Endocrinology is a branch of medicine dealing with disorders of the endocrine system. It consists of endocrine or ductless glands which secrete a variety of hormones. They include the pituitary gland, thyroid gland, adrenal glands, pancreas, ovaries and testes, and the kidneys. Endocrinologists are doctors who specialize in treating endocrine disorders.
ENDOCRINOLOGY AND ITS TRAIL
Our Endocrine System
Made up of hormone producing glands such as the pancreas and the thyroid, both of which help to maintain our blood sugar levels, the endocrine system, like any other system, is malleable to complications. This failure of function results in disorders; one of the most common endocrine disorders is diabetes.
Treating Diabetes
There are two types of diabetes: Type 1 occurs when the body fails to produce insulin while Type 2 occurs when the cells in the body fail to respond to the insulin being produced. Diabetes is a disease that has to be attended to urgently, and treated efficiently and effectively by an endocrinologist. On a regular basis, diabetes patients must learn to implement blood pressure control, abstaining from smoking and maintaining a healthy body weight. If treatment is not exercised, patients may suffer from chronic renal failure, retinal damage and cardiovascular disease in the long term.
Common problems
- Diabetes mellitus (patients often complain of thirst, passing lots of urine, weight loss, numbness of extremities – pins and needles sensation)
- Thyroid disorders (marked weight loss, palpitation, excessive sweating, hand tremors, excessive weight gain, lethargy, insomnia)
- Sex hormone disorders (menstrual irregularity, delayed puberty)
- Pituitary disorders (short stature, visual loss, poor sexual development)
- Osteoporosis
