A thyroid is a butterfly-shaped, small endocrine gland that is present at the front of the neck wrapped around the trachea (windpipe), and extended around the sides of a throat. It plays a very important part in the endocrine system. The endocrine system regulates the body’s activities such as producing hormones, regulating the body’s metabolism, digestive function, brain development, mood regulation, and muscle control. When the thyroid gland does not work efficiently, it affects the entire body and it may give rise to thyroid disease. The thyroid diseases are listed below.
Studies show that the prevalence of thyroid diseases is not well known in low-income countries due to the scarcity of proper diagnostic tools and resources. In many African countries, the techniques and laboratory resources are insufficient due to which there is a delay in diagnosis and hence, treatment. Because of this, many people from countries like Ethiopia, Kenya, Cameroon, and Zambia visit India seeking the proper diagnosis and treatments. The cost of thyroid disease treatment in India is lowest among the different countries. It costs only a few hundred to thousand US dollars in India. For an idea, you can read the cost of thyroid disease treatment in India section mentioned at the end.
The thyroid gland plays a vital role in the body’s metabolism. Any problem in the thyroid gland affects the entire body. Thyroid diseases are very common these days and treatment options are also available. The most common thyroid conditions are hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. Hence, the symptoms of thyroid diseases are mentioned below.
Hyperthyroidism disease is caused when the thyroid gland is overactive and produces more hormones than the body needs. It can be caused by Grave’s disease (autoimmune disease). Grave’s disease can further lead to Grave’s ophthalmopathy, which is also known as thyroid eye disease which causes eye pain, vision loss, and bulging eyes. Anyways, the symptoms of hyperthyroidism include:
Hypothyroidism disease is a condition caused when the thyroid gland is underactive and produces very less hormones than the body needs. Hypothyroidism is most commonly caused by Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (autoimmune disorder) which makes the gland stop working. Initially, the symptoms of hypothyroidism are not noticeable. The symptoms of hypothyroidism include:
Besides the many thyroid diseases, the two are more common which are hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. Both of these thyroid diseases may be caused by other diseases which may have influenced the thyroid gland’s functioning. The causes of these thyroid diseases are listed below.
■ Graves’ disease: This condition is also known as diffused toxic goiter which means enlarged thyroid gland. Due to this condition, the entire thyroid gland becomes overactive and makes a lot of hormones.
■ Thyroiditis: In this condition, the thyroid gland releases the stored hormones. This condition may be painful or not painful at all and it can last for weeks to months.
■ Nodules: When the nodules in the thyroid gland are overactive, it also causes hyperthyroidism. If there is only one nodule, it is known as toxic autonomously functioning thyroid nodule, and if there are any nodules it is known as toxic multinodular goiter.
■ Excessive iodine: iodine is a mineral that is required to make thyroid hormones. When there is excess iodine in the body, the thyroid gland makes excess hormones. Excess iodine may be administered in the body unintentionally by some medicines like cough syrups, heart medicines, etc.
■ Hashimoto’s thyroiditis: It is an autoimmune disease which means that the body’s immune system attacks the thyroid gland. It is a painless condition and it may be hereditary.
■ Thyroiditis: It is a condition that causes inflammation in the thyroid gland. It makes the thyroid gland produce less hormones.
■ Postpartum thyroiditis: About 5 to 9% of women suffer from this condition after the delivery of a baby. It is often a temporary issue.
■ Lodine deficiency: Iodine is required by the thyroid gland to produce the hormones. When there is less iodine, the thyroid produces less hormones. Nowadays many people have iodine deficiency.
■ Non-functioning thyroid gland: Sometimes it may be a congenital problem which means the thyroid gland does not work right from birth. About 1 in 4000 children have this condition. If it is not treated, it can affect the child’s life with mental and physical issues. All the newborns are screened in the hospital by having a blood test after the birth.
There are many treatment options available for thyroid problems in India. Hypothyroidism can be treated by consuming medicines. The most common medicine for hypothyroidism disease is levothyroxine. It is a medicine that has to be taken orally. It helps the thyroid gland in producing more hormones and evens out the hormone levels in the body. Hypothyroidism is manageable but unfortunately, you will need to take the medicines for the rest of your life. However, with regular follow-up sessions with your doctor with careful monitoring and managing the treatment, you can live a healthy and normal life. Other than this, for hyperthyroidism, many treatments other than medicines are also available. They are listed below.
Anti-thyroid medications can prevent the thyroid from producing more hormones. With these medicines, the symptoms slowly improve gradually over the course of weeks or months. After a few months of consuming these medicines, the dose can be decreased if the symptoms have reduced and if the blood tests show that the level of thyroid hormones in the body has returned to normal range, then we can stop the medicines.
These are the medicines that are used to reduce the symptoms of hyperthyroidism and they don’t really affect the hormone levels produced by the thyroid gland. These medicines are prescribed for managing the symptoms of hyperthyroidism disease until the levels of hormones return to its normal range.
