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An overview of endocrinology

Endocrinology is a subspecialty within internal medicine and mainly addresses thyroid, diabetes, infertility, and osteoporosis. Hypertension, growth hormone deficiency, and cholesterol issues are other problems with which an endocrinologist can help.

An endocrinologist is a certified doctor with expertise in the endocrine system and its diseases. The endocrine system controls the body's hormones, which are responsible for your moods, growth, metabolism, and reproductive abilities, to name a few. The pituitary, adrenal glands, hypothalamus, thyroid, thymus, pancreas, ovaries, and testes form the endocrine system. These glands are in the brain, neck, lungs, pelvic region, and stomach.

What kind of education and training do endocrinologists receive?

To specialize in endocrinology, aspirants undergo six years of training in their chosen specialty post-medical school. Before practicing, they must obtain internal medicine certification and follow up with an endocrinology certification. A board-certified endocrinologist will have cleared the Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism Certification Exam administered by the American Board of Internal Medicine.

Subspecialties of endocrinology include pediatric endocrinology, thyroid endocrinology, and comparative endocrinology. Some diseases might involve the endocrine system even if they did not originate there. Depending on the organs involved, a top endocrinologist might collaborate with your primary care doctor or other specialists.

What are some specialties in endocrinology?

There are various specialties in endocrinology. Here are a few of them:

• Diabetes mellitus: This specialty offers comprehensive diabetes care, covering aspects like intensive insulin therapy, hypoglycemia, pregnancy, nutritional management, exercise education, complication prevention, lipid management, ophthalmologic monitoring, neuropathy management, and behavior modification.
• Lipid disorders: This specialty uses a multidisciplinary approach to diagnose and treat lipid disorders. Doctors conduct specialized diagnostic tests, including genetic testing for familial hypercholesterolemia, Apolipoprotein E genotype, lipoprotein(a), and C-reactive protein assays. Specialized treatments, such as apheresis and novel lipid-lowering drugs, are available for severe dyslipidemia.
• Nutrition clinical: This specialty operates outpatient clinics for obesity, eating disorders, general nutrition advice, and long-term tube feedings. They provide a multispecialty approach, including bariatric surgery evaluation and nutritional analysis.
• Osteoporosis-calcium disorders: This specialty offers consultations for bone and calcium disorders, including risk assessment with bone densitometry, dietary counseling, physiotherapy advice, and medical consultations for conditions like hyperparathyroidism, hypocalcemia, and Paget's disease. It also covers various metabolic bone diseases and skeletal dysplasias.

Some common endocrine disorders

There are a few endocrine disorders that manifest with age. These include type 2 diabetes, sluggish metabolism that causes you to put on weight, and osteoporosis. Other diseases of the endocrine system include:

• Cushing's disease: In this condition, the body produces excess cortisol that can cause weight gain and easy bruising. It can also weaken the muscles and bones and cause a hump on the upper back.
• Acromegaly: When the pituitary gland creates too much growth hormone, it can make your bones bigger. This condition occurs in middle age and affects the face, legs, and hands.
• Hyperthyroidism: An overactive thyroid can produce excess hormones, which can cause weight loss, rapid heartbeat, insomnia, and nervousness.
• Hypothyroidism: This condition occurs when there is too little thyroid hormone. Some symptoms include weight gain, tiredness, slow heartbeat, and muscle or joint pains.
• Hypopituitarism: In this condition, the pituitary gland cannot produce certain hormones, and the thyroid and adrenal glands are likely to malfunction.
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): Women with this condition have irregular periods, acne, and excess facial hair. PCOS occurs when an imbalance in the reproductive hormones affects the ovaries, resulting in the absence of ovulation or failure to produce eggs.
• Multiple endocrine neoplasia: This condition can cause tumors on endocrine glands or in other organs or tissues within the endocrine system.

What conditions do pediatric endocrinologists treat?

Pediatric endocrinologists near you receive special training and expertise in diagnosing, managing, and treating various conditions affecting the endocrine system in children and adolescents, including hormonal disorders. These may include: 

Adrenal gland disorders

The adrenal glands produce crucial hormones for the child's growth and development. 

