The Thyroid Gland is located in the front of the neck. It secretes thyroid hormones. It's purpose is to regulate the body's overall metabolism.

How do I know if something is wrong with my thyroid?
The Thyroid gland may produce too much hormone (hyperthyroidism) or too little (hypothyroidism). It also may become abnormally enlarged (goiter) or form nodules, which can be cancerous.

What can I do if I have a nodule or enlargement of my Thyroid gland?
The first step is always to talk to your doctor. They will look at your medical history and do a physical exam. In some cases doing a blood test is needed to measure the levels of hormones in your blood. Your doctor may want to have a closer look in which case he will do an ultra sound exam or a thyroid scan. He may even suggest doing a fine-needle biopsy to see if the nodule on the thyroid is cancerous or not. Often times surgery is not necessary. Medication can be given to you if you have hypo or hyper thyroid conditions to slow up or speed down the production of your hormones.

What if surgery is needed?
If surgery is needed your doctor will let you know what type of procedures best for your situation. The surgeon may remove half of the thyroid gland (lobectomy), most of the gland (subtotal thyroidectomy) or the entire gland (total thyroidectomy.)