This treatment works by shrinking the thyroid gland. It is a medicine that is to be taken by mouth and after a few months of taking this medicine, the symptoms start to reduce. This treatment causes the thyroid gland to reduce its activity and hence the amount of hormones can be reduced.
It is a surgical procedure to remove either a part of or entire thyroid gland. It may be a choice of treatment for people who can’t take any of the medications mentioned above. It is also done if a patient has a cancerous growth or suspicious nodules in the thyroid gland, or if the patient is not getting any relief from the medications.
The surgery known as thyroidectomy is performed to remove an entire or a part of the thyroid gland. There are several steps that your surgeon follows for conducting this surgery. First, the patient will be given general anesthesia to make him/her unconscious for a pain-free surgical procedure. Monitors will be connected to the patient to track the vital signs and IV line is placed to give fluids and medicines.
Then, after sanitizing the area, the surgeon makes an incision in the front of the neck to get access to the thyroid gland. Based on the condition, the surgeon removes either a part of the gland or an entire gland. Once that is done, the surgeon then closes the incision with stitches. A sterile dressing is applied on the incision site to protect the area and promote healing.
A lot of thyroid patients from Arabic countries like Oman, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq travel to India for thyroid surgery. The doctors in Indian hospitals provide the best treatment according to the type of health condition. Also, the surgeons in Indian hospitals are highly experienced and well-versed in the latest technological approaches to treating health conditions. Indian hospitals provide treatment like Robotic and Transoral Thyroidectomy, TOETVA, Radioiodine therapy, etc., for the treatment of the thyroid. The cost of Thyroid surgery in India is much less than in many Western countries. Below mentioned is the cost of Thyroid Surgery in India
| Treatment | Cost |
|---|---|
| Thyroid Surgery in India | 2000-2500 USD |
The recovery after the thyroidectomy procedure requires patience. Follow the instructions that your surgeon gives and take proper rest for a smooth recovery. After the successful completion of the surgery, you will be transferred to the recovery room where you will be monitored for any adverse effects of the procedure. You may be discharged from the hospital on the same day or you will have to stay for a few days depending on your condition and healing ability. You may experience some pain and discomfort for a few days after the procedure. For that, your surgeon will prescribe you pain relieving medicines. When you are discharged from the hospital, your surgeon will give you some instructions to follow. Follow these instructions for fast recovery. Keep the incision area clean and dry and keep checking the area to monitor any infection, swelling, redness, or any discharge from the incision site. If you notice any of these situations, call your doctor and get a follow-up appointment. Take proper rest for the first few days after the surgery and avoid any heavy activities and exercises. As you heal, gradually start your normal daily activities. Follow the diet instructions given by your doctor. Eat lighter food and slowly progress to your regular diet. Drink enough water, proper hydration is required for the body to heal. Attend the follow-up appointments that your surgeon has given to monitor your condition.
The Thyroid gland is a very important part of the body’s endocrine system, it maintains the normal functioning of the body’s different systems like the digestive system, nervous system, central nervous system, heart, bones, body’s metabolism, etc. There are various thyroid diseases but the common ones are hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. Both of these conditions are related to an imbalance in the amount of hormones produced by the thyroid gland. If proper treatment is not done, it can give rise to other medical conditions, so it is important to receive proper diagnosis and treatment for better management of the diseases. The surgeons in Indian hospitals are trained in global institutes and have a lot of experience in conducting various surgeries. The most modern equipment is used in the hospitals of India which helps in providing accurate treatments and surgical procedures. Hence, India provides premium medical services at a very advantageous cost as mentioned above. If you are looking for the best country to receive treatment for thyroid and thyroid gland surgery, you can definitely prefer India.
UPHI - The Wellness & Surgical Centre 
SCI - General Surgery Hospital 
Fortis Hospital Bangalore 
Medharbour Hospital 
Rela Hospital 
Nulife Hospital 
Marengo Asia Hospitals 
RG Stone Hospital 
Kinder Hospitals, Kochi 
PSRI Hospital, Delhi 
Dr. Deepak Lahoti 
Dr. Mohit Jain 
Dr. Vibhu V Mittal 
Dr. Aloy J Mukherjee 
Dr. Atul N.C. Peters 
Dr. Anil Malik 
Dr. Rajan Madan 
Dr. Arun Prasad 
Dr. K. N. Srivastava 
Dr. Vicky Kuldeep 
Dr. W. V. B. S Ramalingam 
Dr. Vivek R Sinha 
Dr. Vidit Tripathi 
Dr. Sanjay Sachdeva 
Dr. Sameer Sethi 
Dr. Rajesh Mishra 
Dr. Anshuman Kaushal 
Dr. Salil Yadav 
Dr. Nabanita Chatterjee 
Dr. Ashok Mittal 
Dr. Pankaj Gupta 
