Introduction: The thyroid gland is a vital endocrine organ in the human body and undertakes the important mission of secreting thyroid hormones.
Thyroid hormone is essential for maintaining the normal physiological function of the human body, and can regulate the body's metabolism, growth and development, immune response and other aspects.
However, in recent years, the incidence of thyroid nodules has been on the rise, with more than 300 million patients suffering from thyroid diseases worldwide and increasing every year.
Worryingly, about 50% of patients do not know that they already have thyroid disease, and in mainland China, the prevalence of thyroid nodules is about 18%, which means that about 1 in 5 people have a problem with thyroid nodules.
Thyroid nodules are a common thyroid disease that refers to lumps or nodules that appear inside the thyroid gland and can be caused by a variety of causes, including inflammation, growths, cysts, etc.
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The occurrence of thyroid nodules may be related to these 4 factors and should be avoided as much as possible
Inadequate iodine intake
The thyroid gland needs the right amount of iodine to synthesize thyroid hormones, and long-term insufficient iodine intake may lead to the occurrence of thyroid nodules.
Long-term exposure to radiation
Long-term exposure to radiation is an important factor in the development of thyroid nodules, and attention should be paid to reducing exposure to radiation, such as avoiding working near radioactive sources and reducing the frequency of X-rays.
Eating an unbalanced diet
Malnutrition or an unbalanced diet may lead to a decrease in the body's immunity and increase the risk of thyroid nodules, so it is recommended to maintain a balanced diet with adequate intake of protein, vitamins and minerals, and eat plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits.
Long-term stress and mood swings
Long-term stress and mood swings can affect the function of the immune system and increase the risk of thyroid nodules.
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In the early stage of thyroid nodules, what abnormal signals will occur in the body?
A lump in the neck
This is the most common symptom of thyroid nodules, and a small lump or nodule may be felt on the front or side of the neck, which is usually painless, and these bumps may move up and down with the action of swallowing.
Difficulty swallowing
If the thyroid nodule is large, it may compress the esophagus, making it difficult to swallow, and you may feel like food is stuck in your throat and it is difficult to swallow.
dyspnea
Thyroid nodules that compress the trachea may cause difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, which may become more noticeable when exercising or lying down.
The voice changes
Thyroid nodules may compress the recurrent laryngeal nerve, causing changes in voice, such as hoarseness or weakness.
Neck discomfort
Thyroid nodules may cause discomfort or pain in the neck, especially if the nodule is large or near the surface of the neck.
Thyroid dysfunction
Thyroid nodules may cause thyroid abnormalities, such as hyperthyroidism (hyperthyroidism) or hypothyroidism (hypothyroidism).
Hyperthyroidism may cause symptoms such as heart palpitations, excessive sweating, and hand tremors, while hypothyroidism may cause symptoms such as fatigue, weight gain, constipation, etc.
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What happens if thyroid nodules are left unchecked?
Thyroid dysfunction
Thyroid nodules may affect thyroid function, leading to hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. Hyperthyroidism can lead to symptoms such as heart palpitations, excessive sweating, and hand tremors, while hypothyroidism may lead to symptoms such as fatigue, weight gain, constipation, etc.
Symptoms of urgency
As thyroid nodules enlarge, they may compress surrounding tissues and organs, such as the trachea, esophagus, and recurrent laryngeal nerve.
Compression of the trachea may cause difficulty breathing, compression of the esophagus may cause difficulty swallowing, and compression of the recurrent laryngeal nerve may cause hoarseness.
Risk of malignant transformation
Although most thyroid nodules are benign, some may malignant into thyroid cancer, which may increase the risk of malignant transformation and even be life-threatening if left undetected and treated early.
Cardiovascular risk
Hyperthyroidism can lead to cardiovascular problems such as tachycardia and arrhythmias, and long-term untreated may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
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Are eggs the "hair" of thyroid nodules?
Regarding the topic of "eggs are the 'hair' of thyroid nodules", it is first necessary to understand the concept of "hair" in TCM theory.
In TCM theory, "hair matter" refers to those foods that may induce or aggravate the symptoms of certain diseases. To determine whether eggs are the "hair products" of thyroid nodules, we need to conduct an in-depth analysis from two aspects: the pathogenesis of thyroid nodules and the nutritional composition of eggs.
Thyroid nodules are a common thyroid disease that is associated with a variety of factors, such as environment, genetics, and diet. When it comes to diet, there are indeed some foods that can have an impact on thyroid nodules. However, eggs are a nutritious food, and their nutrient content is beneficial to human health.
Scientific studies have shown that the protein and other nutrients in eggs are absorbed by the body and help maintain normal physiological functions, so eating eggs in moderation does not negatively affect thyroid nodules.