Different adrenal disorders affecting children include:

• Addison's disease: The child's body fails to produce aldosterone and cortisol hormones.
• Congenital adrenal hyperplasia: This condition affects the body's natural ability to produce androgen, aldosterone, and cortisol.

Bone and calcium conditions

Conditions affecting the child's calcium and bone metabolism levels include the following:

• Hypocalcemia: This condition occurs when there are lower-than-normal calcium levels in the child's bloodstream.
• Hypercalcemia: This illness occurs when calcium levels in the child's bloodstream are higher than normal.
• Rickets: This is a condition caused due to vitamin D deficiency in the body.

Sex organ development disorders

Hormonal disorders may affect the actual development of sex organs in the child. The diseases may include:

• Gender dysphoria: Differences between the child's appearance and gender identity and the resulting emotional stress. 
• Atypical genitalia: The child's external genitalia do not appear typically female or typically male but rather in the middle. It's a rare genetic condition. 

Growth and puberty disorders

Hormones affect the natural growth and development of the child. The conditions affecting the puberty and growth of the child may include:

• Delayed puberty: The physical symptoms of a child's puberty appear much later than expected. 
• Short stature: The child is shorter in height than nearly 95% of other children in the same sex and age group. 
• Early puberty: The physical signs of the child's puberty appear much earlier than usual.

Genetic disorders

Different genetic disorders affecting the child's endocrine system may include the following:

• Prader-willi syndrome: This condition impacts the child's metabolism and changes their behavior and body.
• Turner syndrome: This condition affects females where one of the two X hormones is partially or entirely missing. 

Diabetes and metabolic disorders

Diabetes and metabolic conditions affecting children may include the following:

• Obesity: A chronic condition that results in poor health and excess body fat.
• Type 1 diabetes: The child's pancreas cannot produce insulin due to an autoimmune attack. 
• Type 2 diabetes: The child's body fails to utilize the insulin the pancreas produces.

Five ways of maintaining your endocrine health

The endocrine system is integral to the different phases of our lives. From entering puberty to managing stress, hormones play a significant role. Thus, it is essential to maintain good endocrine health. Some ways of doing this are by:

• Exercise regularly - Physical activity rids your body of toxins, helps blood circulation, and enhances hormone receptor sensitivity. In addition, regular exercise can improve insulin resistance and cardiovascular health.
• Eat a nutritious diet – Include fiber, a variety of vegetables, and plenty of lean protein. Protein promotes the production of hormones that make you feel full. Thus, a well-balanced diet can provide sufficient energy while meeting your daily nutrition requirements.
• Sleep well – Get a good night's rest to revitalize your body and mind. Lack of sleep or disturbed sleep can affect hormonal balance, leading to health issues.
• Avoid junk food and sugar – Processed foods and eatables with high sugar content can lead to sluggish hormonal functions. Apart from causing conditions such as diabetes and obesity, these empty calories can stunt the production of the fullness hormone leptin.
• Control stress – Stress reduction techniques such as meditation and yoga can help reduce stress hormone cortisol levels. Lower cortisol levels, in turn, can regulate excessive food cravings and glucose production in the body.

What are the common treatments in endocrinology?

Endocrinology treatments vary widely depending on the condition. Endocrinologists manage many disorders with hormone replacement therapies (HRT) and medications to correct hormonal imbalances. Common treatments include glucocorticoids for adrenal/pituitary issues, growth hormone therapy for growth disorders, hormonal birth control for PCOS or endometriosis, insulin for diabetes, testosterone replacement for low testosterone, and thyroid medications like levothyroxine for hypothyroidism.  

Surgical procedures may include:

• Adrenalectomy for adrenal gland issues.
• Gamma knife radiosurgery for tumors.
• Thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer or hyperthyroidism.
• Radioiodine ablation for cancerous thyroid tissues.

Endocrinologists tailor treatments to each condition's specific needs.  

Why might you be referred to an endocrinologist?

A referral to an endocrinologist typically occurs when there are signs of a hormonal disorder, either identified through lab results or symptoms or when a diagnosed condition requires specialized care beyond the expertise of your primary physician. Endocrinologists are rarely the first point of contact for a medical issue and are not usually primary care providers.  

Your primary care doctor can often recommend a local endocrinologist, or you can use the ABIM verification portal to find a board-certified specialist.  

