What Is An Endocrinologist?
Diabetes is a complex disease, and there is a lot more to treating it than just keeping your blood sugar at a healthy level. Thankfully, today many individuals with diabetes have a whole team of skilled professionals to help them manage their illness, including a primary care physician, dietitian, eye doctor, podiatrist, dentist and even a fitness trainer all dedicated to keeping you healthy. According to information from the American Diabetes Association (ADA), it is also important to have an endocrinologist, a doctor who has special training in treating people with diabetes and hormonal disorders, on your care team as well. An endocrinologist is a specially trained doctor who can diagnose and treat diseases that affect your glands, hormones and your endocrine system. The pancreas is part of the endocrine system, and insulin is one of the central hormones the body needs to function properly. Endocrinologists often treat people with diabetes, thyroid disease, metabolic disorders and more. Like other physicians and medical doctors, an endocrinologist is required to finish four years in medical school and complete a three or four year residency. Then, endocrinologists are required to spend two or three more years learning how to diagnose and treat hormone conditions. Overall, an endocrinologist's training typically takes more than 10 years, according to data from The Hormone Foundation. In most cases, your primary care doctor refers you to an endocrinologist if he or she believes you need to see a specialist to help you manage your diabetes. Why see an endocrinologist? Though many people can successfully control their diabetes with their general practitioner's help, there are several cases in which it might be best to see an endocrinologist. The ADA asserts that most peop Continue reading >>
Diabetes Doctors
A number of different healthcare professionals treat diabetes. A good first step is to talk to your primary care doctor about testing if you’re at risk for diabetes or if you begin experiencing symptoms associated with the disease. While you may work with your primary care doctor to manage your diabetes, it’s also possible to rely on another doctor or specialist to monitor your condition. Read on to learn about the different doctors and specialists who can assist in various aspects of diabetes diagnosis and care. Primary care physician Your primary care doctor can monitor you for diabetes at your regular checkups. Your doctor may perform blood tests to check for the disease, depending on your symptoms or risk factors. If you do have diabetes, your doctor may prescribe medication and manage your condition. They may also refer you to a specialist to help monitor your treatment. It’s likely that your primary care doctor will be part of a team of healthcare professionals who will work with you. Endocrinologist Diabetes is a disease of the pancreas gland, which is part of the endocrine system. An endocrinologist is a specialist who diagnoses, treats, and manages pancreatic diseases. People with type 1 diabetes are often under the care of an endocrinologist to help them manage their treatment plan. Sometimes, people with type 2 diabetes may also need an endocrinologist if they have trouble getting their blood glucose levels under control. Eye doctor Many people with diabetes experience complications with their eyes over time. These might include: You must regularly visit an eye doctor, such an optometrist or ophthalmologist, to check for these potentially serious conditions. According to guidelines from the American Diabetes Association, people with type 1 diabetes shou Continue reading >>
Endocrinology/metabolism
What does an endocrinologist do? Endocrinologists diagnose glandular problems within the endocrine system, which includes the thyroid, pancreas, adrenal gland, pituitary gland, parathyroid gland, hypothalamus and the ovaries and testes. Diabetes is perhaps the most prevalent disorder treated by a doctor specializing in endocrinology. The pancreas produces the insulin hormone, which the body needs to convert food into energy. Diabetes occurs when the body stops producing insulin—as in type 1, previously known as juvenile diabetes—or the body becomes resistant to it—as in type 2 diabetes. When there's no more insulin in the body, blood glucose levels rise quickly and cause diabetes symptoms that may include extreme weakness or tiredness, irritability, dehydration, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, blurry vision or wounds that don’t heal well. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Diabetes affects 29.1 million people or 9.3 percent of the U.S. population." How does metabolism work? Endocrinologists also diagnose and treat glandular disorders that affect the metabolism – which can result in either decreased or increased levels of energy – and reproduction, which can cause infertility. They help restore the body's hormones to normal functioning levels for patients suffering from thyroid diseases and metabolic disorders. They also treat early menopause and hypertension. For example, when endocrine system disorders create imbalance in your body's hormone levels, they can affect your metabolism and the regulation of insulin and sugar levels. An underactive thyroid can lead to weight gain and sluggishness. Pediatric endocrinology Pediatric endocrinology is a pediatric subspecialty that focuses on endocrine disorders that affect physical growth Continue reading >>
Center For Diabetes & Metabolic Health
