Goitre(Gala Ganda) in Ayurveda

Goitre is the abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. Thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of your neck just below your Adam's apple. If the thyroid becomes too large, it can cause a cough and make it difficult to swallow or breathe. Goiters are usually painless and more common in women, especially above the age of 45-50.

In Ayurveda, goitre is known as Galaganda. According to Ayurveda, Galaganda is due mainly to vitiated Kapha, but sometimes Vata is also involved. Vitiated Kapha mixes with Meda Dhatu causing an immobile, heavy swelling in front of the throat.

Classification of Galaganda

• Vataj Galaganda: Blackish in colour, slightly painful, and marked by dryness and tastelessness in the throat and mouth.
• Kaphaj Galaganda: Large in size, cold to the touch, with very little pain and a sweet taste in the mouth.
• Medoj Galaganda: Unctuous, whitish in colour, has an offensive odour, and may cause staggering speech and oiliness in the mouth.

Symptoms of Goitre

• Painless swelling in the neck region
• Excessive cough, difficulty in swallowing and breathing
• Feeling of something pressing inside the throat
• Hoarseness of the voice, feeling of heaviness in the body
• Protruding eyes, fatigue, and feeling sleepy
• Raised cholesterol levels and rapid heartbeat (in some cases)

Causes and Risk Factors

The most common cause of goiters is a deficiency of iodine in the diet. Other factors include exposure to radiation, pregnancy (HCG hormone), menopause, and family history of autoimmune diseases. Certain foods like soybean, spinach, and peanuts may increase the risk if consumed excessively in iodine-deficient states.

Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations

For adults, the daily requirement of iodine is 150 mcg. Sources include seaweeds, cod fish, milk, yoghurt, potato, and eggs. Iron-rich foods (onion, garlic, carrot), Vitamin A (papaya, mango), and Vitamin B (guava, nuts) are also beneficial.

Sedentary lifestyle and mental stress can disturb thyroid function. Regular physical exercise and yoga poses such as Matsyasana and Suptavajrasana help improve thyroid and pituitary gland functions. Mental health through meditation and getting proper sleep (highest TSH levels occur at night) are also vital.

Ayurvedic Remedies

• Herbs: Jalkumbhi and Drumstick help improve iodine levels. Kanchanar is widely used for thyroid-related problems.
• External Applications:
  • Flaxseed paste applied on the throat for 20 minutes.
  • Sorrel seeds and olive oil paste on the swelling.
  • Dandelion leaves paste with clarified butter (lukewarm).
• Therapies: Panchakarma treatments like Parisheka, Sarvanga Abhyanga, Patra Pinda Sweda, and Basti (Niruha, Matra, Ksheer) are generally effective.