Common questions & answers
Why should you visit an endocrinologist?
An Endocrinologist is a doctor who treats a wide range of hormone-related diseases. He is specialized in diagnosing, managing and treating diseases and conditions like diabetes, thyroid disorder, metabolic disorder, cholesterol disorder, over or underproduction of hormones, short stature, endocrinal gland cancer etc. Your primary care doctor may recommend you an endocrinologist to better understand and manage your conditions. Or, you may directly visit an endocrinologist after experiencing symptoms related to hormonal diseases.
When should you visit an endocrinologist?
Endocrinology diseases are on the rise, especially in women. Even children and teenagers are not untouched with pediatric endocrine disorders. Some of the conditions that warn you to visit an endocrinologist are disturbed menstrual cycle, infertility, excess facial and body hair, acne, hypertension, excess fatigue, dehydration, skin changes, sweating, constipation etc.
What are the most common endocrine diseases and disorders that affect people’s health?
Some of the most common endocrine diseases are diabetes, goiter, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, thyroid cancer, adrenal insufficiency, Cushing's disease, gigantism, multiple endocrine neoplasia I and II (MEN I and MEN II), polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) etc.
What are the most common signs and symptoms of a thyroid problem?
Thyroid symptoms depend on the type of thyroid disorder a person is suffering from. Based on the symptoms thyroid disorder is categorized into two groups: hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormones required by the body. It symptoms include excess fatigue, lethargy, cold sensitivity, dry skin, excess weight gain, constipation, sexual dysfunction etc. In hyperthyroidism, the thyroid gland becomes overactive and produce more than the required hormone. Its symptoms include increased appetite, nervousness, inability to concentrate, difficulty sleeping, brittle hair, itching, hair loss, nausea and vomiting, weight loss etc.
What are the most common types of endocrine surgery an endocrinologist performs?
An endocrinologist analyses the disease and based on the health condition of the patient, he may perform surgery to remove the gland. Some of the common surgeries or procedures performed by an endocrinologist are hypophysectomy, thyroidectomy, adrenalectomy, pinealectomy, pancreatectomy, parathyroidectomy etc.
What kind of tests you may undergo for the diagnosis of endocrine disorders?
Based on the signs and symptoms of the patient’s condition, an endocrinologist may recommend one or more of these tests to know the underlying conditions of the diseases. Some of the endocrine tests include urine test, blood test, thyroid scan, diabetes test, cholesterol test, lipid profile test etc.
What causes an endocrine disease or disorder?
There are no specific causes that contribute to the development of endocrine diseases. According to the expert endocrinologists, the endocrine disorders can occur due to an infection in the endocrine glands, tumors in endocrine glands, family history, underactive or overactive glands etc.