At NYU Langone’s Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Health, our team is dedicated to helping people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes manage their condition and avoid complications that can affect their health. Our collaborative approach to diabetes care is what sets us apart. Your care team is led by an endocrinologist who works closely with diabetes educators, nutritionists, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants to develop a treatment plan focused on getting your diabetes under control. Our team then provides the education and support you need to achieve that goal. Learn more about our approach to care for adults with type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes, including information on physicians who treat these conditions. Preventing and Managing Complications Our goal is twofold: to prevent diabetes complications from occurring, and expertly treat those complications if they occur. Since high blood pressure and uncontrolled cholesterol dramatically increase the risk of advanced diabetes complications, we focus on controlling these factors along with lowering blood glucose levels. Effective treatment prevents complications and reduces your risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney and heart failure, vision loss, and amputation. Leaders in Diabetes Research As a patient at the Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Health, you have access to clinical trials of medications and technologies that often are not widely available to the general public. Experts in our Diabetes Research Program focus on the link between diabetes and complications triggered by high blood glucose, obesity, and cholesterol disorders. More About The Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Health If you’ve been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, the right medication and lifestyle modifications can signific Continue reading >>
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5 Questions With A Diabetes Physician Who Has Type 1
Because of his type 1 diabetes diagnosis at 5 years old, endocrinologist Scott Soleimanpour devoted his career to those with the condition. A childhood diagnosis led to a life’s work for one U-M physician. “I remember being 5 years old at a family wedding and becoming super thirsty,” says Scott Soleimanpour, M.D., assistant professor of endocrinology at the University of Michigan Health System. “I mean, imagine the worst thirst you could ever have. Like you’re out in the desert, and then multiply that times 10.” Soleimanpour didn’t know what his thirst meant at the time. But that day would significantly alter his life forever. His parents realized something was incredibly wrong, and Soleimanpour’s father, a physician, sought medical treatment for his son. After a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes, Soleimanpour spent two weeks in an intensive care unit as a medical team worked to get his sugars under control and to place him on insulin treatments. “They told me I have a lazy pancreas, and it isn’t making enough insulin,” Soleimanpour says. “It was a life-changing event that put me on the path to working with diabetes. I wanted to help people also suffering with this condition.” We sat down with Soleimanpour to learn more about being a diabetes researcher and physician affected by the disease, and how he uses his personal experiences to help others with diabetes. Soleimanpour: At the young age of my diagnosis, I saw dynamic teams of endocrine doctors, educators, nurses, etc. It also helped that my parents were always interested in the latest scientific advances. I decided to go medical school and wanted to be a pediatric diabetes doctor. I had an advisor at the time that presented me with a research opportunity and said, “Do you want to look for a c Continue reading >>
Diabetes Doctors: Which Specialists Treat Diabetes?
Diabetes is a condition that affects a person's blood sugar levels and can require various treatments. Understanding which doctors help treat diabetes can simplify the process, making it less stressful. This article helps people with diabetes to understand the key differences between the various diabetes specialists. It also covers some common guidelines to follow for visiting each of these experts, to ensure you get the most out of your treatment. Which doctors help with treating diabetes? There are a number of diabetes specialists who may be involved in treating someone with this common condition. As each of these specialists has a slightly different role, there are some key things to be aware of before seeing each one. General care physicians A general care physician will often help in the treatment of people with diabetes. Regular check-ups will usually be carried out once every 3 to 4 months. If there is anything outside their area of expertise, a general care physician will frequently send an individual to an endocrinologist first of all. Endocrinologists The most common specialists in the field of diabetes are endocrinologists. Endocrinologists specialize in the glands of the body, and the hormones that are produced from those glands. The pancreas is a gland that comes under the spotlight when managing diabetes. It produces insulin that helps regulate blood sugar. In the case of people with diabetes, insulin is either not produced or does not work properly. People with type 1 diabetes are put under the care of an endocrinologist most of the time. People with type 2 diabetes, who have fluctuating blood sugar levels, will also need to see an endocrinologist. Visiting a doctor for diabetes When visiting a doctor about diabetes for the first time, it is important tha Continue reading >>
