Thyroid gland

● Hyperthyroidism - Too much thyroid hormone from an overactive thyroid gland. Nearly 1% females suffer and it can run in families.
● Hypothyroidism - Too little thyroid hormone - causes many physical and mental processes to become sluggish. Upto 5% of people can suffer from mild disease.
● Thyroid Nodules & others - A swelling or lump in the thyroid gland. Seen in nearly 5% population. It can overproduce hormones. Rarely a nodule can be cancerous.
● Cretinism - Too little thyroid hormone in a child can lead to poor mental development. Hence early diagnosis and urgent treatment is needed.
Endocrinologists study and treat several major disorders of the thyroid gland.

Parathyroid glands

The parathyroid glands are necessary for proper growth and maintenance of bones.
● Excess production of this hormone (hyperparathyroidism) causes bone pain, kidney stones, increased urination, muscle weakness, and fatigue.
● Loss of parathyroid E.g. if removed during a thyroid operation, leads to low blood calcium. This can result in symptoms such as muscle spasms, tingling in the hands and feet, and possibly difficulty breathing.

Pancreas

The pancreas secretes insulin, a hormone that helps regulate blood glucose levels. Diabetes is the major disorder of the pancreas. There are two main types of diabetes.
● Type 1 Diabetes - mainly affects children and can be controlled only by insulin.
● Type 2 Diabetes - is more common and seen in adults and elderly.

Adrenal glands

Each of the Adrenal gland actually contains two endocrine organs; the outer cortex and the inner medulla.
● Cushing's syndrome is the result of too much cortisol hormone.
● Addison's disease - occurs when there is too little cortisol hormone.
● Pheochromocytomas - Tumors of adrenal medulla can cause fluctuating & severe hypertension

Ovaries (Female)

The ovaries produce the female hormones and control the menstrual cycle. Loss of ovarian function normally occurs at menopause. This loss of estrogen can cause symptoms like hot flushes, mood changes & bone loss, or osteoporosis.
●Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common condition caused by overproduction of male hormones in females. It can lead to irregular menstrual cycles, infertility as well as cause acne, facial hair growth, & male pattern balding.
● Premature ovarian failure leads to early menopause and may need hormone replacement to avert the symptoms.
● Primary amenorrhea Failure of development & function of ovaries can cause failure of development of female sexual traits like breast development and absence of menses.

Testes (Male)

These are twin male reproductive glands. They produce the hormone testosterone.
● Failure of testicular function may be due to lack of pituitary drive or a defect/damage in the testis itself due to various causes. This can lead to loss of male traits, impotence and infertility.
● Fortunately testosterone can be given from outside (E.g. injections, gels) under close supervision of a qualified endocrinologist to correct the deficient state.

pituitary gland

Your pituitary gland is a pea-sized gland at the base of your brain. The pituitary is the "master control gland". The problems caused by pituitary diseases fall into three general categories:
● Excessive secretion E.g. Excess of –prolactin– causes abnormal milk production in non-pregnant persons.
● Too little secretion of any hormone can be given from outside (E.g. injections, gels) under close supervision of a qualified endocrinologist to correct the deficient state.
● A tumor can press on nearby brain tissue and nerves to cause headaches, vomiting, problems in vision.

Hypothalamus

Hypothalamus is a part of the brain that controls pituitary gland. The most common tumors in the area are craniopharyngiomas in children. Symptoms are usually due to the missing hormones
● In children, there may be growth problems like too little growth.
● Additionally puberty may occur too early or too late.
● Diabetes insipidus - There may be uncontrolled urination and excess thirst.