How to Shrink Goiters: Can Natural Remedies Help?

Medical Treatments

Observe the goiter and see if it shrinks on its own. After your doctor examines the goiter, they may decide that it isn’t causing major problems. In this case, they’ll simply use a “wait and see” approach. If the goiter doesn’t get any worse, then they’ll probably leave it alone without any specific treatment. Your doctor will probably want you to come back in for regular exams to monitor the goiter. If it grows or starts causing problems, then they’ll probably start treatment.

Take hormone medications to regulate your thyroid. A goiter can be caused by an over or under-active thyroid, and you need medication for either condition. Hormone replacement should bring your thyroid function back into balance and shrink the goiter. For hyperthyroidism, an overactive thyroid, common medications include methimazole and propylthiouracil. These should slow your thyroid function and treat the goiter. For hypothyroidism, an underactive thyroid, the common medication is levothyroxine. This should boost your thyroid function.

Treat the swelling with anti-inflammatory medications. Along with hormone therapy, your doctor may also recommend anti-inflammatory drugs to try and shrink the goiter. In most cases, over-the-counter drugs like aspirin will work. Follow your doctor’s instructions and take the medication as directed. Your doctor may also prescribe corticosteroid medications if the swelling is too severe for over-the-counter drugs.

Shrink your thyroid with radioactive iodine treatments. Radioactive iodine is an oral medication that attacks the thyroid gland. It’s sometimes used on a very overactive thyroid. The medication reduces the thyroid’s activity and shrinks it, which should get rid of the goiter. If your doctor prescribes this medication, take it exactly as directed. Radioactive iodine destroys the thyroid gland, so you’ll probably have to take thyroid hormones for the rest of your life afterward.

Undergo thyroid-removal surgery for severe cases. If the goiter is very large and causing breathing problems, then the doctor will probably recommend surgery to remove it. A surgeon will make a small incision on the front of your neck and shave away part of your thyroid. This gets rid of the goiter and relieves pressure in your neck. Surgeons try to remove enough of the thyroid to treat the goiter but leave enough so the thyroid can function properly. This isn’t always possible, however, so you may need to take thyroid hormones after the surgery.

Avoid unverified home remedies for goiters. There are some home remedies online for shrinking goiters, like taking turmeric for reducing inflammation. Unfortunately, there are no verified home remedies for goiters. It's best to avoid these and follow the treatment plan that your doctor suggests.

Getting the Right Amount of Iodine

Take iodine supplements only if your doctor tells you to. If you hear that you need more iodine, you might initially think that taking a supplement will help. However, only take a supplement with your doctor’s directions. Too much iodine could cause thyroid problems as well.

Reduce your iodine intake if excess iodine caused your goiter. In rare cases, too much iodine could cause a goiter as well. If you have too much iodine in your system, then take steps to reduce your iodine intake to see if this treats the goiter. Switch from iodized to non-iodized salt. Reduce your intake of seafood and seaweed. Only cut your iodine intake if your doctor tells you to. You could cause other health problems if you don’t get enough iodine.

Include 150 mcg of iodine in your diet each day. This recommended daily serving of iodine is enough to help your thyroid function properly, as long as you don’t have an underlying health issue. If the goiter was caused by your diet, then getting enough iodine could help treat it. While everyone needs enough iodine in their diet, it’s especially important for pregnant or lactating women and children. Children less than a year old need 110-130 mcg each day, while pregnant women need 220 mcg and breastfeeding women need 290.

Use iodized salt in your diet. For most people, their main source of iodine is iodized salt. If you use non-iodized salt, then switch over to an iodized type to get your daily iodine serving. While frozen and processed foods are usually very salty, they don’t use iodized salt, so you won’t get the health benefits if you eat a lot of these meals. Excess salt can cause other health problems, so don’t overdo it. The American FDA recommends consuming less than 2,300 mg per day, or a bit more than a teaspoon. You can get all the iodine you need from 1/2 tsp (1,000 mg) of iodized salt, well below the daily limit.

Eat seaweed twice a week. Most seafood is high in iodine, but seaweed is a particularly rich source. Try including this in your diet twice per week, like in sushi or as a side dish. Fish and shellfish are also good iodine sources.