Home remedies
It is not recommended to treat a swollen thyroid gland with home remedies alone. A medical examination should always be carried out first in order to obtain a diagnosis and, if necessary, to start a therapy. Depending on the diagnosis, however, various household remedies can be used to support the treatment. For example, in the case of a painfully inflamed thyroid gland, cooling compresses on the neck can provide relief. However, it is not recommended to counteract thyroid enlargement caused by iodine deficiency by eating iodine-rich food alone.
Duration of the swelling of the thyroid gland
The duration of swelling of the thyroid gland depends on the cause. Enlargement of the organ due to iodine deficiency remains untreated and may even increase further. If the cause is an inflammation, the swelling usually subsides as it heals.
The same applies if the swelling does not originate from the thyroid gland at all, but is caused, for example, by lymph node enlargement in the course of a cold. If a swelling occurs without a flu-like infection or does not disappear after a few days, the patient should consult his or her family doctor as soon as possible. A cold often causes swelling of the neck.
As a rule, however, it is not a swollen thyroid gland, as it is not usually affected by the pathogens that cause colds (usually viruses). Rather, there is often a swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck as part of the body’s natural defense reaction. The swollen lymph nodes can also be located near the thyroid gland, so that the cause of the swelling can easily be confused.
If the swelling on the neck does not go down or even increases after a few days, a doctor should be consulted to be sure. In rare cases, there may also be a direct inflammation of the thyroid gland. This is usually very painful and can be accompanied by symptoms such as fatigue and aching limbs, which also occur with a cold. Sore throat and coughing are not common in thyroiditis. It is more likely to be a cold with possibly painfully enlarged lymph nodes.
