Shrink Down Your Swollen Neck-10 Natural Ways To Treat Goiter

Have you just noticed that the base of your neck is swollen and it is difficult for you to breathe and even swallow? It could be goiter. Read on to know home remedies for goiter.

You should always go to a doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment of goiter and THEN try out home remedies on the side. Goiter occurs because of enlarged thyroid glands which happens when too much or too less of thyroxine hormone is being secreted. One of the major causes of goiter is iodine deficiency.

At times you might not even be aware that you have goiter because of a very small size of thyroid gland swelling. Nonetheless, you will find it uncomfortable and difficult while swallowing and breathing. Your voice might also become hoarse and feel tightness in the throat which you might ignore thinking of it as a sign of a sore throat.

This makes it necessary to consult a doctor and get yourself tested. In case of a positive test, begin the treatment immediately. Never ignore a swelling at the base of your neck.

Here are some natural remedies that you can use as a treatment for goiter.

Table of Contents

1. Iodine Rich diet

Since ninety percent of the time, goiter occurs because of iodine deficiency, it is really important to maintain the required daily intake of iodine. The daily intake of iodine for adults is 150 micrograms and 50 micrograms for children between 1 and 6. Pregnant ladies require 200 micrograms of iodine.

To keep up the adequate amount of iodine in your body, include iodine rich food in your diet like baked potato, tuna, eggs, shrimp, kale, iodized salt, cranberries, turkey, shrimp, cod, cabbage, seafood, navy beans, plain yoghurt, milk and kelp. You can even take iodine supplements by consulting the dose with your doctor.

In case your goiter is caused by too much iodine, talk to your doctor before you increase the amount of iodine in diet.

2. Garlic

Garlic is yet another natural cure for goiter. Research has shown that garlic helps to reduce swelling in your neck because of an enlarged thyroid gland. Garlic extracts particularly the aged garlic extract facilitates production of glutathione which plays a vital role in keeping the thyroid gland functioning to its optimum.

If you are someone who doesn’t like the strong taste of garlic, simply take garlic supplements and talk about the dose with your doctor.

Chew on 3 to 4 raw garlic in the morning.

You can add garlic to your everyday cooking.

Drink tea made out of garlic, lemon and honey.

Combine olive oil, onion, tomato and raw garlic to make your very own salsa.

Make buttered toast and sprinkle minced garlic over it.

3. Motherwort

Is your goiter due to hyperactive thyroid glands? Motherwort tea can prove to be really helpful to give you relief from the symptoms. It is one of the most effective herbal remedies for goiter. This herb is home to flavonoids, terpenoids, tannins, ursolic acid, iridoids and alkaloids. Research has shown that that motherwort is also effective in preventing tumor.

Take a cup of hot water.
Add one teaspoon of dried motherwort herb.
Allow it to steep for 10 minutes.
Strain and add some honey to get rid of the bitter taste.
Drink this tea two times a day.

4. Watercress

Watercress, also known as scurvy grass is highly rich in iodine content. No vegetable grown on land contains such high amount of iodine. In this respect, it is just like sea vegetables. It is a storehouse of not just iodine but it highly rich in nutrients and minerals like antioxidant vitamins, germanium, and sulfur. It is an excellent remedy to treat goiter.

Take a handful of watercress and grind it to make a paste.
Apply the paste on the swelling in your neck.
Let it stay for 15 to 20 minutes.
Wash it off.
Repeat for 10 days.

Take half a glass of water.
Add two tablespoons of watercress juice.
Drink it three times a day and continue for 6 weeks.

5. Coconut Oil

Coconut oil contains a high content of lauric acid which is a fat that is not easily found. Did you know coconut oil contains monoglycerides and medium chain fatty acids that are just like the ones present in mother’s milk containing immense antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory qualities? You might even be able to cut down on your thyroid medicines if you add coconut oil to your diet.

You can use coconut oil as a cooking oil or simply add it to your smoothies. If you are coffee lover, you can blend unsalted butter, coconut oil and a little vanilla. Yet another way of having it is by adding coconut oil to your tea such as stinging nettle tea.

6. Dandelion Leaves

Dandelion has long been used since centuries to treat various ailments mostly in the form of dandelion tea. However, in case of goiter, it is used in the form of paste to minimize the swelling caused by enlarged thyroid gland. This is an Ayurvedic remedy which believes that the dandelion leaves have the power to reduce swelling.

Take a handful of dandelion leaves.
Crush it to make a paste and use some water if needed.
Add two tablespoons of clarified butter (ghee) to this paste.
Heat it till it becomes warm and not hot.
Apply this lukewarm past on the swollen region of the neck.
Let it stay for 20 minutes.
Repeat this every day for two weeks to alleviate symptoms of enlarged thyroid.

