Some hormone disorders, such as an underactive thyroid, can be treated with daily hormone medication. Other diseases may require more complex treatment, such as surgery. An endocrinologist can review treatment options and help you choose the best one for you.

Drugs and Injections

A number of drugs can help treat hormonal disorders.

• Glucocorticoid pills can replace hormones such as cortisol that may be low due to malfunctioning adrenal glands or pituitary gland.
• Several types of oral medicine or injectable insulin can be used to treat diabetes.
• Testosterone replacement in the form of topical gels or injections may work for men who have low testosterone.

An endocrinologist may also suggest thyroid surgery to remove a gland with a growth, or one so highly overactive or swollen it affects your breathing.

You may need surgery to remove the nearby parathyroid glands if they contain a growth. In some cases, surgeons remove parathyroid tissue because the tissue is highly overactive, leading to high calcium levels in the body.