Experts Recommend Two-pronged Approach To Treating Prediabetes
According to the most recent data compiled by the CDC, 57 million U.S. adults have prediabetes, a figure that has reached pandemic levels. “In an ideal world, you want to diagnose high-risk people early in order to prevent progression to full-blown diabetes and its associated complications,” Glenn Matfin, MD, clinical associate professor at New York University and senior staff physician at the Joslin Diabetes Center, told Endocrine Today. Whether prediabetes progresses to diabetes depends on a number of variable factors, including lifestyle changes, genetics and treatment practices, which have some physicians supporting the use of medication and others vehemently against it. “We draw lines in order to differentiate between normal glucose tolerance, prediabetes and diabetes, but it is an interlinked, continuous chain,” Matfin said. “The clock is ticking, and the health risks rise significantly as prediabetes goes untreated.” To examine the current state of prediabetes treatment, Endocrine Today spoke with a number of experts to best understand how lifestyle and pharmacological approaches should be utilized to reverse glucose functions to normal levels. The issue is also examined from a financial aspect, as the ability to keep patients with prediabetes from turning into patients with diabetes translates into hundreds of millions of dollars saved in health care costs. Ralph DeFronzo, MD, and diabetes experts discuss preferred therapeutic approaches for people with prediabetes. Perhaps due to its subtle set of symptoms, the identification and diagnosis of patients with prediabetes has proved to be a challenge. Research has shown that although 30% of the U.S. population had prediabetes in 2005 to 2006, only 7.3% were aware that they had it. A consensus from diabe Continue reading >>
Type 2 Diabetes
Most people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. If you have type 2, you might have one or both of the following problems: Your cells don’t use insulin properly. This is called insulin resistance. Your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin. This is called insulin deficiency. Often when type 2 diabetes is first diagnosed, the problem is insulin resistance. But as the disease progresses, the pancreas may also produce less insulin. Unlike type 1 diabetes, type 2 usually comes on gradually. Type 2 diabetes is treated with a combination of diet, exercise, and oral medications (pills). In some cases, injections of insulin or other medications are needed to help control blood glucose levels. Uncontrolled diabetes can result in catastrophic health problems including heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney disease, nervous system disease, amputations, dental disease, and pregnancy complications. In people with diabetes, high blood glucose can cause two problems — both of which can result in foot problems. You may have one or both of these: Nerve damage (neuropathy). Nerve damage from high blood glucose usually begins in the hands and feet. It can cause painful symptoms — tingling, aching, or throbbing — but it can also reduce sensation. If you can’t really feel cold, heat, or pain in your feet, it’s easy to ignore an injury or infection. And unfortunately, in people with diabetes, even a small blister or stubbed toe can become serious. Poor circulation. High blood glucose can damage your blood vessels and reduce blood flow to your feet. This means that injuries take longer to heal. Over time, poor circulation in your feet can even change the shape of your feet and toes. This can cause problems with the way you walk. Sometimes — but not always — symptoms are t Continue reading >>
Endocrinologist: The Specialist In The Comprehensive Care Of Diabetes
By Yehuda Handelsman, MD, FACP, FACE An endocrinologist [en-doh-cri-NA-lo-jist] is a doctor who is an expert in diagnosing and treating hormone and metabolism disorders. An endocrinologist is also an educator to the medical community and a resource to the public in general. Endocrinologists recognize and manage medical conditions associated with the thyroid gland, pituitary gland, sex hormones, growth hormone, bone health, lipid disorders, and other hormone conditions. Because there are so many people with obesity and diabetes, there is a huge demand for endocrinologists, who are experts in preventing and managing obesity, diabetes, and the potential complications of heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. Even today people view diabetes as a simple issue of a “little” too much glucose (sugar) or “a touch of sugar.” Diabetes should be viewed as a complex medical condition that may affect every part of the body. For example, diabetes is considered as similar to heart disease from not just elevated blood sugar (hyperglycemia [hie-per-gly-SEEM-ee-ah]), but also by the added problems of blood pressure, cholesterol, and increased risk of blood clots. There are at least 11 classes of medication for treatment of high blood sugars. There are also many drugs to treat blood pressure and lipid (cholesterol) problems. It takes a trained expert to know which treatments should be recommended and how best to put these treatments together for the best results for a specific person. Of course, the best treatment of diabetes is prevention. An endocrinologist is an expert in how to help you modify your lifestyle. An endocrinologist can help you with understanding nutrition and meal choices. The endocrinologist typically directs a team who helps you to increase your physical act Continue reading >>
Why Should I See An Endocrinologist If I Have Diabetes?
