|Articles|June 1, 2005

Wash Away Thyroid Exam Discomfort

Offer patients a glass of water when you ask them to swallow during a thyroid examination.

Offer patients a glass of water when you ask them to swallow during a thyroid examination. This makes it easier for them to swallow naturally, and thus makes it easier for you to evaluate the thyroid gland.

--- Chuen-Yen Lau, MD
Bethesda, Md

Enhance your clinical practice with the Patient Care newsletter, offering the latest evidence-based guidelines, diagnostic insights, and treatment strategies for primary care physicians.

Wash Away Thyroid Exam Discomfort

Related Content

Home Sleep Testing for GLP-1 Coverage Shows Modest Diagnostic Yield in New Study

From Life’s Simple 7 to Life’s Essential 8: How Sleep Disorders Shape Cardiovascular Risk

Once-Nightly Oxybate in Narcolepsy: Real-World Outcomes Primary Care Should Know

FDA Expands Teplizumab Approval for Pediatric Stage 3 Type 1 Diabetes

Inside the AASM Sleep Guidelines on Sleep Apnea and Insomnia Therapy, With Susheel Patil, MD, PhD

Latest CME

Tumor Board: Evolving Immunotherapy Strategies for Stage I-III NSCLC

PER Global Perspectives: The TROP2-Targeted ADC Landscape in NSCLC and How to Interpret the Evidence

PER Global Perspectives: Preparing for the Emergence of TROP2 ADCs With Immunotherapy in the Earlier Treatment Settings

Breast Cancer Tumor Board: Targeting TROP2 – Innovations in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Treatment

Empire State Hematology & Oncology Society (New York)

Expert Guidance on Frequently Asked Questions Regarding the Use of ADCs in TNBC

Establishing the Rationale for ADC and ICI Combinations in TNBC

Breaking Down the Rationale for Targeting TROP2 in TNBC

24th Annual International Congress on the Future of Breast Cancer® East

Broadening the Frontline—Studies Informing the Use of Immunotherapy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Cross-Disease Integration of Immunotherapy Innovations

Patient, Provider, and Caregiver Connection: Turning a New Leaf in Acute Pain Management – How Recent Advancements Impact the Treatment Paradigm

(CME Track) Rapid Reviews in Retina™: Emerging Updates from Summer 2025—Addressing the Wealth of New Data in Treatments for Neovascular Retinal Disease

PER Resource Center: Integrating Novel Approaches in TNBC – New Avenues for TROP2-Targeting ADCs and Beyond – Nursing

Cases and Conversations™: Biologic Matchmaking in Psoriasis – Finding the Right Therapy for the Right Patient

Burst CME™: Optimizing Care for Patients with Psoriasis – Incorporating a Buy-and-Bill Model for Biologic Agents into Dermatological Practice

(CME Track) A Forward Look at Anti-VEGF Therapies: A Paradigm Shift in Neovascular Retinal Disease Management

(CME Track) The Evolution of MacTel Management: Integrating Neuroprotective Therapies Into Clinical Practice

Practical Considerations and Future Directions for New Treatment Strategies in SCLC

Show Me the Data®: New and Emerging Roles for Oral SERD Therapy in the Treatment of ER+/HER2– Breast Cancer

(CME Track) Collaborating Across the Continuum™: Best Practices in Patient-Centric Team Management of XLRP

Expert Roundtable and Panel Discussions: Current and Future Landscape of TNBC

Imaging Matters: Decoding PSMA PET for Better Decision-Making

Working Together: Overcoming Barriers to Optimize Outcomes in Patients Treated With Radioligand Therapy Through Multidisciplinary Care

Ready for Radioligand Therapy? Patient Selection and Sequencing Simplified

Radioligand Therapy 101: The Science Behind the Strategy

BURST CME™ Resource Center: Integrating Novel PSMA-Directed Radioligand Approaches for Diagnosis and Management of Prostate Cancer

Community Practice Connections™: Distinguishing Precision Pathways for c-Met and MET Alterations in NSCLC

Pathways to Progress: RAS in GI Cancers (Spotlight CE Session)

Tackling Barriers to Vaccine Uptake: Practical Strategies for Adult Immunization

Progress in Hyperlipidemia Management to Reduce ASCVD Risk: An Illustrated Update

Burst CME CGM: Continuous Glucose Monitoring Considerations – Maximizing Quality of Life for Patients

