Your endocrine system consists of glands that run throughout your body, and release hormones that affect a range of bodily functions. Endocrine system disorders may occur due to many factors such as problems with endocrine feedback system, failure of a gland to stimulate another gland to release hormones, infection, genetic disorder, such as multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN), tumor, or injury to the endocrine gland.
Primary glands of the endocrine system include:
- Hypothalamus
- Pineal body
- Pituitary gland
- Thyroid and parathyroid
- Thymus
- Adrenal gland
- Pancreas
- Ovaries
- Testicles
These parts of the endocrine system perform various functions, such as metabolism, reproduction, and growth. The hormones should be released to the correct levels. If the level of hormones is too high or too low, your body will not respond appropriately. This condition is known as endocrine disorder. Endocrine system disorders can cause problems like hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism that relate to an inappropriate amount of thyroid hormone.
Some of the common endocrine system disorders are discussed below in brief:
Diabetes: This condition occurs when your body is unable either to produce or use insulin hormone adequately, resulting in a high glucose level in the blood as insulin regulates blood glucose. The patient will experience increased thirst and urination, increased hunger, persistent sores, tingling sensation in the hands or feet, exhaustion, and blurry vision.
Hyperthyroidism: The condition occurs when your body releases too much thyroid hormone. It can result in many symptoms such as rapid or irregular heartbeat, irritability and nervousness, difficulty sleeping, tiredness, and poor bowel movement.
Hypothyroidism: The condition occurs when your body releases less amount of thyroid hormone than required. Symptoms include sensitivity to cold, slow speech, tiredness, dry skin, muscle cramps, weight gain, and constipation.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): The condition occurs due to the imbalance of reproductive hormones in the ovaries. The symptoms of PCOS include irregular menstruation cycles, acne, excessive and thinning hair, and darkening skin.
Cushing’s syndrome: The condition occurs due to excessive secretion of cortisol hormone. Too much of cortisol in your body can cause symptoms such as thin arms and legs, weight gain, excessive hair growth, muscle weakness, and decreased sex drive.
Acromegaly or Gigantism: The disorder is characterized by the production of too much of growth hormones. The condition can result in the unusual growth of bones, organs, and other tissues. Symptoms include swollen hands and feet, growth of facial features, sweating, and a deeper voice.
Grave’s disease: The disease results due to excessive production of thyroid hormone. Common symptoms of Grave’s disease include bulging eyes, difficulty sleeping, goiter, fatigue, irregular heart rate, and tremors.
Hypopituitarism: The pituitary gland releases little or no hormone. The condition may be caused due to different diseases. Women with this condition may stop getting their periods.
Addison’s disease: The disease is characterized by a decreased production of cortisol and aldosterone hormones secreted by the adrenal gland. Common symptoms of Addison’s disease include diarrhea, depression, headache, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, and craving for salt.
While endocrine disorders do not require hospitalization, some serious conditions, such as chest pain, breathing difficulty, and difficulty in thinking clarity should not be ignored. For all these conditions, medical advice should be taken immediately.
You can ensure that your employees receive the best healthcare related to endocrine and other diseases by providing them with the coverage benefits of a custom health insurance plan. If you find it hard to devise the best plan for your employees, you can contact the experts of the PrudentRx program who will help you with the best plans for CVS copay optimization. The experts will also help you to maximize coverage of medicines from the PrudentRx drug list. Meanwhile, you can refer PrudentRx FAQs for more details about the benefits that you can expect from your custom insurance plan.
