The endocrine disorder is caused by improper functioning of the endocrine system. When your endocrine system can’t properly function, it causes your body to produce the hormone at a high or very low level, which causes health problems. Common endocrine diseases are caused by improper functioning of the pancreas, pituitary glands, adrenal glands, and thyroid glands.
- Menopause
- Diabetes
- Graves’ disease
- Hashimoto thyroiditis
- Prolactinoma
- Cancers of the endocrine glands
- Addison’s disease
- Cushing’s disease
- Hyperthyroidism/hypothyroidism
What Could Cause Endocrine Disorder
The endocrine disorder is primarily caused by hormonal imbalance caused by a gland producing high or low hormone levels. For example, when there is a high level of androgen level, it leads to polycystic ovary syndrome. In other cases, the disorder can be caused by other factors like
- Genetic disorder
- Endocrine gland injury
- An infection or a disease
A tumor can also cause the disorder; for example, Cushing disease and acromegaly are caused by the occurrence of a tumor in the pituitary of your adrenal gland. The tumor is non-cancerous, but you must reach out to an endocrinologist near me for removal to manage the condition.
The Common Symptoms of Endocrine Disorders
Every endocrine disorder has its unique symptoms, but here are some common symptoms of that most patients experience.
- Mood swings
- Weakness
- Weight fluctuations
- Change in blood sugar levels
Endocrine Disorder Diagnosis
Diagnosing endocrine diseases is complex because the endocrine system is connected with the body system that regulates crucial bodily functions such as reproduction, growth, and metabolism.
Your physician may refer you to an endocrinologist near me if they suspect you might have the endocrine disorder. The endocrinologist may advise you to take the following tests.
- Urine test: the test helps to rule out if you have other diseases like kidney and other infections
- Imaging studies: you will be required to do scans such as CT scan and MRI to evaluate if the tumor is cancerous or not to decide on the proper treatment
- Genetic test: this helps to evaluate if the gene abnormalities may increase the risk of endocrine disease or if it may affect the patient’s treatment response.
- Hormonal test: the test is done to check if the patient has hormonal levels that are too high or low.
- Ultrasound: the test shows valuable information about patients’ bodies, helping them come up with diagnosis and treatment.
- Fine needle aspiration: in this test, a small tissue from the breast is removed to check if the patient has cancer cells.
Endocrine Disorder Treatment
Since the endocrine disorder is caused by the rise or fall of hormone production, it can be treated with hormonal imbalance treatment. This is done by administering synthetic hormones to the patient.
In other cases, an endocrinologist near me may also suggest other treatments like
- Chemotherapy or radiation therapy: This is done on patients with cancerous tumors.
- Surgery: it’s done on the patient to remove a tumor affecting hormonal production.
You should see a doctor whenever you are experiencing the symptoms of endocrine disorder. Sometimes, endocrine disorders could get challenging to identify because the symptoms are similar to other diseases.
Conclusion
Endocrine disorders are diseases related to a hormonal imbalance, where the endocrine system produces either high or low levels of hormones. You should contact the endocrinologist near me for treatment immediately after you get diagnosed with the disorder.
