Most thyroid nodules don’t cause signs or symptoms. But occasionally some nodules become so large that they can:

● Be felt
● Be seen, often as a swelling at the base of your neck
● Press on windpipe or esophagus, causing shortness of breath or difficulty swallowing

In some cases, thyroid nodules produce additional thyroxine, a hormone secreted by thyroid gland. The extra thyroxine can cause symptoms of an overproduction of thyroid hormones (hyperthyroidism), such as:

● Unexplained weight loss
● Increased sweating
● Tremor
● Nervousness
● Rapid or irregular heartbeat

Only a small number of thyroid nodules are cancerous. But determining which nodules are cancerous can’t be done by evaluating symptoms alone. Most cancerous thyroid nodules are slow growing and may be small when the doctor discovers them. Aggressive thyroid cancers are rare with nodules that may be large, firm, fixed and rapid growing.