Endocrinologists are concerned with hormones, especially Hormones. In particular, they are concerned with hormone deficiencies that can result from many different causes, including obesity and aging. These doctors examine patients to determine the cause of their symptoms and then develop a treatment plan for them. Many endocrinologists work in conjunction with other physicians, like gynecologists and psychiatrists, to develop a treatment plan for patients. Here’s a quick overview of endocrinologists and their specialties.
A pediatric endocrinologist is a pediatrician, or doctor who specializes in treating children and young adults. Usually, these physicians do not perform any surgeries. However, some specialize in performing surgeries that are only done on children, like laminectomy or limb extraction. A pediatrician will treat mild cases of diabetes and hyperlipidemia.
An oncologist is an oncologist, also a pediatrician. Unlike a pediatrician, an oncologist treats cancer patients, those with cancer who don’t have cancer, children with brain tumors, and patients with other kinds of serious illnesses or diseases. Oncology is part of the field of medicine that involves many different specialties. This field combines cancer treatments with treatments for other diseases. Some of the diseases that pediatric oncologists treat our childhood cancer, melanoma (sometimes called skin cancer), and cancers of the lymph and testicles. Many of them work closely with radiation oncologists, working to improve the treatments that they provide for their patients.
An immunologist is an immunologist, a doctor who diagnoses and manages diseases associated with immunity and the bodies ability to fight off infection. Some diseases that immunologists treat are HIV/AIDS, SARS, Epstein-Barr, and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Lupus, and multiple sclerosis. A few immunologists also specialize in using immunotherapies, which are drugs that are used to stimulate the body’s immune system to fight specific diseases. Some examples of immunotherapies are vaccines, drugs, and tissue culture vaccines. Others work to develop drugs and therapies for use in the treatment of immune-compromised patients.
Many endocrinologists perform hormone replacement therapy when the patient’s thyroid function is impaired. This treatment can be used to relieve the symptoms of hypothyroidism, which can make children become underweight or gain weight because they are not producing enough thyroid hormones. Some endocrinologists help to control a thyroid disorder by helping to produce appropriate amounts of hormones that the thyroid needs. Other endocrinologists work to prevent diseases from causing problems with the thyroid by regulating hormone levels.
Some endocrinologists work in cellular diseases related to hormones, such as those that affect cells that produce insulin. Endocrinologists may also work with autoimmune diseases and conditions such as diabetes. Some endocrinologists focus on treating conditions related to the thyroid and pituitary gland, while others focus on disorders and diseases that affect organs other than the thyroid, such as the kidneys, gallbladder, and thymus glands. Some endocrinologists specialize in conditions that affect the cardiovascular system. Others may specialize in conditions related to mental health, development, fertility, and osteoarthritis.
People with certain thyroid conditions, including Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, have an endocrinologist on their case team. People with chronic venous insufficiency, another thyroid condition common in people with Hashimoto’s disease, have an endocrinologist on their case team too. The endocrinologists often treat these patients with medications, which can help to regulate the thyroid’s functions so that it does not overheat or underwork.
One of the most common diseases for which an endocrinologist is called upon is diabetes. Millions of people in the United States have diabetes, and endocrinologists have a very important role in helping patients to control their diabetes through a variety of treatment options. For example, some endocrinologists work to manage insulin, helping to produce sufficient levels of the hormone that allow cells to absorb glucose and other nutrients. Other endocrinologists work to reduce the effects of diabetes on the body, including reducing or eliminating damage to the organs that are affected by the disease. Some endocrinologists even specialize in hormone replacement therapy, working with hormone replacement for patients who are unable to produce their own hormones, such as those who have congenital causes of diabetes.