September 2, 2024 : From Small Comes Big
© 安岡喜晴 (JoyShine)
When I checked his thyroid, I said to him, "Look up and swallow saliva."
Then he asked me, "What do you find out from that?"
When you swallow, the trachea moves up and they can see the outline of the thyroid.
If the thyroid is swollen or something, they can tell.
Enlarged thyroid is very common, but a lot of doctors don't check it.
Just a week ago, I met a patient who was diagnosed with Graves' disease after an enlarged thyroid was found.
Goiter is so common, especially in women.
I asked him if he had ever had his thyroid checked and, as I expected, he told me that this was the first time he had had his thyroid checked.
I bet many doctors think that a thyroid is fine without checking it.
I carefully explained to him, if he swallowed his saliva I would be able to see the outline of his thyroid and I would know if he had an enlarged thyroid.
Then he said, "My wife is being treated for thyroid cancer. I wonder if the doctors in the past would have taken a look at her thyroid, would they have caught it earlier?"
I think, it's natural for him to feel that way.