How to Know if Your Adam´s Apple is Growing or You Have a Thyroid Condition
Have you recently noticed that your Adam´s apple is growing and you think it might be a sign of a thyroid condition? First of all, if you are in the age of puberty, it is perfectly normal to witness a growth in your Adam´s apple, especially if you are a boy. That means your larynx is growing, allowing you to have a deeper voice. However, if you are not a teenager, and you notice an enlarged Adam´s apple (it can happen to women as well), it is worthwhile checking your thyroid. In this OneHowTo article, we will talk about the normal thyroid size and how to know if your Adam´s apple is growing or you have a thyroid condition.
Contents
Adam's apple and thyroid
The Adam's apple and the thyroid are two different parts of the human body.
The Adam´s apple is a laryngeal prominence that both adult men and women have. It is more visible in men as its shape is like an angle, while in women is more like an arc. The Adam´s apple normally grows during puberty and is linked to increased hormone production. If you are an adult and you notice your Adam´s apple is growing, it could actually be your thyroid, not your Adam's apple, that is growing. You should make sure your thyroid is working properly by visiting your doctor. Thyroid enlargement, which means that the size of the thyroid is not within the normal size range, is often a sign of thyroid malfunctioning.
The thyroid is a neuroendocrine gland that lies in our throat, just below the Adam's apple, fulfilling an important role in regulating our metabolism. Having a properly sized thyroid is always a sign that it's performing at the optimum level, ensuring our overall health, especially on a metabolic level. The thyroid plays an important role in our body, it is responsible for producing, storing and releasing the thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) hormones that regulate our metabolism and actively participate in various body processes such as maintaining or losing weight, proper functioning of the menstrual cycle, our energy, body temperature, muscle strength, the amount of cholesterol in the body, or heart rate.
What is the normal size of the thyroid?
The normal size of the thyroid in adults can vary depending on factors such as height. Considering all the factors that can cause slight differences, the length of this gland can range from 40 to 60 mm, with a thickness ranging between 4 and 6 millimetres.
If you think your thyroid might be enlarged, you should contact your doctor. However, there is an easy self check-up you can do at home in order to detect whether there is a possibility you might have thyroid cancer.
The most common sign of thyroid cancer is a growing mass in the neck. Thyroid cancer is fairly easy to detect and can often be cured. That is why early diagnosis is so important. In order to find out if your enlargement is due to thyroid problems, you should first of all locate the thyroid, which is actually not the same as your Adam´s apple, although you might confuse them. Your thyroid is below your Adam´s apple and above your collarbone. Check if the thyroid area is actually the one where you noticed an enlargement. If it is, contact your doctor immediately.
If your Adam´s apple is growing, you can additionally perform this easy self-exam:
Once you have located your thyroid, stretch your neck and put your head back while looking yourself in the mirror. In this position, swallow a sip of water and check if there is a lump in the thyroid, or if your thyroid is enlarged.
Conditions that affect the size of the thyroid
If you think the thyroid might be swallow, it is very important for you to consult a doctor. However, even if you have an enlargement and do not think it is connected to the thyroid, it is always a good idea to see your doctor and determine the cause.
A change in thyroid size can be a symptom of various conditions, including:
- Goitre, caused by an increase in the size of the thyroid.
- Thyroiditis, or inflammation of the thyroid.
- Graves' disease, a type of hyperthyroidism which increases the production of T4.
- Iodine deficiency.
- Nodules or cysts.
- Thyroid cancer
What to do if you suspect that something is wrong?
Hyperthyroidism or overproduction of the hormone T4 and hypothyroidism, where there are fewer thyroid hormones, are two of the most common conditions of the thyroid. Thyroid cancer is also quite common. If you suspect you may have a thyroid condition, or you think the zone around the Adam's apple has increased in size, it is best to visit an endocrinologist for an examination.
This article is merely informative, oneHOWTO does not have the authority to prescribe any medical treatments or create a diagnosis. We invite you to visit your doctor if you have any type of condition or pain.
If you want to read similar articles to How to Know if Your Adam´s Apple is Growing or You Have a Thyroid Condition, we recommend you visit our Family health category.
