Experiencing Thyroid Issues or Battling an Endocrine Disorder in Lufkin, TX?
What is Endocrinology?
Endocrinology is the specialty of hormone-related diseases. Hormones regulate metabolism, respiration (breathing), cardiovascular function, growth, reproduction, and brain function. Hormone imbalance is the underlying reason for many medical conditions.
What is the endocrine system?
The endocrine system comprises all of the glands in the body that make hormones, and hormones make sure your body works as it should. So if your endocrine system is not working as it should, a body could experience a multitude of problems – depending on the age and sex of the person.
What are the glands that make up the endocrine system?
Hypothalamus – connects your endocrine system to your nervous system
Pituitary – Taking information from the brain, it tells other glands in your body what to do. And it makes many hormones, including growth hormone and the hormones that manage estrogen in women and testosterone in men
Pineal – makes melatonin, the chemical that helps your body get ready to go to sleep.
Thyroid – makes thyroid hormone, which controls a body’s metabolism.
Parathyroid – four small glands behind the thyroid that are necessary for bone health because they control calcium and phosphorus levels.
Adrenals - produces what we call the “fight or flight” hormone known as adrenaline. These are two glands that also make the hormones that impact your metabolism, blood pressure, and sexual function.
Pancreas – serves two areas of your body – your endocrine system and your digestive system. For your digestive system, it makes the enzymes that break down food so it can enter your bloodstream. For your endocrine system, it makes hormones, such as insulin and glucagon, that helps regulate the movement of nutrients from your blood into your cells. This includes controlling your blood sugar.
Ovaries – these two glands make estrogen and progesterone; they support pregnancy and regulate the menstrual cycle. Estrogen also supports bone, cardiovascular, and brain function.
Testes – these two glands make testosterone and sperm
What are some health issues associated with the endocrine system?
Our team specializes in identifying health issues related to the endocrine system and providing our patients with the proper treatment plan for these conditions:
Osteoporosis – bones become porous and weak; this can lead to debilitating fractures.
Thyroid Disorders –hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer
Bone and Mineral Disorders – can be caused by kidney disease or other metabolic hormonal disorders. When the kidneys do not work right due to CKD or failure, an imbalance of calcium and phosphorus in blood levels occurs and that affects your bones, heart, and blood vessels.
Hormonal disorders/therapy – if there is an imbalance in your hormones – too much or too little of one or more hormone –your body can be subject to serious changes and effects. Symptoms of hormonal imbalance include weight gain, fatigue, dry skin, puffy face, unexplained weight loss, increased or decreased heart rate, increased sensitivity to cold or heat, thinning hair, increased hunger, blurred vision and many others.
Adrenal disorders – Cushing’s Syndrome, Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia, Addison’s Disease, hypertension
Low testosterone – levels of testosterone generally decrease with age but it does occur in younger men for various reasons. Low testosterone can cause fatigue, low sex drive, reduced lean muscle mass, irritability, depression and erectile dysfunction.
Pituitary disorders - Acromegaly or gigantism, galactorrhea, erectile dysfunction, central diabetes insipidus, and hypopituitarism
Diabetes – occurs when the pancreas does not release insulin properly; insulin is the body’s key to open your cells and allow glucose to enter. You need glucose for energy.
- Type 1 – the body is unable to make the required amount of insulin necessary, which causes high blood sugar.
- Type 2 – the body is unable to make enough and it’s not effective enough to move the glucose – causing high blood sugar
Obesity – changes the way our endocrine system functions and how our hormones communicate with the brain. It also leads to many different disorders such as cardiovascular disease, sleep apnea, and back pain.
Cholesterol – high cholesterol, too much cholesterol content in the bloodstream, can build up as plaque along the inside walls of arteries, causing them to narrow.
Hypertension – also known as high blood pressure.
Hypoglycemia – abnormally low level of sugar, or glucose, in the blood. This could indicate other health problems.
