The thyroid cancer is a condition that develops the abnormal growth of the thyroid gland (base of the throat is located near the tranquea). It is shaped like a butterfly and has a right and a left lobe. When the thyroid hormones are healthy, it is possible to control the heart rate, digest food well, regulate the heart, develop the brain and keep the body temperature stable.
The disease tends to attack women more than men. Its symptoms can vary according to the type of cancer; however, it can cause from coughing to changes in the voice. In order for it to be diagnosed, it is important to take the essential tests, however, you can do a thyroid cancer self-examination yourself and thus detect an unusual growth of it.
In addition to knowing its symptoms, we are going to teach you how to detect thyroid cancer through a self-examination that you can perform yourself in just 1 minute from the comfort of your home, but first let’s look at some background.
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How it affects thyroid cancer.
The thyroid gland plays an important role in the body, it is responsible for secreting various hormones such as thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). Some research adds that more than 12% of people in the US alone suffer from this type of disorder, on the other hand it is estimated that 15 million patients in this country develop some type of disorder caused by thyroid cancer.
Although this disease is easy to detect and treat, many specialists say that giving a specific diagnosis is complicated without first not performing laboratory tests. Today there are four types of thyroid cancer but some are usually more common than others, among them are:
- Medullary thyroid cancer: this can affect 3% of the population.
- Mixed papillary thyroid cancer: a type of cancer that can develop up to 80%.
- Anaplastic thyroid cancer: This can only affect 2% of people.
- Hurtle cell toroid cancer: can appear in 15%.
Symptoms of thyroid cancer.
Pay attention to the symptoms in your body that may be indicating the existence of a thyroid tumor:
- Lumps in the neck that can sometimes be painful.
- Neck pain that sometimes goes to the ear.
- Trouble breathing or swallowing.
- Constantly hoarse voice.
- Cough that is not due to an illness or smoking.
Thyroid cancer risk factors.
You may need to be very vigilant on your thyroid if you have the following risk factors:
- Women get thyroid cancer more often than men.
- Thyroid cancer can start at any age, but after age 30 it is more common, and is much more aggressive in older people.
- One risk factor is being exposed to radiation to the torso and neck (especially if they were exposed to X-rays with old equipment and / or nuclear accidents).
- Genetic, family history.
How to Do a Thyroid Cancer Self-Exam in 1 Minute?
Checking your thyroid to try to detect certain unusual lumps is easy and can be done in 1 minute. You would only need a glass of water and a well-lit mirror to be able to see your neck clearly. Follow the instructions below to take the test.
Step 1 Get a glass of water and a mirror.
This procedure is easy and straightforward for patients who do not have very advanced thyroid cancer. The first thing to do is to know the area you are going to explore by facing a mirror, you should know that the thyroid is above the clavicle and covers or hugs the throat in the shape of a butterfly, below the larynx, below one third of the throat. After that, fill a glass with water, then you have to stand in front of a large mirror where the entire throat can be observed precisely, that is, from the clavicle to the chin.
Step 2 Drink water and check.
A sip of water should then be taken by tilting the head back and keeping an eye on the throat and neck while swallowing. At first it may seem difficult but it is quite the opposite, it is also likely that this procedure will have to be repeated several times to observe the thyroid area and see how the liquid passes.
See the result.
If there is an asymmetry in the gland while the procedure is being performed, that is, while you swallow the water, or any abnormality that is out of place, such as lumps or pain, it is necessary to see a doctor to verify the causes. It is best to attend an endocrinologist, a professional capable of evaluating and providing adequate treatment to the thyroid gland, whether or not you have thyroid cancer.