Diseases & Conditions
Got a goiter?
Thyroid enlargement or nodules are extremely common, but what might they mean?
It’s so routine, you almost don’t notice it: the light pat-down of your neck your doctor performs during a check-up. Among other conditions, she’s checking for a goiter — an enlarged thyroid — or nodules within the butterfly-shaped gland that might signal a spectrum of health issues or prove completely harmless.
Thyroid nodules are quite common, affecting nearly half of all people by age 60, says Dr. Sara Ahmadi, an endocrinologist specializing in thyroid diseases at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Women are affected four times as often as men, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians.
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About the Author
Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
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