Kymera Endocrinology care includes diagnosing, controlling and monitoring Diabetes, Thyroid Disorders, Osteoporosis, Adrenal and other Glandular Diseases. The Endocrinology Team stresses disease awareness and education to help patients manage certain endocrine disorders.

Our Kymera Endocrinology Team includes your Physicians, a Nurse Practitioner, and well-trained Medical Assistants. Each plays a vital role in helping you learn how to best manage your condition so be sure to get to know them and ask questions. They are there for you.

What is Endocrinology?

Endocrinology is a branch of Internal Medicine that specializes in treating conditions caused by problems in the endocrine glands and hormones. For example, Hormonal regulation and Metabolism, which is the biochemical processes which allow the human body to properly function, is the central focus of the Endocrinologist. Most important is how the body processes food to use as energy and for growth.

The key glands involved in endocrinology include:

• pituitary gland
• thyroid
• parathyroid
• pancreas
• testicles
• adrenal glands
• Bone (Osteoporosis)

Who Needs an Endocrinologist?

Those most commonly referred to a Kymera Endocrinologist are persons living with diabetes or new to diabetes. This is especially the case for people with diabetes who are uncontrolled or take multiple shots of insulin or use an insulin pump. If diabetes becomes difficult to manage, an endocrinologist can help get treatments under control. Other conditions are those affecting the organs listed above.

Likewise, suppose someone is suffering from complications related to diabetes. In that case, the team will discuss their situation with a few to find ways to reduce or eliminate the complications.

Because Endocrinologists handle all things related to glands and their proper functioning, any condition related to improper hormone functions will be under their purview.

What Causes Endocrine Disorders?

An imbalance of hormones causes most endocrine disorders. Hormones are created and moved by several glands in the body and provide a variety of functions. For instance, when the glands produce too little of a hormone or too much, the imbalance can cause problems. How easy is it for these glands to cause problems?

Consider the following list of endocrine glands and their relative locations in the human body:

• Adrenal glands (above kidneys)
• Bones (Osteoporosis)
• Ovaries (abdomen)
• Pancreatic Islet Cells (pancreas)
• Parathyroid (neck)
• Pituitary gland (behind sinuses)
• Testes (crotch)
• Thyroid (front of neck)

We can see that endocrine glands are found throughout the body from the above list. Each serves a vital function often relative to its location, but not always. Because these glands are small and function in precise ways, the slightest imbalance can cause difficulties with other body parts. It is the job of the Endocrinologist to isolate and identify the cause and how to best restore balance.

Aside from imbalances, the development of lesions such as a tumor in any part of the endocrine system will cause problems. Such lesions may or may not cause an imbalance, and treatments can be difficult.

Endocrinology and Cancer

Cancer can affect any part of the body, including glands. When this is the case, your endocrinologist must be involved in the cancer treatment. However, even when the cancer is not directly affecting the glands, either cancer or the treatments can harm a patient’s metabolism and ability to recover without additional treatments.

Your Kymera Endocrinologist will closely monitor the situation and provide guidance when any part of your cancer treatment causes discomfort or difficulties related to the glands in your body.

What to Expect when Visiting Your Endocrinologist for the First Time

If your first visit to a Kymera Endocrinologist is for diabetes, it would be wise to bring along your blood glucose journal if you have been keeping one. If not, expect to start. Your Physician will want a general overview of your condition and what has changed since the last time you saw your doctor.

Some of the likely things your team will do are check your blood pressure, blood glucose levels, urine, and cholesterol. They will check your feet and other extremities. If additional tests are needed, your Endocrinologist will order these.

Be sure to bring a list of all medications you currently take.