Thyroid nodule. Please suggest

Hi everyone,

Posting on behalf of a family member (38-year-old female).

She recently had some tests done — her TSH is normal at 1.99 mIU/L, but a scan showed a 12 mm (1.2 cm) hypoattenuating nodule in the left thyroid.

There is no visible swelling, but she does feel mild pain/tenderness in a specific area of the neck when pressing.

We understand that most thyroid nodules are benign, but wanted to get some insights from others:

• Has anyone had a similar situation?

• Is pain in that area usually related to the thyroid, or could it be muscle or lymph node related?

• What is typically the next step — ultrasound, biopsy (FNA), or just monitoring?

We haven’t been able to see a doctor yet due to the long weekend, so any shared experiences or guidance would be really helpful.

Thank you!