The main symptom of a goitre is swelling of the thyroid gland (a gland in the neck that produces hormones), which causes a lump to develop in the throat.
The lump will move up and down when you swallow.
Types of goitre
There are two different types of goitre:
- diffuse small goitre, where your entire thyroid gland swells to a larger size and feels smooth to the touch
- nodular goitre, where certain sections, or "nodules", of your thyroid gland swell and feel lumpy to the touch
Other symptoms
Other associated symptoms can include:
- coughing
- a tight feeling in your throat
- changes to your voice, such as hoarseness
- less commonly, difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) or difficulty breathing, such as a high-pitched sound when you breathe (stridor)
