A goiter is a condition of an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. A thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped gland at the base of the neck, just below Adam’s apple. Although goiters are potentially harmless, they make you cough and hard to swallow or breathe.

There are a number of causes linked to goiter, while the most common being is the inadequate iodine in the diet. Less common causes include the overproduction of thyroid hormones or nodules in the thyroid gland itself.

The thyroid gland produces the hormones thyroxine, called T4 and triiodothyronine, like T3. Mainly, T4 changes to T3 outside the gland. The role of such hormones are not limited to the thyroid itself only- instead, they help in certain bodily functions, including digestion, pulse rate, body temperature, mood and excitability, etc.

Usually, small goiters are manageable and do not cause a potential threat to the body. But for large goiters, you may need treatment.