Endocrinology
Endocrinology is a branch of medicine that is related to the study of hormones and its disorders. The endocrine system consists of several glands located in different parts of the body that secrete hormones. The endocrine disorders are a varied group of diseases that usually occur due to under functioning or over functioning of these glands.
Diabetes, the most common endocrine disorder, encountered in clinical practice, occurs due to decreased secretion of insulin, a hormone produced from pancreas, an endocrine gland.
The common endocrine disorders are the following:
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Osteoporosis (low bone density)
- Short Stature & Growth disorders
- Hirsutism (Excessive facial or body hair in females)
- Thyroid disorders- Hypothyroidism, Hyperthyroidism, Goitre, Thyroid Cancers
- Sexual disorders, Erectile dysfunction, Hypogonadism & Male infertility
- Polycystic ovary disease (PCOD or PCOS) and other female hormone disorders
- Metabolic bone diseases - Vitamin D deficiency, Rickets, Osteomalacia, Hyperparathyroidism
- Adrenal disorders - Adrenal tumors, Cushing’s syndrome, Pheochromocytoma, Adrenal failure
- Other endocrine disorders- Insulinoma, Neuroendocrine Tumors, MEN syndrome, PGA syndrome etc.
- Delayed & premature puberty (delayed or early development of various secondary sexual characters in boys or girls)
- Disorder of Sexual Development - Small penis, Hidden Testis, Genital ambiguity, Gynecomastia (development of breast tissue in males), Turner’s syndrome, Klinefelter’s syndrome
- Pituitary disorders - Pituitary tumors, raised pituitary hormone levels (e.g. Prolactin, GH, etc.), deficiency of pituitary hormones, Diabetes insipidus
