The main symptom of a goitre is a swelling at the front of the neck, which is usually painless.

You may also have other symptoms including:

• a cough that does not go away
• a hoarse voice or voice changes
• feeling like something is stuck in your throat
• a wheezing noise when you breathe
• finding it hard to swallow or breathe

See a GP if:

Call 999 or go to A&E if:

Most goitres are small and do not cause any problems. Sometimes they do not need treatment.

You will usually need tests to find out what's causing your goitre, such as:

• blood tests
• an ultrasound scan
• taking a small sample from your thyroid gland using a small needle (biopsy)

If it is caused by a health condition like an underactive or overactive thyroid, it can usually be treated with medicines.

If your goitre is making breathing and swallowing difficult, you may have surgery to remove some or all of your thyroid.

A goitre happens when your thyroid gland is swollen.

Some reasons why your thyroid might be swollen include:

• an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism)
• an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism)
• harmless lumps (nodules) on the thyroid
• hormone changes during puberty, pregnancy or the menopause
• an inflamed thyroid gland (thyroiditis)
• having a condition with your immune system, like Grave's disease
• not enough iodine in your diet – this is rare in the UK
• thyroid cancer – this is rare