If you have diabetes, seeing an endocrinologist is important because they specialize in diabetes and metabolism, and have the latest information on the issues that impact the disease. Watch as endocrinologist Reza Yavari, MD, describes his specialty. An endocrinologist is a physician who specializes in treating diseases of the hormone-producing glands. As insulin is a hormone, diabetes is considered a hormonal disorder. Endocrinologists also treat thyroid disease, pituitary disorders, high or low blood calcium, adrenal problems, and low testosterone or other sex hormone disorders. Some endocrinologists specialize in fertility issues, including the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome, a common condition in women of childbearing age that often coexists with prediabetes. In many areas of the country there is a shortage of endocrinologists, particularly given the rapid increase in the prevalence of diabetes. Most people with type 2 diabetes will not need to see an endocrinologist, but many people with type 1 diabetes and those with type 2 who have had difficulty managing their blood sugar levels will benefit from seeing someone in this specialty. The Best Life Guide to Managing Diabetes and Pre-Diabetes Bob Greene has helped millions of Americans become fit and healthy with his life-changing Best Life plan. Now, for the first time, Oprah's trusted expert on diet and fitness teams up with a leading... Continue reading >>
Health Care Team
Diabetes is best managed with the support of a diabetes healthcare team. The team approach will help you learn everything you need to know about diabetes, treatment and management. Many people can be part of your health care team to help you live well with diabetes. Your team can be made up of health professionals as well as your family and friends. But you are the most important member. You make the day-to-day decisions about your diabetes, and the more you know about diabetes, the easier this will be. The following are the kinds of people you may wish to have in your health care team. Talk to your doctor about what is right for you. When you are first diagnosed, your family doctor is the best doctor to see first. If you don’t have a family doctor then any general practitioner will be able to help you. Your doctor has a central role in assessing your diabetes and helping you manage it. They can refer you to any specialists that you may need to see. A Credentialled Diabetes Educator (CDE) will work with you to help you understand and manage your diabetes. They can provide a wide range of general information about diabetes and associated complications. Your doctor can refer you to a CDE in your area, or you can find a CDE on the Australian Diabetes Educators Association website, or your local hospital, diabetes centre and community health centres which are listed in the telephone directory, may have a CDE. A dietitian will work with you to develop a personalised healthy eating plan to suit your lifestyle, your type of diabetes and individual health needs. They can teach you how to read food labels, modify recipes and even how to order at restaurants. Contact the Dietitians Association of Australia on 1800 812 942, or contact your local hospital (not all hospitals have Continue reading >>
Should Everyone With Diabetes See An Endocrinologist?
