.

This group is amazing! The comfort I received from knowing that there were others going through the same challenges as I, was enormous. Ask questions. Post your thoughts. Scan the files.

It is an absolutely amazing resource. Hi, My thyroid surgeon has suggested RFA to shrink a 6. However, there is some difficulty with swallowing and so thinking of shrinking it using RFA. You suggest HIFA in your article as a treatment option. Brady — thank you for reaching out.

High-intensity focused ultrasound HIFU ablation, uses focused ultrasound energy to induce thermal ablation removal. It is a new treatment but, you may want to look into this more and discuss with your practitioner the pros and cons of the different treatments. I do hope you will keep me posted on your progress. Wissem — thank you for reaching out. Here is an article you may find helpful. I have an inlarged thyroid I have had A biopsy done and was benign.

I have started on a Keto diet And I was wondering would that help reduce my thyroid size. Naomi — thank you so much for sharing. After 10 years l loss my weight and never got weight. What can i do for getting weight i will strong again. Mahir — thank you for reaching out. When it comes to weight gain these are a couple of things to think about. Sometimes when those numbers are on the outskirts of normal, your metabolic rate may still be impaired making it more difficult for you to burn calories.

Most people report feeling well with a TSH between 0. T4 is a precursor to T3, but some individuals do not convert T4 to T3 properly, and the T3 component is the metabolically active one.

Some do not convert T4 properly. The Standard American Diet S. Divorcing the S. Price Diet, or the Mediterranean Diet. You may need to modify these diets to your own individuality.

Your email address will not be published. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information contained herein is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Please consult your physician for any health problems and before making any medical or lifestyle changes. This article will cover: What thyroid nodules are and why they happen Testing for benign and cancerous nodules How to shrink thyroid nodules The lab results of one of my readers who had been exposed to Chernobyl and was able to get 3 nodules to disappear!

What Are Thyroid Nodules? Fortunately, most nodules are asymptomatic, but rarely, these symptoms can manifest: Pain in your neck, jaw, or ear Trouble breathing, swallowing, or feeling a tickle in your throat if the nodule is large enough Hoarseness if the nodule irritates the nerve that controls the vocal cords Note: This can be related to thyroid cancer.

The production of excessive levels of thyroxine, creating symptoms of hyperthyroidism, including tremors, nervousness, unexplained weight loss, and erratic heartbeat Abnormal thyroid test results may also be an indicator that a person should be examined for nodules.

I created an infographic that details how to perform a simple self-check at home: 2. However, if there any suspicious findings, you may have to… 4. The Conventional Approach to Thyroid Nodules Most conventional doctors will recommend the following options for treatment of thyroid nodules: 1. The Root Cause Approach to Thyroid Nodules Although the above treatment options can reduce or remove thyroid nodules, I have heard many success stories of people reducing or eliminating their nodules with dietary and lifestyle interventions.

As you can see, her latest ultrasound test showed that her nodule had disappeared! What Causes Nodules? Your thyroid might also form pseudo-nodules or benign nodules that come and go. Nutrient deficiencies in iodine, selenium, and vitamin D — Iodine deficiencies typically occur in diets lacking iodine, and can result in a multinodular goiter. However, this is unlikely to occur in North America where iodine is added to foods, as is the case with iodized salt.

That said, vitamin D deficiency is quite common. Selenium deficiency is also a potential cause of nodules, as studies suggest that selenium supplementation can result in improved thyroid ultrasound features and smaller nodules Toxins — This is oftentimes an overlooked culprit for nodules.

Radiation exposure, such as being exposed to Chernobyl, can also cause nodules Additionally, a study found that thyroid nodules were more likely to be found in those with both autoimmune thyroid disease and a nickel allergy Pregnancy and hormonal changes — Often times, women develop thyroid nodules during pregnancy, and pre-existing thyroid nodules may grow during pregnancy A recent study done in Hong Kong saw an increase in the number of the thyroid nodules and well as their size over a period of 10 to 12 weeks apart each trimester of pregnancy.

The growth of the nodules appeared to be much faster than what is normally seen in non-pregnant women. While the cause of nodules during pregnancy remains unclear, the study suggested that this could be due to negative iodine balance associated with pregnancy A study found that H.

Blastocystis hominis infections — I have heard anecdotal stories from my clients and readers claiming that addressing a Blastocystis hominis infection resulted in the elimination of their nodules. I suspect the reason behind this is similar to why H. Another hypothesis I have relating to the role of infections in thyroid nodules, is that nodules may be created when a foreign substance like bacteria is inserted into the body and the body reacts by trying to wall it off by forming a capsule of scar tissue around it.

