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The word endocrinology comes from the Greek words: “endon” – inside, “krino” – I excrete and “logos” – science. Endocrinology is therefore a branch of science dealing with endocrine, glandular and hormone function. Endocrinology is a branch of medicine, and endocrinologists are specialists in examining the function of the glands in our body, i.e. the pituitary, adrenal, thyroid and ovaries.
What does an endocrinologist do?
Lekarze endocrinologists they deal with all diseases and disorders in the work of the endocrine glands. The endocrine glands are the thyroid gland, parathyroid glands, ovaries, testes, hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenal glands, and pancreas. Anomalies in the work of the listed glands lead to endocrine disorders our body.
Visit to the endocrinologist – when?
An indication for consultation with a doctor endocrinologist there may be varied, disturbing symptoms. It is worth knowing what ailments are heralded by disorders at work endocrine glands.
Such ailments include: sudden changes in body weight – both its increase and decrease, which we cannot justify in a rational way; the appearance of acne, excessive hair loss in women, feeling sleepy or uncontrolled excitability, atrophy or abnormal increase in libido, hot flushes, excessive sweating, recurrent headaches, excessive hair loss, recurrent swelling of the hands and feet. In addition, in women, an indication to visit endocrinologist there are disturbances in the menstrual cycle, the occurrence of bleeding from the reproductive area, breast pain, problems with maintaining pregnancy, and the so-called galactorrhea.
It also happens that a visit is needed endocrinologist children’s. This is the case when the child has a maturation disorder (especially premature puberty), abnormal body proportions or growth problems.
Listed symptoms can often be a harbinger of other conditions, therefore on endocrinology consultation we are usually targeting after the previous diagnostic options have been exhausted.
Interesting information is the fact that I am patients endocrinologists are more often women. The women go to endocrinologist five times more often than men. It has to do with frequent u women thyroid disorders that make it difficult to conceive and maintain pregnancy. Moreover, women turn to endocrinologists in menopause far more often than men undergoing andropause. This is probably due to the fact that andropause is still taboo for many men.
What tests does an endocrinologist do?
Endocrinologist in order to determine our health condition, he usually performs tests such as: blood count, TSH level test (i.e. thyrotropin level), fT3 and fT4 tests (determination of thyroid hormone levels), thyroid ultrasound, anti-TPO (test of the amount of anti-thyroid antibodies), testing the level of vitamin D3 in the body (it is related to hyperparathyroidism).
What does an endocrinologist treat?
Endocrinologist deals with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases or conditions such as:
- gynecomastia (male nipple enlargement);
- problems with hirsutism, acne, premature baldness;
- hormonal mental disorders such as depression;
- gonadal diseases (menopause, andropause, abnormalities in the maturation process);
- hormonal infertility;
- inability to maintain pregnancy resulting from hormonal problems;
- diseases of the adrenal glands (Cushing’s syndrome, tumors, hormonal hypertension, adrenal insufficiency and hyperfunction);
- thyroid diseases (hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism, Hashimoto’s disease, the occurrence of tumors);
- diseases of the parathyroid glands (hyperthyroidism, tetany);
- pancreatic problems (diabetes, tumors);
- diseases of the pituitary gland (hyper- and hypopituitarism, acromegaly, Cushing’s disease, hyperprolactinaemia).
Depending on what disease he diagnoses endocrinologistdifferent therapy is recommended.
The cost of visiting an endocrinologist
Unfortunately, endocrinology is a medical specialization that is difficult to access for young doctors, which is why in Poland the waiting times for an appointment with an endocrinologist under the National Health Fund start from about a year to even several years. Patients usually don’t want to wait that long and decide to go to endocrinologist privately. Private visit to u endocrinologist to expense from PLN 100 upwards, if the doctor performs an ultrasound, we should add an additional PLN 50-100. The impact on the prices of visits to a specific endocrinologist it has the reputation of a given doctor and the size of the city we visit.