Community Practice Connections™: Enhancing Melanoma Outcomes With Intratumoral Oncolytic Immunotherapy–Strategies for the Multidisciplinary Team

Advances in Managing EGFR-Mutant NSCLC: Applying Evidence Across the Disease Continuum

Community Practice Connections™: Beyond the Basics— Revolutionizing Advanced Prostate Cancer Management With PSMA-Targeted Therapies

Cases and Conversations™: Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists in Patients With HF—Augmenting Current Guidelines with Emerging Evidence

Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Diving Deeper Into Disease Pathogenesis, Severity Assessment, and Holistic Management Approaches

A New Era of Targeted Therapy for Advanced NSCLC: Exploring Future Directions for Bispecific Antibodies and ADCs

26th Annual International Lung Cancer Congress

Navigating Advances in Neovascular Retinal Disease: Translating Evidence to Practice in AMD, DME, and RVO

(CME Track) Beyond the Collarette: Empowering Patients in the Management of Demodex Blepharitis

(COPE Track) Beyond the Collarette: Empowering Patients in the Management of Demodex Blepharitis

(CPE Track) Community Oncology Connections™: Leveraging Recent Advances in the Treatment of Relapsed/Refractory Follicular Lymphoma – Arkansas

IgAN Case Files: Real Conversations, Evolving Evidence

Shining a Light on an Ultra-Rare Disease – A Closer Look at Thymidine Kinase 2 Deficiency (TK2d)

Addressing Unmet Needs for Patients With Spinal Muscular Atrophy—Understanding Patient Challenges and Management Approaches

Rewiring Recovery: Evidence-Based Approaches to Managing Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy

Expert Illustrations & Commentaries™: Visualizing the Role of Dystrophin Dysregulation as a Therapeutic Target in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and MD STARnet

Navigating Ocular Toxicities: A Multidisciplinary Roadmap for Managing Adverse Events in Targeted Cancer Therapy

(CME Track) Antibody–Drug Conjugates in Oncology: The Essentials of AE Management for Better Patient Outcomes

Clinical Consultations™: Tailoring Treatment for Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Across Life Stages and Evolving Health Needs

A Shield of Protection: Unmet Needs in COVID-19 Prevention and Control

SimulatEd™: Partnering for Precision – A Framework for Personalized Care Planning in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Expert Illustrations & Commentaries™: Visualizing the Role of B Cells as Therapeutic Targets for Generalized Myasthenia Gravis

Personalized Approaches in NSCLC: Early Detection, Molecular Testing, and Targeted Therapies

Community Practice Connections™: Optimizing SCLC Treatment Strategies and Managing Adverse Events Across Disease Stages

9th Annual School of Nursing Oncology™

(CME Track) Transforming DED Management in Breaking Thermal Barriers

MacTel Decoded: Rethinking Conventional Approaches With Novel Neuroprotective Strategies

Rapid Reviews in Retina™: Emerging Updates from Fall 2025—Addressing the Wealth of New Data in Treatments for Neovascular Retinal Disease

Community Practice Connections™: DLL3-Targeting Bispecific Antibodies for Small Cell Lung Cancer—From Innovation to Practice

Targeting the Cortisol Cascade: Diagnosis and Treatment Strategies in Patients with Hypertension

ADA-SCID Chronicles: A Journey From Screening to Successful Outcomes

43rd Annual CFS®: Innovative Cancer Therapy for Tomorrow™

Patient, Provider, and Caregiver Connection™: Individualizing Care in C3 Glomerulopathy – Understanding Patient Challenges and the Role of Innovative Treatment

Hot Seat: How Experts Are Integrating the Latest Practice-Changing Data Into Their Breast Cancer Clinics

Precision in Practice: Advancing Prostate Cancer Care With PSMA-Directed Radioligand Therapy

Cases and Conversations™: Optimizing Outcomes in PV and ET—Evolving Standards, Symptom Management, and Therapeutic Innovation

Navigating the Adverse Event Landscape in HER2+ GEA Therapy

Community Oncology Connections™: Beyond Primary End Points – Digging Into Randomized and Real-World Data to Guide Challenging Treatment Decisions in HR+/HER2− Metastatic Breast Cancer | Missouri Oncology Society

Optimizing NSCLC Readiness in the Era of TROP2-Targeted ADCs: Frontline Combinations, CNS Disease, and Toxicity Differentiation

Uniting Heart and Kidney Care: Optimizing Outcomes in Cardio-Kidney-Metabolic Disorders