You might not be overly familiar with endocrinologists and what they do, but this branch of the medical profession is just as important as any other. Endocrinologists, as their name implies, specialize in the body’s endocrine system and the glands and hormones that make up that system. The human body produces over 50 different types of hormones, each one being responsible for regulating a different bodily function. With that being said, there are a number of issues that these medical specialists can help with and this article will take a look at a few of them.
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: One issue that endocrinologists can help patients with is polycystic ovary syndrome, commonly abbreviated as PCOS. This is a disorder that occurs when too many male hormones are produced in a female body. This can lead to several reasons to visit an endocrinologist, including difficulty getting pregnant, no menstrual cycle, and excessive weight gain, just to name a few examples. While solutions to PCOS can vary, one solution involves prescribing hormonal birth control to artificially boost the amount of female hormones in the patient’s body, helping those hormones to stay properly regulated on a monthly basis.
- Obesity: Another issue that endocrinologists can help patients with is obesity. While this issue can have a wide variety of causes, it is not uncommon for excessive weight gain to occur due to a hormonal imbalance somewhere in the endocrine system. Aside from consulting on the best personalized weight loss program that can help the patient get back to a healthy weight, endocrinologists can also examine the patient to see if a hormonal imbalance is indeed affecting their weight. If so, they might prescribe some type of hormone to help correct the issue.
- Sports Medicine: And finally, a third issue that endocrinologists can help patients with is sports medicine. While this might not seem related to endocrinology in the slightest, the truth is that exercise releases all kinds of hormones into the body, and an imbalance could cause complications while engaging in sports or even regular exercise. If an imbalance is suspected, patients can visit an endocrinologist and find out if there is such an issue affecting their performance.
In conclusion, there are several issues endocrinologists can help patients with. These issues include polycystic ovary syndrome, obesity, and sports medicine. These examples represent just a few of the medical issues that endocrinologists can help patients with.
