Teach you the easy way to do a thyroid self-test
I don't know if you have regular medical checkups. Does the physical exam include a thyroid test?
Goiters, thyroid nodules, thyroid dysfunction and even thyroid cancer can all be detected as soon as possible with regular checkups.
If there is no regular check-up, teach you to do a simple white self-check. If an abnormality is found, do not avoid medical treatment and seek professional help as soon as possible is of paramount importance.
Let's take a look at how to do this self-examination?
Prepare a mirror.
Stand in front of a mirror and shine into your neck. Don't decorate your neck with scarves, necklaces, ties, etc., so that your neck can be "at a glance" for easy inspection.
Tilt your neck. Lift the neck slightly and tilt it back so that the neck can be fully displayed in front of the mirror. You can also place one hand behind your neck and hold it to help lean back, or lean against a wall.
Face the mirror to see if the thyroid gland is swollen in its position, symmetrical on both sides, and large on one side. Put your index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and three fingers together and gently touch them from top to bottom along the sides from the middle of your neck to see if there are any nodules, swelling.
Keep watching. When you swallow saliva, you feel which part of your neck moves up and down with the act of swallowing. Once you've found the right position, face the mirror and see if there is a lump nearby that will move up and down with the swallowing motion.
Touch your neck again.
When swallowing, feel the thyroid gland in your neck to see if you can feel small hard nodules, or small bulges and bumps.
Note! Smoothness and firmness of the lump: If the lump is smooth and even, it may be a thyroid tumor or nodular goiter. If the mass is not smooth, the borders are not clear, and the texture is firm and single, thyroid cancer should be suspected.
Mass growth rate: Benign tumors and cysts grow slowly, and the disease duration can be months to years, while thyroid cancer grows rapidly, and swelling is noticeable within 10 days.
Presence of lymph nodes around the mass: If hard lymph nodes are accessible to the neck on the same side of the thyroid mass, lymph node metastases may occur, and a high level of suspicion should be exercised and prompt medical attention should be pursued.
Tips] The examination method is not suitable for all thyroid disease screening, and if necessary, you can go to the hospital for examination.