Endocrinology

The endocrinologist deals with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases affecting the internally secreting glands that produce hormones, which influence the function of all tissues and apparatuses in the body.

It is advisable to periodically visit the thyroid gland to check its functionality: around 6 million people in Italy suffer from thyroid disease and the symptoms of its dysfunction are very common with other diseases and therefore not very recognisable. The examination is completed by blood tests to assess its values and instrumental examinations such as ultrasound to detect any thyroid nodules.

Hormones are very important chemical messengers, as they regulate metabolism, growth, reproduction and sexual development.
The endocrine glands that secrete hormones are the thyroid, parathyroid, pituitary, pancreas, adrenals, ovaries (in women) and testicles (in men). Therefore, one is referred to an endocrinologist in the event of a disorder or disorder of one of these newly named glands.

For example, patients of the endocrinologist are those who suffer from:

• Diabetes
• Thyroid problems (thyroiditis, goitre, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, etc.)
• Malignant or benign neoplasms affecting one of the endocrine glands and related disorders (e.g. pheochromocytoma and hypertension)
• Infertility (e.g. due to hypogonadism)
• Growth defects (dwarfism or gigantism)
• Menopausal problems
• Osteoporosis
• Various types of dyslipidemia (hypercholesterolaemia, hypertriglyceridaemia, etc.)
• Early puberty
• Hirsutism
• Other metabolic diseases