• Thyroid Disorders
• Hormone Replacement Therapy

Everything to Know About Thyroid Nodules

Published: September 03, 2025
Updated: September 03, 2025
4 mins

During a routine doctor’s visit, one of the first things a doctor may do is feel gently around your neck. By doing so, a healthcare provider can detect any abnormalities, like a thyroid nodule at the front of the neck. You may even feel a thyroid nodule on your neck before seeing a healthcare provider, from touching around your neck or seeing a lump while looking in the mirror.

A thyroid nodule may feel like a firm or soft ball in the neck. Most thyroid nodules are benign and can be easily treated without much concern. Some even go away on their own without any treatment needed. However, there is a small risk of a thyroid nodule being a major health concern, depending on the size and whether you have preexisting health conditions.

What are Thyroid Nodules?

Thyroid nodules are clumps of thyroid cells along the thyroid gland. Some thyroid nodules are very small and hard to feel with the hand, while others are firmer and pronounced in the front of the neck. 

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland that produces key thyroid hormones that help with brain development, bone metabolism, and other important bodily functions. In some cases, a thyroid nodule can affect the production of thyroid hormones. However, most thyroid hormones are benign and don’t have any major effects on overall health.

What Causes a Thyroid Nodule?

A person may be more susceptible to thyroid nodules from having a condition known as thyroid adenoma (an overgrowth of thyroid tissue). Chronic inflammation from certain health conditions can increase your risk of developing a thyroid nodule. 

Those with the following health conditions have an increased risk of developing thyroid nodules:

• Hashimoto’s Disease

• Hyperthyroidism

• Iodine deficiency

• Thyroid cancer

While a thyroid nodule can be a sign of thyroid cancer for some, most thyroid nodules are noncancerous. There is a higher risk of thyroid cancer for men than women with thyroid nodules. Still, thyroid cancer is one of the most treatable cancers that exists.

What are the Symptoms of Thyroid Nodules?

Most thyroid nodules do not cause symptoms. Still, the following symptoms may occur when you have a more severe thyroid nodule:

• Pressure in the neck

• Trouble speaking

• Difficulty swallowing

• Fatigue

• Tickling sensation in the neck

• Pain

How are Thyroid Nodules Diagnosed?

During a routine physical, a healthcare provider may ask you if you have a family history of thyroid conditions. If a healthcare provider suspects you have a thyroid nodule, they may run several diagnostic tests to verify.

Blood tests: Blood tests measure thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) levels to see if there is an overproduction or underproduction of thyroid hormones.

Imaging scans: A thyroid ultrasound produces detailed images of thyroid nodules for a more informed look at a thyroid nodule. Computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), and magnetic resonance (MRI) scans can help detect smaller nodules you can’t see with the naked eye.

Biopsy: If a healthcare provider suspects a nodule may have cancerous cells, they can perform a biopsy. A biopsy is the process of inserting a needle into a nodule to get a sample of cells.

Who May Have an Increased Risk of Thyroid Nodules?

A family history of thyroid complications or autoimmune disease may increase your risk of developing thyroid nodules. Graves’ disease is an autoimmune condition often leading to the overproduction of thyroid hormones (hyperthyroidism), which causes thyroid nodules. 

Certain treatments, like radiation therapy for head and neck cancer, can also increase your risk for thyroid nodules.

The following may also increase your risk of thyroid nodules:

• Smoking tobacco

• Excessive alcohol consumption

• Uterine fibroids

• Chronic obesity

Treatment Options for Thyroid Nodules

When a healthcare provider sees a small thyroid nodule, they may advise you to make a follow-up appointment and keep an eye on it to see if it progresses over time. However, untreated thyroid nodules can progress into hyperthyroidism over time and begin to cause symptoms.

Thyroid suppression therapy

Severe thyroid nodules may require thyroid suppression therapy. Thyroid suppression therapy uses synthetic thyroid hormones like levothyroxine (T4) to mimic the behavior of T4 to balance thyroid hormones. 

Radioactive iodine therapy

However, some individuals may benefit more from radioactive iodine therapy if iodine deficiency is the cause of their thyroid nodules. Radioactive iodine therapy helps to shrink overactive, toxic thyroid nodules.

Surgery

If the nodules are too large and get in the way of breathing, a healthcare provider may recommend surgery or laser ablation to remove the nodules sooner rather than later. Ethanol ablation is a minimally invasive procedure to remove thyroid nodules.

Where Can I Learn More About Managing Thyroid Issues?

If you feel one forming, it’s important to always have a licensed healthcare provider assess you for treatment of a thyroid nodule. LifeMD can help you understand any thyroid hormonal changes that may occur as you get older.

LifeMD offers treatment for anyone needing support for thyroid complications. With LifeMD+, you can get quality testing and lab options for thyroid treatment and other health concerns. A LifeMD-affiliated healthcare provider can also prescribe hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism treatments for those who qualify.

Become a LifeMD+ member today to balance your hormones for an optimal health outcome.

For menopausal women with thyroid concerns, the LifeMD Women's Health Program may be more suitable for your individual health needs. It provides not only thyroid support like levothyroxine, but also estrogen replacement therapy and other care to help you manage hormonal changes through different stages of menopause.