The science of endocrinology focuses on conditions of the endocrine organs that secrete hormones. These organs include the pituitary, thyroid, adrenal glands, ovaries, testes and pancreas. Your Mercyhealth endocrinologist can help when you are suffering injury or disease that affects your hormones negatively.

A hormone is a chemical messenger from one cell (or group of cells) to another. Hormones can be released in one part of the body and have an effect on other parts of the body. The effect is to communicate with possibly distant parts of the body. So for example, the adrenal glands may secrete adrenalin, which affects several different body organs.

Hormones have an effect on growth, development, puberty, level of alertness, sugar regulation and appetite, bone growth, etc. When they aren’t working properly, hormone disorders can cause numerous problems, such as diabetes, thyroid conditions, pituitary conditions, some sexual problems, some neurological problems, appetite and obesity, bone problems, cancer, etc.

Endocrinologists make up a range of specialties in this medical field:

• Pediatric endocrinologists look at hormones in children. View Mercyhealth’s Pediatric endocrinology services.
• Thyroid endocrinologists look at how the thyroid affects metabolism.
• Some physicians work with endocrine-disrupting chemicals, where chemicals which mimic the effects of hormones are present in the environment.

Sometimes there are specific societies devoted to the study of these sub-specialties.