Take three dandelion leaves.
Spread some clarified butter (ghee) on one side of the leaves.
Heat it a little till it is warm.
Now apply it on the enlarged thyroid gland.
Fix it in place using a bandage or tape.
Let it stay for few hours before removing.

7. Selenium containing foods

It’s true that most of the time goiter is caused by deficiency of iodine but deficiency of selenium could result in heavy thyroid and make the condition more difficult for you. Research shows that selenium can shield you against goiter which makes it important for you to have selenium-containing food every day. When you take selenium, it is changed into different kinds of selenoproteins which play their role in helping the thyroid gland functioning to its optimum.

Some selenium rich foods that you can add to your daily diet are onions, mushrooms, eggs, chicken, turkey, beef, lamb, brazil nuts, liver, crab, shellfish, salmon, tuna, sunflower seeds, kidney, wheat germ, oats and brown rice.

8. Flaxseeds Warm Compress

Flaxseeds are packed with nutrients and also antioxidants. Flaxseeds are also well known for their anti-inflammatory qualities that minimize the swelling at the base of the neck because of enlarged thyroid gland.

Take some flaxseeds.
Grind it to get two tablespoons of flaxseed powder.
Add in a little water to make it a paste.
Heat it till it’s warm
Use this flaxseed paste on the swollen area of the neck.
Let it stay for 20 minutes.
Wash it off.

Take a cup of water.
Add some flaxseeds in it.
Let it simmer for few minutes.
Then use this water to wash the swollen region of the neck.
It will provide relief from swelling.

9. Kelp

Kelp is a seaweed that is blessed with loads of natural iodine. This brown algae helps to restore normal functioning of thyroid glands. Including it in your diet is a great idea to cure goiter. A lot of Japanese dishes contain kelp like sushi and dashi soups. Pickled or dried kelp is easily available in the market.

Kelp has a naturally salty taste. You can use it instead of salt in salads, soups and other dishes. You can even use kelp powder alongside iodized salt.
You can add 2 tablespoons of dried kelp powder to your smoothies.
Addition of raw kelp noodles to your salads and soups is a great idea.
You can grab pickled kelp or dried ones from the market and use it make different dishes including Japanese ones.

10. Green Tea

Today the whole lot of youngsters are hooked to green tea and it sure is one healthy tea due to a whole lot of antioxidants residing in it. It also contains great amount of natural fluoride. Antioxidants and natural fluoride together help to bring back the thyroid function to normal. It not only cures but also prevent goiter. The antioxidants keep the free radicals at bay which is responsible for causing goiter.

Take a cup of hot water.
Add a teaspoon of green tea leave to it or simply use green tea bags.
Allow it to steep for few minutes.
Strain it and add honey to enhance the taste.
Drink green tea thrice a day.

Lemon balm tea and bulgeweed tea are also highly effective for treating goiter.

Some Useful Suggestions!

Do neck exercise that can help with goiter on a regular basis.
Take ample rest and sleep more.
You can apply an ice bag to the swollen region of the neck to reduce inflammation.
Add coleus leaves in your salad to help decrease the size of goiter.
Drink one glass of barley water every day to alleviate symptoms associated with goiter.
Combine water and dried oak bark to make a paste and apply it on your neck. Leave it on overnight and wash it off the next morning.
Simply say no to soy products, processed foods, fried foods, alcohol, coffee, soda, gluten, white sugar, white flour products and cruciferous vegetables. Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, kale and others.
Have goitrogenic foods like peanuts, kale, spinach, peanuts, cauliflower, turnip, soy bean, millet, Brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes, broccoli and strawberries only in moderation.
Make sure you are not taking any emotional stress as it can interfere with thyroxine production.
Add selenium rich foods, iodine, fresh fruits, vegetables and foods rich in vitamin B to your diet.
Consider massage therapies like acupuncture and reflexology to your routine to alleviate goiter symptoms.
Take cold shower two times in a day to keep your thyroid gland functioning normally.
Expose yourself to the sun for 15 minutes every day.
Add a little water to bentonite to make a paste out of it and apply it over your neck. Let it dry naturally and wash it off.
Do not expose yourself to heavy metals like lead, cadmium and mercury as they can disrupt the production of thyroid hormones.
Take 5 small meals rather than 3 heavy meals. It helps in better absorption of food nutrients.
Tap water contains chlorine and fluoride which can make your thyroid issues worse. These minerals interfere with the production of thyroid hormones. Drink filtered water rather than tap water.

Along with eating medicines prescribed by your doctor, diet of goiter patients is of crucial importance. Give that tongue a little rest if you really want to treat goiter and not add more troubles for yourself. You can try these home remedies for goiter along with the treatment your doctor recommends. These natural remedies for goiter can be extremely helpful in alleviating symptoms associated with goiter.

Sources

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3878896/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK222323/

http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/condition/hypothyroidism

http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/condition/hyperthyroidism