The main symptom of a goitre is swelling of the thyroid gland, which causes a lump to develop in the front of the neck.

The lump will move up and down when you swallow.

Types of goitre

There are two main types of goitre:

• diffuse goitre – where the entire thyroid gland swells and feels smooth to the touch
• nodular goitre – where solid or fluid-filled lumps called nodules develop within the thyroid and make the thyroid gland feel lumpy to touch; the nodules can be single or multiple

Other symptoms

Other associated symptoms can include:

• coughing 
• a tight feeling in your throat
• changes to your voice, such as hoarseness

Less commonly, you may also have: 

• difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
• difficulty breathing – there may be a high-pitched sound when you breathe (stridor)

Hormones

Hormones are groups of powerful chemicals that are produced by the body and have a wide range of effects.

Nodules

A nodule is a small growth or lump of tissue.

Thyroid gland

The thyroid gland is found in the neck. It produces hormones that are released into the bloodstream to control the body's growth and metabolism (the process that turns food into energy).