Medical Genetics Tips

Our endocrine glands work overtime to keep us healthy by secreting hormones which reach each and every cell in our body through the blood. These hormones evoke life-changing responses in other cells to keep us alive and healthy. Endocrine surgery is a term for an operation in any one or more endocrine glands in your body.

Types of endocrine glands

Thyroid gland: This is the most important endocrine gland in your body and it secretes thyroid hormone, which regulates metabolism.<...more

Thyroid disorders are associated with the thyroid gland. A thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped gland situated right at the base of one s neck. The role of the thyroid gland is to carry out numerous metabolic processes within the body. The brain regulates the functioning of the thyroid gland through a feedback mechanism. There are a number of disorders, both severe and trivial, which could affect the thyroid gland.

Main symptoms of thyroid disorders:

Weight loss and weight gain<...more

The thyroid gland is located on the front base of the neck and its shape is like a butterfly. The thyroid gland plays a significant role in our body by secreting several hormones that are collectively called as thyroid hormones. These hormones regulate different processes throughout the body such as influencing the metabolism, body temperature and keeping the other organs to function properly. Sometimes, the thyroid gland is affected by various disorders such as goiter (enlargement of the thyroi...more

Diabetes and thyroid disorders are the two most common problems affecting people since ages. Diabetes, as is known to all, is a medical condition whereby the body fails to synthesize insulin, a type commonly known as Type-1 diabetes. In another type of diabetes, known as Type-2 diabetes, the body may become insulin resistant. This disorder of the endocrine system can wreak havoc, giving rise to a host of health complications and medical conditions if not treated and managed on time.

The...more

The bone tissues are constantly renewed the old and damaged bones are replaced by the new ones. The body thus maintains bone density. However, a serious condition such as osteoporosis can gradually weaken your bones.

Osteoporosis, also known as porous bone is a condition that causes the bones to become brittle and weak. Osteoporosis occurs when the body stops forming as many bones as it did previously, resulting in reduced bone density.

Causes and Risk Factors:

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Bones are similar to a porous framework which is filled with minerals that make it hard and strong. With age, there is gradual degradation and the mineralized portion is lost, thereby leading to thinning of the bone. The word osteoporosisliterally translates to porous bones, which is due to the gradual demineralisation. In addition to the natural ageing process, there are other diseases that can accelerate the demineralization process.

Women are more prone to demineralisation, and after...more

Thyroid surgery is performed with the partial or complete removal of the thyroid gland when the patient is diagnosed with thyroid cancer, abnormal cyst formation, goitre, hyperthyroidism or painful thyroid nodules. There are 3 types of thyroid surgery which are performed lobectomy (removal of part of the thyroid gland), subtotal thyroidectomy (characterized by the removal of the whole thyroid gland but the presence of some of the thyroid tissues) and total thyroidectomy (removal of the whole t...more

Hypothyroidism is a condition called deficiency of thyroid hormone. The main duty of thyroid hormone is to maintain the metabolism of the body. Hence, the person affected by it will experience slow metabolism. Hypo means underactive, which means the lack of thyroid hormones in the body.

Types of Hypothyroidism

This happens when the functioning thyroid gland fails to produce T3 and T4. As a result, pituitary gland releases Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH). This helps in produc...more

Thyroiditis is the inflammation or swelling of the thyroid gland. It primarily affects women from early adulthood to middle age, although anyone can get it. The thyroid is the butterfly-shaped gland located in the front of your throat, just below your Adam s apple. It controls your metabolism by producing hormones that influence how fast or slow your heart, brain, and other parts of your body work. Thyroiditis can make thyroid gland produce too many or not enough hormones. Too many hormones can ...more

During pregnancy, it is not uncommon for women to contract thyroid diseases like gestational hyperthyroidism and gestational hypothyroidism. The main problem, however, is that the symptoms of gestational hypothyroidism are very much similar to those which can be observed during normal pregnancy. The difficulty in differentiating between the two is the sole reason why many pregnant women are caught unawares, eventually resulting in further complications after the first trimester.

If gest...more