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Your thyroid gland is part of your endocrine system, a group of organs that produce hormones to control your body's many functions. When your clinician presses on the front of your neck and asks you to swallow, he or she is examining your thyroid. You might be able to feel your own thyroid gland by putting two fingers on one side of your larynx (voice box) and the thumb on the other side, pressing gently. A normal thyroid is smooth and butterfly shaped, with each half on either side of your larynx and connected by a thin band of tissue. A larger-than-usual thyroid gland is called a goiter.
Thyroid hormones have far-reaching effects on features such as weight, muscle strength, skin texture, memory, heart rate, men…