You probably don’t think about your endocrine system much—until something goes wrong. But it plays a role in nearly every function in your body.

Your endocrine system is made up of a number of glands—thyroid, pituitary, adrenal and more—and the hormones they produce. Those hormones act as chemical messengers, traveling throughout your body and triggering various functions. Some regulate growth and sexual development, while others control body temperature, thirst and hunger. Still others influence blood sugar levels, mood and sexual response. There’s not much that hormones don’t do.

Numerous symptoms, such as fatigue, muscle weakness, headache and many more, may point to endocrine system disorders. Common conditions we treat include:

• Type 1 diabetes
• Thyroid dysfunction, including thyroid nodules, goiter and cancer
• Parathyroid and calcium disorders
• Adrenal and pituitary disorders
• Graves’ disease (overactive thyroid)
• Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• Osteoporosis
• Paget’s disease of bone
• Male and female sexual dysfunction

Once your primary care doctor diagnoses you, your endocrinologist will work with you to develop a treatment plan, help you manage your condition and restore you to better health. Two procedures we commonly use to assist with treatment are thyroid fine needle biopsies and magnetic laboratory studies.