Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Fall 2017 - 9
says. "It was pushing on my windpipe.
"It's not a major surgery, and it's not
out in bed. My food goes down fairly
you'll probably see your surgeon once
well-my appetite is not back to where
afterward and then follow up with your
WHY
CHOOSE
UMMC
MIDTOWN
CAMPUS?
it was, but I can have a meal," she says.
endocrinologist or primary care physi-
At UMMC Midtown
cian to adjust your medication.
Campus, surgeons,
That's why the food wouldn't go down.
terribly painful," Dr. Gupta says. "Most
I was lucky it was caught in time."
people are off pain medication and back
Wingfield had surgery in May to
to work in a week." She notes that vocal
remove half of her thyroid. "I didn't have
cords typically are monitored during
to stay overnight, and now I'm good.
surgery to reduce the risk of changing
My neck feels better, and it's half the size
a patient's voice.
it was. I can sleep normally and stretch
Sometimes it's possible to remove
half the thyroid, as in Wingfield's case.
If you have thyroid removal surgery,
nuclear medicine experts
duce needed hormones. When the
DIAGNOSIS
WITHOUT SYMPTOMS
entire thyroid is removed, people need
Thyroid conditions might be diagnosed
a treatment plan for peo-
replacement medication. Otherwise
when a doctor feels nodules on the neck,
ple with thyroid condi-
they will face the symptoms of an
or when nodules show up on an imaging
tions. "We sit in the same
underactive thyroid.
study that was done for an unrelated
room and ask, 'What do
reason, like in a CT scan of the head or
you think from your per-
off thyroid surgery and deal with their
neck. In these cases, people may have
spective?'" says endocri-
symptoms. Younger women may be
no symptoms, or they might notice
nologist Kashif Munir, MD.
busy with career and family, so they
hoarseness or have difficulty swallowing.
"It leads to better patient
wait to address the problem. But she
Doctors will probably recommend an
care." He adds that
says sometimes a growing thyroid can
ultrasound exam of the thyroid.
a group of people with
suddenly block breathing and trigger
"Ultrasound has gotten a lot better over
expertise in this area
an emergency. "If the thyroid gland is
the years, and if it looks benign we can
working together helps
enlarged and you notice problems with
watch it, while if it doesn't look good we
ensure that the highest
swallowing or breathing or you need
will need to biopsy it," Dr. Munir says.
standards are being met.
The half that remains can often pro-
Dr. Gupta says people often put
extra pillows or to sleep on your side,
And sometimes thyroid problems are
and radiologists gather
together to develop
"As medicine gets
it's better to take care of it sooner,"
found in a blood screening in people
more complex and spe-
she says.
with no symptoms. Dr. Munir says in
cialized and there's more
those cases, treatment is still recom-
research, everyone is an
ring can be minimized, and incisions can
mended. That's because in time, an
expert in their field," says
be hidden in creases on the neck.
over- or underactive thyroid can affect
Dr. Munir. "Putting several
the heart and cause health problems.
heads together gives
An overactive thyroid can increase the
patients more options."
With newer surgical techniques, scar-
TREATMENT FOR CANCER
The majority of lumps in the thyroid
risk of osteoporosis, while an under-
are not cancerous. But if biopsy
active thyroid can lead to weight gain
UM Center for Diabetes
results or genetic testing does indi-
and abnormal cholesterol levels.
and Endocrinology at
Patients coming to the
cate cancer, doctors will probably
UMMC Midtown Campus
recommend thyroid removal surgery.
can also get all the care
"With advanced genetic tests that
we offer at our center, we can figure
out if patients need surgery," Dr.
Munir says. For thyroid cancer, surgery is sometimes all the treatment
people need.
LEARN MORE
If you think you might have
a thyroid problem, make an
appointment to speak with an
endocrinologist at UMMC Midtown
Campus by calling 443-682-6800.
they need in one location: swallowing and
voice studies, ultrasounds,
biopsies, pathology and
surgical planning.
umm.edu/midtown | Fall 2017 9
http://www.umm.edu/midtown
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Fall 2017
In This Issue
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Fall 2017 - 1
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Fall 2017 - In This Issue
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Fall 2017 - 3
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Fall 2017 - 4
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Fall 2017 - 5
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Fall 2017 - 6
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Fall 2017 - 7
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Fall 2017 - 8
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Fall 2017 - 9
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Fall 2017 - 10
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Fall 2017 - 11
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Fall 2017 - 12
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Fall 2017 - 13
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Fall 2017 - 14
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Fall 2017 - 15
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Fall 2017 - 16
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Fall 2017 - 17
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Fall 2017 - 18
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Fall 2017 - 19
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Fall 2017 - 20
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