What is Goitre?

An unusual enlargement of the thyroid gland in and around the neck of a person, visible to the naked eye as a swelling at the front portion of the throat, is referred to a Goitre. In the case of goitre, the lateral lobes of the thyroid gland has a volume greater than the terminal phalanges of the thumb. The enlargement of the thyroid gland, just below the larynx or the Adam’s apple, however, is of non-cancerous nature. Goitre can either be of diffuse type or of multi-nodular type. Goitre is also referred to as “Derbyshire Neck” mainly in the midland regions of England .

Causes of Goitre

One of the primary reasons for goitre is the deficiency of iodine in the salt that is present in the diet consumed by the person. The primary function of the thyroid glands is to take the iodine present in the food we intake, and convert the same into thyroid hormones. Each and every cell in the body of a human being depends upon the thyroid hormones for proper regulation of its metabolism in the body. If the iodine content in the salt intake is less than normal, the deficiency leads to diseases such as Goitre. People who have the habit of eating uncooked food or raw food are more prone to be affected by Goitre diseases. Research has also found that, in contrast to men, women are more likely to be affected by this Goitre disease, especially under emotional as well as physical disturbances.

In general, there are no specific symptoms for detecting goitre other than large swelling in and around the neck of a person. There is no specific size for goitre and as such, it can be either small or large. Due to the unusual enlargement in the neck, breathing might become difficult as the goitre presses on the wind pipe. Not just breathing problems, but swallowing problems may also occur due to narrowing of the esophagus. The person affected with goitre will feel excessively tired and may sleep for long hours. The heartbeat of these persons will be slightly rapid or abnormal. Due to goitre, memory and concentration levels will be very poor and people affected by this disease will be subject to emotional upsets frequently.

Simple Home remedies for Goitre

There are a number of home remedies for goitre, the application of which will, to a certain extent, reduce the impact of the disease and help in speedy recovery. Taking iodine content in its organic form is the most effective form of home remedies for goitre, as deficiency in iodine is the primary cause for this disease, in the first instance. Intake of foods rich in iodine content such as carrots, onions, turnips, garlic, tomatoes, oats, lettuce, egg yolks, and seafoods is one of the many goitre home remedies.

Fruits such as guavas, citrus fruits and turnip and whole rice are also rich in iodine content and can also be taken in ample quantity as one of the home remedies for goitre. Watercress, a historic British plant that has been cultivated in the pure spring waters in the southern part of England , is very effective in preventing goitre. As part of the many natural remedy for goitre, watercress can be applied over the problematic area of the enlarged portion of the thyroid gland in and around the neck portion for a specific period of time. Yet another remedy for treating goitre at home includes taking tea almond and 1 teaspoon of juice prepared of swamp cabbage leaves, either once or twice a day regularly.

Goitre treatment - As part of the mentioned remedies, a bandage prepared from the leaves of flex can be applied on the enlarged portion of the thyroid gland. Before the bandage is put up, the seeds of flex is ground thoroughly with the help of water and applied over the enlarged portion. Leaves of dandelion or salad vegetables, warmed in lukewarm water for a while, can also be applied and bandaged over the swollen part of the neck for a period of two weeks, as part of the simple goitre cure.