During your first visit, feel free to ask questions better to understand your condition and the diagnosis or treatment process. Examples of helpful questions include:

- What is your experience treating this condition?  

- How much of your practice focuses on this condition?  

- What should I expect during treatment?  

- What are the risks and complications?  

- How successful is the treatment?  

- When will I know if the treatment works?  

- Will the treatment have any effect on my ability to work?  

- Who should I contact for urgent concerns, even after hours?  

- Any lifestyle changes to improve my condition?  

- What happens if I choose not to pursue treatment?  

- Are there alternative treatments to consider?  

What should you expect during your first visit to an endocrinologist?

When visiting an endocrinologist, typically in an outpatient setting, you'll encounter a healthcare professional specializing in chronic hormone-related conditions, often referred by your primary care doctor. The initial visit involves a series of questions about your symptoms, health habits, medical history, medications, and family history of hormone-related problems. 

The endocrinologist collaborates with your referring doctor, reviewing medical records, conducting a physical exam, checking pulse, heart rate, and blood pressure, and assessing skin, hair, mouth, and teeth, areas impacted by hormone-related disorders.

Further diagnostic measures may include blood work, urinalysis, biopsies, or imaging tests like computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans. Once the endocrinologist establishes a diagnosis, they collaborate with you and your referring doctor to devise a treatment plan. 

Ongoing management by the endocrinologist may be necessary for chronic conditions, whereas others may require short-term care with follow-up and symptom management by primary care doctors. This collaborative approach ensures comprehensive and specialized care tailored to your specific hormone-related health needs.

Find an endocrinologist near you in Fresh Meadows, Queens

The human body secretes about 50 hormones that perform various functions. When any of these hormones do not function normally, it's time to see a specialist. An experienced endocrinologist can help zero in on the cause and treat it to restore the body's balance. Here is where Zocdoc can help.

Regardless of your location in the USA, Zocdoc's extensive database can help you find a qualified endocrinologist. For accurate results, you can look up specialists using the area, education, and insurance coverage filters. The process is similar to seeking medical practitioner references from friends and family. And the best part is that you find everything from the comfort of your home. 

Instead of multiple emails or phone calls to check for credentials and patient experiences, Zocdoc gives you all the necessary information at the click of a button. Review individual profiles and check the patient reviews before zeroing in on the top endocrinologist who best meets your needs. You can then schedule an in-person or online appointment with the specialist. 

Our online patient support center assists in finding endocrinologists who accept your insurance. Using Zocdoc, you can connect your medical, dental, and vision insurance plans to your account, although you can use only one plan per appointment.  

You can include your secondary insurance details in the appointment notes if you have multiple insurance plans. Alternatively, if your healthcare provider uses Zocdoc's Intake forms, you can input your secondary insurance information there for convenience.  

Booking appointments with an endocrinologist near you on Zocdoc is quick, free, and secure.

Prevalence of diabetes in Queens County and New York

Diabetes is one of the common ailments caused by a malfunctioning endocrine system. Per the 2020 National Diabetes Statistics Report, 10.5% of the U.S. population, or 34.2 million people across ages, has diabetes. The number of adults with undiagnosed diabetes was 7.3 million, or 21.4% of all U.S. adults with diabetes. According to national diabetes data, around 10.5% of the adult population in New York State have diabetes.

In Queens County, the diabetes prevalence rate was 11%, slightly higher than that in New York State. Similarly, the rate of gestational diabetes in the county was at 6.6%, while the state average stood at 5.5%. Among adolescents, Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. Research also shows that many chronic conditions, such as diabetes, emerged from pediatric obesity. Most school districts in Queens County have at least 30% of students classified as obese.

Sources

WebMD[1]

WebMD[2]

American Association of Clinical Endocrinology

Society for Endocrinology

PeaceHealth

Northwell Health

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

New York State Department of Health

Cleveland Clinic

Mayo Clinic[1]

Mayo Clinic[2]

Mayo Clinic[3]

Mayo Clinic[4]

Mayo Clinic[5]

Verywell Health

The content herein is provided for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Medical information changes constantly, and therefore the content on this website should not be assumed to be current, complete or exhaustive. Always seek the advice of your doctor before starting or changing treatment. If you think you may have a medical emergency, please call your doctor or 9-1-1 immediately.