# Can small nodules be painful and cause hoarseness?



## AngelaGrace (Feb 2, 2016)

Hello - I am brand new here! Last week at my physical, my doc said my thyroid felt a little enlarged. He sent me for a sonogram. Report says not enlarged but mildly "heterogeneous" and has two nodules. Both hypoechoic, one on each side, both 3mmx2mmx3mm - they are small. A lymph node was mentioned in the report, but says unremarkable. My TSH came back in range so doc said all is fine just re check in a year. This isn't sitting right with me. I'm very concerned. The reason I went for a physical (he's a new doc. My mom's doc. I like him and thought I'd switch over - my other doc three months ago did blood work and felt my neck and never said a word). The reason I went for a physical is because I've been having slight neck pain - right where the sides of the thyroid would be. Worse at night - just feels irritated or sore and I have a hoarse voice. I sometimes would say "it feels like someone is screwing Frankenstein bolts into the sides of my neck", lol, best way I can explain it. When I went to my previous doc three months ago and he said nothing, but the pain continued, I decided to go to my mom's doc. And bingo, he detected something. Where I'm having the pain. Even at the ultrasound when the tech went over the area where they are, I actually felt pain - I felt the left nodule, before I even knew I had them. My doc and his nurse says impossible to feel them at this size, but I am not making up my neck pain and hoarse voice. I'm just very concerned because should small nodules like this cause irritation in the neck and hoarseness of voice? My concern is that this is the start of a quickly growing problem  I have been beside myself, researching, all week. I have a second opinion tomorrow with another MD, just want to ask more questions. And I have an Endo appt. in April. I'm concerned this may be the start of Hashi's as well, since auto immune is in my family. I'm hoping the other doc tomorrow or the Endo in April will agree to do the other blood tests. Is it normal to feel a goiter when it is this small? I'm 46 and am on no other medications or have any other health concerns at this time. I am unmotivated and a little low feeling, but I've been through a tremendous amount of stress with some family health issues these past two years and I also have a 20 year old autistic son. So STRESS is my middle name lately. Probably why I'm in this boat :/ Also funny how for the first time ever my cholesterol came back slightly high, and I read that that can be an indicator of Hashi's starting. Thank you for any advice/input. I greatly appreciate it! Angela


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Welcome Angela,

Do you have any of the lab results? Post with ranges please if you have them.

Look to see if they ran TPO antibodies and Thyroglobulin antibodies.

Free T-4 and Free T-3 and TSH would be thyroid labs we would like to see as well - with ranges.

No - it's not normal to be hoarse and feel your throat being sore could be a number of things.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Sonograms have their imperfections; you could have nodules growing inward or substernally. What a shame that this doc does not seem concerned.

I will tell you that pain is not normal and it is a warning sign which any smart doctor would pay attention to.

See if you can get the Thyroglobulin and Thyroglobulin Ab lab tests.

The results of the above could either rule in or rule out cancer.

Hugs and welcome!


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