Have you noticed swelling in your neck? If so, you might have a goiter. Keep reading to learn about the symptoms of a goiter and how we can treat it.
Depending on your thyroid hormone production, you might experience an array of mild or severe symptoms.
At Wyoming Medical Associates, our board-certified surgeon, Jacob Rinker, MD, is skilled in thyroid surgery and successfully leads our medical team. He has the expertise to remove your thyroid partially or completely with a minimally invasive procedure.
If you notice out-of-the-ordinary symptoms, we can determine the root cause of your issues, give you a proper diagnosis, and provide the right treatment.
If you have an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), you might have symptoms that include:
If you have an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), you might notice these symptoms:
These symptoms don’t always mean you have a problem with your thyroid. They could indicate you have a different medical condition.
When you come in to see us, we rule out or confirm your diagnosis with blood tests, imaging tests, and a physical exam. Once we know the nature of your condition, we work with you to plan a strategic course of action to get you well and free of symptoms.
If you have a thyroid-related diagnosis, Dr. Rinker and our team talk with you about your treatment options. We might recommend thyroid surgery if you have any of the following:
A surgical approach can offer you the most productive outcome.
If your condition requires surgery, we use general anesthesia to sedate you so you aren’t awake during your procedure.
Once you’re asleep, Dr. Rinker makes an incision in the center of your neck where it creases to hide any scarrings. He carefully removes all or part of your thyroid. He may also remove lymph nodes near your thyroid if he suspects cancer in the area.
Your surgery should take an hour or two depending on the reason for your procedure.
After your surgery, you may feel lethargic and possibly sore, but these symptoms shouldn’t last more than a few days. In addition to some pain at the incision site, you might notice that your shoulders feel sore from your positioning during the surgery.
Once you get home, your recovery can take about a week or two. We also recommend that you avoid any strenuous movement for at least 10 days. You may need to take a pill that contains a thyroid hormone to compensate for your partial or complete thyroid removal.
If you notice any symptoms that could relate to your thyroid, contact us today at our Gillette, Wyoming, location. Call or request your appointment online. We also offer a telehealth service for your convenience.
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