Please note: this approach works over months, sometimes years. Additionally, blood sugar imbalances can also lead to a greater risk of thyroid nodules Vitamin D and selenium supplementation may also help. You can read more about addressing vitamin D and selenium deficiencies in my articles.

Check out my article on liver support for more information. Address underlying infections — As I mentioned earlier, infections like H. Addressing these infections may eliminate your thyroid nodules, as well as the autoimmune attack on the thyroid. You can read more about treating Blasto and H. Change your diet and remove food sensitivities — Balancing your blood sugar can help with shrinking thyroid nodules.

Removing common food sensitivities like gluten and dairy can also help reduce the size of your nodules. Check out my article on food sensitivities for more information on how to identify them. Consider smart supplementation — Some of my readers have reported an elimination of nodules utilizing the systemic enzyme Wobenzym, and others with turmeric.

Address estrogen dominance — Excess estrogen can be a trigger for thyroid nodules. In the case of excess estrogen due to pregnancy or using birth control pills, the estrogen will likely rebalance on its own with time after you have your baby or stop the pill. If a year has passed since you had a baby or stopped the pill, or if your estrogen dominance is due to other reasons, consider using food, supplements and progesterone to balance out your hormones.

Consider echotherapy HIFU ablation — New research suggests that a single session of high-intensity focused ultrasound HIFU ablation, which uses focused ultrasound energy to induce thermal ablation removal , may be more beneficial and safer than a thyroidectomy for symptomatic but benign thyroid nodules.

In one study, patients who underwent HIFU ablation did not scar, had a shorter hospital stay, and were less likely to have voice pitch issues a month after their treatment. Furthermore, those in the study saw a greater improvement in symptoms and a lower prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism compared to those who had surgery. While this treatment is currently only available in a few clinics in Europe, further studies may be conducted in the future to explore its efficacy as a possible thyroidectomy alternative Thyroid hormone signaling in energy and energy metabolism.

Pitfalls in the measurement and interpretation of thyroid function tests. Andreoli TE. Essentials of Medicine. New York, NY: Elsevier; Deiodinases: implications of the local control of thyroid hormone action. Journal of Clinical Investigation. Tomer Y, Huber A. The etiology of autoimmune thyroid disease: A story of genes and environment. Journal of Autoimmunity.

Chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis: Could it be influenced by a petrochemical complex? Data from a cytological study in South-Eastern Sicily. European Journal of Endocrinology. Thyroid nodules associated with Hashimoto thyroiditis: assessment with US. High prevalence of suspicious cytology in thyroid nodules associated with positive thyroid autoantibodies. Effect of selenium supplementation in hypothyroid subjects of an iodine and selenium deficient area: the possible danger of indiscriminate supplementation of iodine-deficient subjects with selenium.

J Clin Endocrinol Metab. Measuring urinary iodine. Essentials of Thyroid Cancer Management. Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine. Nodule or pseudonodule? J Int Med Res. The natural history of benign thyroid nodules. Chistiakov D. Journal of Autoimmune Diseases. Release of iron into foods cooked in an iron pot: Effect of pH, salt, and organic acids. Journal of Food Science. Zinc and liver disease. Nutr Clin Pract. Vitamin D: Its role and uses in immunology.

Medical Principles and Practice. Choi WK, Kim J. Clinical Nutrition Res earch. DOI: Mayo Clinic. Published February 18, Accessed July 4, Norman J, Clayman G. Thyroid nodules. Endocrine Web. Updated June 7, Follicular Adenoma and Carcinoma of the Thyroid Gland. The Oncologist. International Journal of Endocrinology. Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with the presence of thyroid nodules in the euthyroid population. PLoS One. Marks L. What is a Thyroidectomy?

Everyday Health. Updated October 23, Others are mixed. In other cases, the nodules can get big enough to cause problems. But even larger thyroid nodules are treatable, sometimes even without surgery. If concern arises about the possibility of cancer, the doctor may simply recommend monitoring the nodule over time to see if it grows. Ultrasound can help evaluate a thyroid nodule and determine the need for biopsy. A thyroid fine needle aspiration biopsy can collect samples of cells from the nodule, which, under a microscope, can provide your doctor with more information about the behavior of the nodule.

Even a benign growth on your thyroid gland can cause symptoms. If a thyroid nodule is causing voice or swallowing problems, your doctor may recommend treating it with surgery to remove all or part of the thyroid gland.

If the doctor recommends removal of your thyroid thyroidectomy , you may not even have to worry about a scar on your neck. Some patients are good candidates for a scarless thyroid procedure , where the surgeon reaches the thyroid through an incision made on the inside of your lower lip.