On the contrary, if there is a long-term deficiency of protein and other nutrients, it may lead to a decrease in the body's immunity, which can increase the risk of thyroid nodules.
Of course, everyone's physique and health are different, and for some people, excessive consumption of eggs may have certain health effects.
But for most people, eating eggs in moderation is good for health, so we can't simply classify eggs as the "hair thing" of thyroid nodules, and when consumed in moderation, eggs can provide the body with the nutrients it needs to promote health.
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Doctor: To protect the thyroid gland, it is recommended to avoid these 4 substances
Soybean
If patients with thyroid nodules want to protect their thyroid gland, they need to eat less soy products, which is controversial in the medical community, because the soy isoflavones in soy products have an estrogen-like effect and may have an effect on the thyroid gland.
However, some studies have shown that moderate consumption of soy products may be beneficial for thyroid health because they are rich in protein, fiber, and trace elements, which are essential for maintaining normal thyroid function.
In order to protect the thyroid gland, patients with thyroid nodules should pay attention to the intake of soy products, excessive consumption of soy products may increase the burden on the thyroid gland because they contain high iodine, which is an important element in the synthesis of thyroid hormones.
In addition, some components in soy products may affect the synthesis and secretion of thyroid hormones, so patients with thyroid nodules should control the intake of soy products and avoid excessive consumption.
Greasy foods
Greasy food refers to foods that contain a lot of fat and cholesterol, such as fried chicken, french fries, barbecue, etc., and excessive intake of these foods will lead to the accumulation of fat and cholesterol in the body, causing a certain burden on the thyroid gland.
In addition, trans fatty acids in fatty foods may also affect the synthesis and secretion of thyroid hormones, which can adversely affect the thyroid gland. To protect the thyroid gland, people with thyroid nodules should limit their intake of greasy foods.
spinach
Spinach as a vegetable rich in oxalic acid, for patients with thyroid nodules, should be eaten as little as possible, oxalic acid is a substance with a high content in spinach, it will combine with calcium in the human body to form calcium oxalate, interfering with the body's absorption of iodine.
Iodine is a trace element necessary for the normal function of the thyroid gland, if the intake is insufficient or the absorption is blocked, it will affect the normal physiological function of the thyroid gland, thereby aggravating the condition of thyroid nodules.
In addition, spinach also contains an oxidase substance, which can accelerate the growth of thyroid nodules, if patients with thyroid nodules eat a large amount of spinach for a long time, it will accelerate the growth of nodules, and may even cause diseases such as thyroid cancer.
Spicy food
Thyroid nodules are a common thyroid disease, and spicy foods are a big threat to thyroid nodules.
Spicy food can irritate the thyroid gland and cause its burden to increase, which is not conducive to the recovery of the disease, so patients with thyroid nodules should try to eat less or no spicy food.
Secondly, some ingredients in spicy food may stimulate the growth of thyroid nodules, if the thyroid nodule is stimulated too much, it may become larger, and it may even undergo malignant transformation into thyroid cancer, so patients with thyroid nodules should try to avoid eating spicy foods to reduce the risk of nodule growth and malignant transformation.
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5 kinds of foods can be eaten more appropriately, which may help reduce inflammation and dispel knots
wax gourd
Winter melon has the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, diuresis and swelling, and helps to relieve swelling and pain caused by thyroid nodules.
Lentinula edodes
Shiitake mushrooms are rich in vitamins and minerals that help boost immunity and promote the resolution of thyroid nodules.
kiwi
Kiwifruit is rich in vitamin C, which helps in antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor, and has certain benefits for thyroid nodules.
walnut
Walnuts are rich in nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, protein, fiber, and antioxidants, which help regulate endocrine and promote thyroid health.
Jujube
Jujube is rich in a variety of vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C, iron, calcium, etc., which help to replenish blood and qi, improve immunity, and have a certain adjuvant treatment effect on thyroid nodules.
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Read more: What is the calcification of thyroid nodules?
Calcification of thyroid nodules is the deposition of calcium salts in the thyroid tissue, usually due to cell necrosis or fibrous tissue proliferation within the thyroid nodules.
Calcifications can be of different types, such as microcalcifications, gross calcifications, and marginal calcifications, and different types of calcifications may be associated with different diseases.
The answer to the question of whether the calcification of thyroid nodules will go away on its own is not certain.
The disappearance of calcification of thyroid nodules depends on the cause of their formation and the severity of the condition. In general, most calcifications do not go away on their own, but persist for a long time.
For benign calcifications, no specific treatment is usually needed, and only regular thyroid ultrasonography is needed to look for changes in the calcifications.
For malignant calcification, further investigation and treatment are needed to avoid worsening of the condition.