Aa
Scared..
Hello, I had an MRI done of my cervical spine due to a non related issue. However, in the findings, they state they noticed a nodule on the right lobe of the thyroid. I am really worried about what this could mean for me. I am a 25 year old new father of a darling girl, and really stressed about it. I go Monday for an ultrasound of the nodule, and everything I have read online is that thyroid cancer is really rare, but I'm still nervous. Are there other, more common reasons for this that are less severe than cancer?
Thank you for your responses, and sorry I'm so frantic.
Thank you for your responses, and sorry I'm so frantic.
I have noticed the lumps behind my ears for several years, and more recently noticed a lump under my chin about a year ago. The ones behind my ears seem to come and go, but the one under the chin seems to always be there, I also noticed one on the left side of my neck that seems to change in size. Does this mean an increased risk of thyroid cancer?
Small hard lumps located along the line from ear lobe to the sternum-clavicle join can be palpable lymph nodes. As a rule, if thyroid pathology is suspected the imaging study of lymph nodes is required. The nodule must undergo FNAB based on its size and risk factor (male gender)
Thank you so much for your response. I also forgot to mention- the size of the nodule.. It was reported on the MRI as 11MMx9MM. Does the size of the nodule have any indication at all?
COMMUNITY LEADER
Cancer is not the only thing that causes nodules on your thyroid. Nodules are very common in people who have an autoimmune thyroid disease, such as Hashimoto's Thyroiditis or Graves Disease. Neither of these diseases are curable, but the resulting hyper or hypo are treatable. Many/most of us on this forum have one or the other, very few have both.
As noted, nodules are very common and are, typically, nothing to worry about. I, personally, have several of them.
Even in the unlikely event that you would have cancer, thyroid cancer is the easiest of all to cure, by removing the thyroid and taking the cancer with it. This would leave you with hypothyroidism and you would be dependent on thyroid replacement hormones, as are many of us, here on the forum, including myself.
You should ask your doctor for some simple thyroid blood work. The basic thyroid panel is TSH, Free T3 and Free T4 (be sure to specify the "Free"). You should also get thyroid antibodies to determine whether or not you have either Hashimoto's or Graves. The antibody tests you need are Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPOab) and Thyroglobulin Antibodies (TGab) to diagnose Hashimoto's. Thyroid Stimulating Immunoglobulin (TSI) is the definitive test for Graves Disease.
Hashimoto's is, typically, associated with under active (hypo) thyroid, but can be characterized by periods of hyper and/or swinging back and forth. Graves Disease is always associated with over active (hyper) thyroid.
Typical symptoms of hypothyroidism include, weight gain, constipation, dry skin, hair loss, fatigue, depression, anxiety, brain fog, etc.
Typical symptoms of hyperthyroidism include weight loss, diarrhea, rapid heart rate, palpitations, depression, anxiety, jittery, nervousness, fatigue, etc.
Some people have Hashimoto's for many years and don't even know it until the thyroid stops producing enough hormones to cause symptoms, or if a nodule is found accidentally, as yours was.
As noted, nodules are very common and are, typically, nothing to worry about. I, personally, have several of them.
Even in the unlikely event that you would have cancer, thyroid cancer is the easiest of all to cure, by removing the thyroid and taking the cancer with it. This would leave you with hypothyroidism and you would be dependent on thyroid replacement hormones, as are many of us, here on the forum, including myself.
You should ask your doctor for some simple thyroid blood work. The basic thyroid panel is TSH, Free T3 and Free T4 (be sure to specify the "Free"). You should also get thyroid antibodies to determine whether or not you have either Hashimoto's or Graves. The antibody tests you need are Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPOab) and Thyroglobulin Antibodies (TGab) to diagnose Hashimoto's. Thyroid Stimulating Immunoglobulin (TSI) is the definitive test for Graves Disease.
Hashimoto's is, typically, associated with under active (hypo) thyroid, but can be characterized by periods of hyper and/or swinging back and forth. Graves Disease is always associated with over active (hyper) thyroid.
Typical symptoms of hypothyroidism include, weight gain, constipation, dry skin, hair loss, fatigue, depression, anxiety, brain fog, etc.
Typical symptoms of hyperthyroidism include weight loss, diarrhea, rapid heart rate, palpitations, depression, anxiety, jittery, nervousness, fatigue, etc.
Some people have Hashimoto's for many years and don't even know it until the thyroid stops producing enough hormones to cause symptoms, or if a nodule is found accidentally, as yours was.
Also wanted to note, I noticed other lumps in my neck on the side, under my chin from time to time that get bigger, and change in size, but I can usually always feel them, also behind my ears knots that come and go. I've mentioned this to my pcp, and he just said it was lymph nodes and they can come and go.. This was a couple of years ago now, and before I has any idea of anything going on with the thyroid.. Could this be related?
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