Iodine deficiency causes goiter: medical experts

KABUL (Pajhwok): Medical experts considered the lack of iodine salt as one of the main causes behind emergence of goiter and recommend that in order to prevent this disease iodine rich food and iodine salt should be taken in daily food.

What is goiter?

According to experts unnatural growth of thyroid gland cause goiter and growing heart beat hypertension, being reactive, weakness of muscles, weight decline, sleeplessness, not willing to eat and other were the most common symptom of this diseases.

Dr. Syed Farid Shah Rafaie, an internal diseases specialist in the Wazir Akbar Khan Hospital, said exact figure of individuals suffering from goiter in Afghanistan was not known and urged an investigation in this regard.

He, however, said: “A large number of people in the far-flung areas who have no access to iodine have been suffering from goiter.”

He said: “Iodine played vital role in the growth and development of the thyroid gland, but when we are faced with its deficiency, it causes goiter. In mountainous areas people suffered from this disease because they use mountain salt and spring water which don’t have iodine.”

Dr. Rafaie said Usually, not all goiters have symptoms and signs, but in general, if the goiter is small but visible swelling occurs in the lower part of the neck; Symptoms of this disease include shortness of breath, hoarseness of voice, difficulty in swallowing, trembling of hands, palpitations and body heat.

Taking a number of drugs, such as drugs for heart disease, mental illness, pregnancy, and a number of hormones that increase during pregnancy, also play a major role in causing liver disease.

He said: “Iodine played vital role in the growth and development of the thyroid gland, but when we are faced with its deficiency, it causes goiter. In mountainous areas people use mountain salt and spring water which did not contain iodine.”

He asked people to use seafood and salt that contains iodine and also urged people to refer to the doctor if they developed goiter.

Kabul Medicine University Teacher Dr. Ahmad Fawad Wardak said: “Thyroid gland is situated in front of neck which is not visible in normal situation but when the size of Endocrine gland grow from its normal position we call it goiter.”

He also linked shortness of breath, weight loss, sweating, heart palpitations, body heat, increase and decrease in appetite, anger and difficulty in defecation as the main symptoms of this disease and said that most of the inhabitants of mountainous areas are affected by this disease and in Afghanistan, most of the inhabitants of Badakhshan and Salang are affected by this disease; Because most of the waters in these areas are free of iodine

“We should use drinking water and food that has sufficient sources of iodine, and add iodine mineral to cooking oil to prevent this disease, taking a large amount of calcium also causes iodine absorption.

He urged individuals who have nor suffered from goiter so far and live in mountainous areas should make sure they get the proper iodine, individuals goiter’s symptoms has to refer to the doctor and people who individuals suffering from the issue would refer to the doctor immediately.

Goiter patients hopes to recover soon

Zahra, 46, the resident of Bamyan province, is hospitalized in the Heart and Chest Hospital and said: “It’s been three days since we came here, I’ve been hospitalized, it’s been eight years since I’ve been suffering from this disease, it’s been a year since I’ve been receiving treatment, the doctors say you should have an operation.”

Also Nasima, 50, the resident of Kabul’s Shakardara district said: “I suffered from goiter from the past 12 years, it became larger in recent years and I was unable to eat food then I came to the hospital to have an operation and now I feel good.”

She was happy about the service provided by the hospital and said that now she was feeling well.

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