Tests for endocrine disorders

The endocrine system is a network of glands that produce and release hormones that help control many important body functions, including converting calories into energy. Hormonal disorders will cause many dangerous diseases such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, hypopituitarism... Therefore, it is extremely important to perform tests for endocrine disorders to detect the disease early.

The endocrine system will affect the way the heart beats, bones and tissues develop, and even the ability to have children. It is an important causative factor in common endocrine diseases in humans such as diabetes, thyroid disease, growth disorders, sexual dysfunction and a variety of other hormone disorders.
This article will help you understand more about the endocrine system, the causes of endocrine disorders, the types of endocrine disorders and the methods of testing for endocrine disorders today.

Each gland of the endocrine system secretes specific hormones to put into the bloodstream. These hormones travel through the blood to other cells, helping to control or coordinate many of the regulatory processes in the body.
Endocrine glands include:
Adrenal glands: Consists of two glands located on top of the kidney that are responsible for releasing the hormone cortisol. Hypothalamus: The part of the lower midbrain that tells the pituitary gland when to release hormones. Ovaries: Female reproductive organs that release eggs and produce sex hormones. Cells in the pancreas: Controls the release of the hormones insulin and glucagon. Parathyroid glands: Four small glands in the neck that play a role in bone growth. Pineal gland: A gland found near the center of the brain, associated with sleep patterns. Pituitary Gland: A gland found at the base of the brain, behind the sinuses. It is also known as the “master gland” because it affects many other glands, especially the thyroid gland. Problems with the pituitary gland can affect bone growth, menstrual cycles, and a woman's ability to produce milk. Testicles: The male gonads that produce sperm and sex hormones. Thymus: A gland in the upper chest that helps create the body's immune system. Thyroid: A butterfly-shaped gland in the front of the neck that controls metabolism.

Even the slightest problem with one or more of these glands can throw off the hormonal balance, lead to endocrine disorders or cause endocrine diseases.

Causes of endocrine disorders are classified into 2 types:
Type 1: Caused by a gland that produces too much or too little hormone, called a hormone imbalance. Type 2: Due to the growth of lesions such as tumors within the endocrine system, hormone levels may or may not be affected. The endocrine feedback system helps control hormone balance in the blood. If the body has too much or too little of a hormone, this system signals the appropriate gland to correct the problem. A hormone imbalance occurs if the feedback system fails to keep the correct levels of hormones in the blood or if the body does not remove them from the blood properly.

The increase/decrease in endocrine hormones can be caused by:
The endocrine feedback system has problems. Diseases. Genetic disorders (eg, congenital hypothyroidism...). Infection. Injury to an endocrine gland. Tumor of an endocrine gland. Most endocrine tumors or tumors are not cancerous and usually do not spread to other parts of the body. However, a tumor or nodule on an endocrine gland can interfere with the gland's hormone production.

Diabetes: This is one of the most common endocrine disorders. Adrenal insufficiency: Symptoms include fatigue, stomach pain, dehydration, and skin discoloration. Addison's disease is a type of adrenal insufficiency. Cushing's disease: An overproduction of a pituitary hormone leads to an overactive adrenal gland. A similar condition, Cushing's syndrome, occurs in people taking high doses of corticosteroids, especially children. Growth hormone problems: If the pituitary gland produces too much growth hormone, the child's bones and organs will grow abnormally fast, otherwise if the growth hormone levels are too low the child may stop growing. height. Hyperthyroidism: The thyroid gland produces too much hormone leading to weight loss, rapid heartbeat, sweating, and nervousness. Hypothyroidism: The thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones leading to symptoms such as fatigue, constipation, dry skin and depression, in children causing growth retardation. Hypopituitarism: A condition in which the pituitary gland secretes little or no hormone. Polycystic ovary syndrome: Overproduction of androgens interferes with egg development and ovulation. It is also the leading cause of infertility in women. Precocious Puberty: Endocrine glands signal the body to release sex hormones too soon.

Patients may be referred to an endocrinologist who is specially trained in problems with the endocrine system.
The diagnosis of an endocrine disorder can be based on the following:
Symptoms: The symptoms of an endocrine disorder vary widely and depend on the specific endocrine gland involved. However, most patients share the common symptoms of persistent weakness and fatigue. Have blood tests and urine tests: These two methods check hormone levels to help determine if you have a hormone disorder. Imaging tests: Help determine the existence and location of a nodule or tumor. The treatment of hormonal disorders can be complicated, because a change in hormone levels can lead to a decrease in other hormone levels. Your doctor may order periodic blood tests to check for hormonal problems, or to see if any adjustments to your medication or treatment plan are needed.
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Reference source: webmd.com

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