Medical scientists said goiter may be due to conditions such as iodine deficiency, congenital problems, pituitary problems, adverse reactions to certain medications or as manifestations of thyroid cancer. It may also be genetically determined, according to genetic studies.
Among its symptoms, patients with goiter may experience palpitations, hyperactivity, weight loss, increased appetite and heat intolerance said health experts.
In 1993, the Philippine National Nutrition Suroverweight and pregnantvey conducted a nationwide study sampling 16,144 respondents aged seven to 49 years old, including pregnant and lactating women. Based on their study, it was found that in Mindanao alone, there was an estimate of seven percent or 1,130 cases of goiter regardless of its stage.
According to endocrinologists, as high as 92 percent of all cases of goiter worldwide are caused by iodine deficiency.
MEDICAL literatures share that goiter is a condition wherein there is an enlargement of the thyroid gland which is visible from the outside as a swelling of the front side of the neck.
One psychologist shared that the appearance of a large nodule under the patients neck with a goiter especially among women can cause body image disturbances that will result to significant loss of self-esteem.
Northeast
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Vesagas: Understanding goiter? overweight and pregnant,Experts claim that goiter is associated to either a thyroid gland that is functioning properly or a malfunctioning thyroid, as in cases of hyper or hypothyroidism.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
The Philippine Thyroid Disorder Prevalence Study said that in terms of demography, pregnant women and children are most at risk to iodine deficiency that may result to permanent damage of the developing brain.
PAGASA
Diffused tail-end of a cold front affecting the Eastern section of Southern Luzon. Wind convergence affecting Mindanao
They also claim that manifestations of goiter are often unspecific and difficult to diagnose. However, they support that an enlarged thyroid gland, which is anatomically located at the front side of the neck, may cause compression of its nearby structures that result to difficulty in breathing and swallowing.
One Filipino registered nurse-midwife in public health practice shared that it has been their standards of practice for some time to give iodine supplementation in the form of one iodine capsule a year to their pregnant patients during prenatal visits so as to prevent goiter in pregnancy.
Manila Bay:
By December of 2006, Proction No.118 was signed by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declaring every fourth week of January as the Goiter Awareness Week with the aim of advocating information on goiter and other iodine deficiency disorders.
The result of the said survey has also given way to the enactment of Republic Act 8172 or the act Promoting Salt Iodization Nationwide and for related purposes also known as the ASIN law, which mandates all salt producers and traders to make iodized salt available to all Filipinos.
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They also claimed that in some cases, treatment may involve the use of certain anti thyroid medications, thyroid hormone replacement, radioiodine or even surgery.
Nurse Station
ByPaul John A. Vesagas, RN, RM
(Comments may be sent [email protected])
The Philippine Thyroid Disorder Prevalence Study also stressed that smalVesagas: Understanding goiter? overweight and pregnantl problems related to the thyroid such as goiter are often associated to being overweight and hypertensive.
However, in an independent health study in 2000, it was found that 32 percent of children were considered malnourished and among its deficiencies were protein, vitamin A and iodine malnutrition. The goiter rate was then recorded as 6.5 percent or in lay mans term, six to seven out of 100 persons have goiter in the Philippines.
