Goitre is the abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. Thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of your neck just below your Adams apple, if thyroid becomes too large can cause a cough and make it difficult to swallow or breathe. Goiters are usually painless and more common in women which have above the age of 50. Goitre may or may not be associated with the actual thyroid dysfunction i.e. hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. In Ayurveda goitre is known as galaganda.
According to Ayurveda, Galaganda is due to mainly by vitiated kapha, but sometimes vata also involved. Vitiated kapha mixes with meda dhatu causing an immobile, heavy swelling in front of throat. It is classified into vataj, kaphaj and medoj. Vataj galaganda is blackish in colour, slightly painful and is marked by dryness & tastelessness in throat and mouth.
Kaphaj galaganda is large in size, cold in touch, with very little pain and sweetness in taste.
Medoj galaganda is unctuous, whitish in colour, has offensive odour and may cause staggering speech and oilyness in the mouth.
Symptoms:
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- Hoarseness of the voice
- Coughing
- Swelling
- Feeling of heaviness in the body
- Difficulty to swallow and breath
Causes:
The most common cause of goiters is a deficiency of iodine in the diet. Where the use of iodized salt is common, a goiter is more often due to the over or under production of thyroid hormones.
There are Many other factors causing goiter like Exposure to radiations, Pregnancy( A hormone produced during pregnancy, human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), may cause your thyroid gland to enlarge slightly), Menopause, Pituitary gland and hypothalamus disorder, Family history of autoimmune diseases, Medicine like antiretroviral drugs, medications for cardiac problems, immunosuppressant drugs, Cigarette smoking. Some bacterial, Viral and fungal infections.Pathologies such as thyroid cancer thyroid dysfunction.Food items such as soybean, spinach and peanuts increase the risk of developing goitre.
Ayurvedic Medicine for Fever, Diet & Lifestyle:
- For adults daily requirement of iodine is 150 mcg so we should be consumed in adequate quantity like Seaweeds, cod fish, milk, yoghurt, potato, locally grown fruits, vegetables and eggs are rich sources of iodine.
- Iron rich food (like onion, garlic, carrot), food containing Vitamin A (papaya, mango, sweet potato), fruits containing vitamin B (like guava, okra, nuts) should be consumed.
- Sedentary lifestyle and mental stress can disturb thyroid function. So attempt should be made to follow a healthy and relaxed lifestyle.
- Thyroid hormones should be checked once in a year.
Home Remedy:
Jalakumbhi is considered to be very beneficial for goitre. A paste made from it and applied over the swelling of the neck helps in reducing the swelling.
Goiter treatment depends on the size signs and symptoms and the underlying cause
Note:
Medicine should be taken according to vaidya/docter
Treatment with Remedies and Ayurvedic Medicine