Treatment of goitre depends on the underlying cause: Goitre caused due to hyperthyroidism is treated with drugs that slow down the activity of the thyroid gland. Treatment with radioactive iodine destroys some or all of the thyroid’s hormone-producing cells. If these treatments fail to cure the thyroid disease, then the thyroid gland is surgically removed. Goitre caused due to hypothyroidism is treated with lifelong thyroid hormone replacement therapy. Goitre due to iodine deficiency is treated with iodine-rich foods, such as seafood and iodized salt. Benign thyroid nodules are reduced in size with the help of medications destroyed with radioactive iodine treatment or removed using surgical methods.