Endocrinology

A doctor who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of endocrine system diseases. The most common of them are diabetes mellitus and thyroid and adrenal gland disorders.

Disorders occurring in endocrine system remains asymptotic for a long time or is manifested with subtle signs. E.g., a person may feel increased fatigue and attribute it to physical or mental overload. Skin dryness may be a problem, but the patient believes that this is an individual characteristic or the result of insufficient care. These and many other symptoms, ranging from minor mood swings to a worsening of the condition, can often be the result of pathological processes in the endocrine system.

Meanwhile, without treatment, endocrine disorders can cause irreversible processes in the body. Therefore, it is important to regularly monitor the endocrine system, which enables the avoidance of the development of many pathologies. 

 

Visit to endocrinologist

A visit to an endocrinologist starts with gathering an anamnesis. The doctor enquires whether the patient suffers from chronic diseases and whether she/he has a hereditary predisposition to a particular disease, and asks about symptoms that may indicate endocrine disorders. The patient is asked how her/his weight has changed recently, whether she/he falls asleep quickly and sleeps enough, and whether she/he notices dry skin, thirst, or increased appetite. Such analysis enables the doctor to predict possible endocrine disorders and define their risks, and also to make a plan for further examination. The doctor then measures height, weight, pulse, and blood pressure, and assesses the condition of the skin, hair, and nails. Palpation of the thyroid gland enables the detection of pathological changes in this gland (enlargement, formation of nodes), which may require additional examination.

The important aspect of diagnostics is the assessment of the patient’s psycho-emotional condition, her/his dietary type and physical activity, mood and appetite specifics. The patient’s energy level provides the endocrinologist general understanding of the person’s hormonal background.   

According to the necessity, the endocrinologist prescribes specific studies in case of suspicion of various endocrine pathologies, which is necessary for making a correct diagnosis. If no surgery is needed for the existing diagnosis, the endocrinologist prescribes treatment with periodic laboratory and instrumental monitoring of the patient's condition. In other cases, the patient is referred to a doctor of a specific specialty (e.g., surgeon, oncologist, etc.) and, together with the endocrinologist, such patient is managed in a consolidated manner.