Myths in medicine are misconceptions. Many myths are firmly entrenched in thought. Even doctors who are believed ... their patients. But medical science refutes speculation. Consider a few erroneous opinions about the nodes of the thyroid gland. You should be aware of this in order to avoid mistakes.
- Is it possible for me to rest in the south? - with surprise, joy, and even remnants of mistrust, my patient, who was experiencing chilliness with hypothyroidism, asked me - after all, the doctor forbade me even to think about the sun and going to the resort.
- But after all, just what we saw from the records in your medical book as unreasonably this doctor, focusing only on the TSH, prescribed you a hormonal drug in an overdose (100 µg Eutirox), - I said in response, - what caused an overdose in the form of hyperthyroidism and then, applying such a large dose of the drug to you, resulted in harm in the form of atrophy of the gland tissue, which decreased from 11.7 ml to 3.5 ml!
- Really, you, feeling cold in your hands and feet, feeling pleasant from the heat, from warming up under the shower, - continued to explain, - can you retain confidence in such unfounded opinion?
- Yes you are right. - responded the patient - I still out of habit continue to think about it. But just imagine: I had to abandon my trip to the south this year!
1. MYTH. Thyroid nodules "reborn" into cancer.
There are no scientific studies and articles and other publications based on them that would describe the reality of the transformation of benign nodules into malignant ones.
2. MYTH. Thyroid nodules are a sign of gland aging.
Nodes can occur in children and may be absent at the age of 80-100 years. Both facts point to the fallacy of the myth. The appearance of nodes is associated with a predisposition of the structure of the gland tissue to their formation during gland overstrain. Therefore, nodes are not all and do not serve as a sign of old age of the thyroid gland.
3. MYTH. Puncture biopsy of the nodes can cause cancer.
Special studies in Canada and the United States, conducted in the late 1990s and early 2000s, showed that 10,000 people who had had puncture of the thyroid nodes had no consequences in the form of cancer.
4. MYTH. The use of a hormonal drug (Eutirox or L-thyroxin) can reduce thyroid nodes.
Almost 20 years ago, numerous studies through the evaluation of the analysis of blood hormones and ultrasound confirmed the senselessness of such hormonal tactics. No significant changes in the size of the nodes from the use of hormone replacement aid were identified.
5. MYTH. Thyroid nodes can be cured.
Nodes develop in stages, in accordance with biological laws. The operation can stop such a development (removal of the node; together with a large portion of the tissue surrounding the node or the entire length), radiation exposure (the rest of the glandular tissue will be damaged), radio frequency ablation (destruction of the tissue in the nodes electrothermally) and similar manipulations — small operations (ultrasound powerful laser). For small operations there are contraindications and not every node is suitable for this.
In another way - to "cure" the nodes does not work.
But for large nodes at the stage of significant depletion and in the state of a large cyst, one can HELP with the procedure of aspiration of fluid from the node with subsequent alcohol sclerotization.
6. MYTH. All thyroid gland should be treated.
Nodes are created in the thyroid gland compensatory-adaptive. For the production of the desired (increased) amount of hormones. Many gland nodes help the rest of its tissue supply the body with hormones. Such nodes should not be removed.
7. MYTH. There is a 100% diagnosis of thyroid nodule cancer.
Neither ultrasound, nor cytological examination after a biopsy, nor even a genetic study can provide a 100% reliable answer about thyroid cancer.
No markers of thyroid cancer. Thyroglobulin and calcitonin are not cancer markers (they indicate otherwise).
Remember: there is a set of signs of cancer detected by ultrasound and biopsy (morphological diagnosis). In their absence, i.e. confident denial of cancer as a result of diagnosis, given the 96% good quality of the nodes and the absence of their "conversion" into cancer, should be established in a favorable.
8. MYTH. "Follicular tumor" - supposedly cancer.
When, after a puncture biopsy and cytological examination, a “follicular tumor” is detected, then one should not think that it is cancer.
Read our article "Follicular tumor: Out of the impasse".
9. MYTH. Feeling of pressure in the neck due to the knot.
The thyroid gland of any size, regardless of the presence of nodes in it, is not capable of causing sensations in the neck.
Quite the same feelings in the neck are like with any increase, and with a normal (including reduced) thyroid gland. See explanations in our film "Lump in the throat and pressure in the neck".
You can also get useful knowledge from our lecture movie about thyroid nodules.
Think of PROFESSIONAL DIAGNOSTICS and advice in the "Clinic of the thyroid gland" by Dr. A.V. Ushakov.
You can start only with an ultrasound scan of the gland, having received a detailed commentary along with an extended “Ultrasound Protocol” and a sufficient number of shots. From the author of the guideline "Clinical Ultrasound Diagnosis of Benign Pathology of the Thyroid Gland" (2018), Ph.D. A.V. Ushakov.