I was recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes by my primary-care doctor. Do I need to see a specialist? In general, if you have uncomplicated type 2 diabetes, your primary-care doctor can manage your diabetes care. But I do recommend, especially for new-onset diabetes, that you ask your primary-care doctor to refer you to one particular kind of specialist—a certified diabetes educator (CDE). Among other things, a CDE is specially trained to be able to advise you on lifestyle changes, such as proper nutrition and how much and what kinds of physical activity will help you manage your blood sugar and avoid diabetic complications. Having a CDE assist you with these and other time-consuming elements of treatment relieves some of the burden of care from your doctor, who is not likely to have as much time available during a regular office visit. That’s why a CDE needs to be a key part of your health-care team. Type 1 diabetes is a different story. Anyone who has type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disorder, should have an endocrinologist on his/her health-care team. An endocrinologist is able to oversee the tightly structured treatment program necessary to manage type 1 diabetes and deal with such things as high-tech insulin pumps, continuous glucose-monitoring devices and so forth. Some people with type 2 diabetes also should see an endocrinologist. See one if… • You’re having trouble controlling your blood sugar. • You and your primary-care doctor are finding it difficult to find the right mix of medications to control your blood sugar without worrisome side effects, including low blood sugar. • You need to take three or more insulin injections per day or use an insulin pump. Even if your type 2 diabetes doesn’t include the above challenges, it makes sense to cons Continue reading >>
Your Diabetes Care Team
Your health care team helps you manage your diabetes and maintain your good health. According to the American Diabetes Association, your diabetes care team should include: You: You are the most important member of your diabetes care team! Only you know how you feel. Your diabetes care team will depend on you to talk to them honestly and supply information about your body. Monitoring your blood sugar tells your doctors whether your current treatment is controlling your diabetes well. By checking your blood sugar levels, you can also prevent or reduce the episodes of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) you have. Primary doctor: Your primary care doctor is who you see for general checkups and when you get sick. This person is usually an internist or family medicine doctor who has experience treating people with diabetes, too. Because your primary care doctor is your main source of care, he or she will most likely head up your diabetes care team. Endocrinologist: An endocrinologist is a doctor who has special training and experience in treating people with diabetes. You should see yours regularly. Dietitian: A registered dietitian (RD) is trained in the field of nutrition. Food is a key part of your diabetes treatment, so yours will help you figure out your food needs based on your weight, lifestyle, medication, and other health goals (like lowering blood fat levels or blood pressure). Nurse educator: A diabetes educator or diabetes nurse practitioner is a registered nurse (RN) with special training and background in caring for and teaching people with diabetes. Nurse educators often help you with the day-to-day aspects of living with diabetes. Eye doctor: Either an ophthalmologist (a doctor who can treat eye problems both medically and surgically) or an optometrist (someone who Continue reading >>
Diabetes Mellitus
Alternative names for diabetes mellitus Diabetes; type 2 diabetes; type 1 diabetes; sugar diabetes; T2DM, T1DM; insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus; IDDM; juvenile-onset diabetes What is diabetes mellitus? Diabetes mellitus is a condition in which the body does not produce enough of the hormone insulin, resulting in high levels of sugar in the bloodstream. There are many different types of diabetes; the most common are type 1 and type 2 diabetes, which are covered in this article. Gestational diabetes occurs during the second half of pregnancy and is covered in a separate article. Diabetes mellitus is linked with an increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, poor blood circulation to the legs and damage to the eyes, feet and kidneys. Early diagnosis and strict control of blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels can help to prevent or delay these complications associated with diabetes. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle (regular exercise, not smoking and eating healthily) is important in reducing the risk of developing diabetes. What causes diabetes mellitus? Insulin is a hormone produced by the beta cells within the pancreas in response to the intake of food. The role of insulin is to lower blood sugar (glucose) levels by allowing cells in the muscle, liver and fat to take up sugar from the bloodstream that has been absorbed from food, and store it away as energy. In type 1 diabetes (or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus), the insulin-producing cells are destroyed and the body is not able to produce insulin naturally. This means that sugar is not stored away but is constantly released from energy stores giving rise to high sugar levels in the blood. This in turn causes dehydration and thirst (because the high glucose ‘spills over’ into the urine and pulls wat Continue reading >>
Endocrinologist Or Primary Care? You May Need To Shop Around For The Right Doctor
Your primary care doctor may or may not be the right person to treat diabetes.(HEALTH/SEAN LOCKE/ISTOCKPHOTO)Like many aspects of type 2 diabetes, it may take some trial and error before you find the right doctor. Primary care doctors, such as family physicians and internists, treat most people with type 2 diabetes. But even if you like your primary care doctor, he or she may not be the right person to manage type 2 diabetes. You might be happier with someone else, or with an endocrinologist, a specialist in hormone-related diseases such as diabetes. In general, family physicians are trained in all areas of medicine and treat adults and children. Internists specialize in internal medicine and only treat adults. Internists may or may not have in-depth training in diabetes (they can choose to do one to three additional years of training in one of 13 sub-specialties, such as endocrinology or cardiology). EndocrinologistIt was harder to find one than I thought Watch videoMore about finding the right doctor Your primary care doctor may be a great fitor not Anil Verma, a 38-year-old Seattle-area resident, was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2005. He had been seeing one doctor in a large practice, but wasn't that happy with his care. Verma asked four nurses in the practice who they would recommend, and they all suggested the same doctor, who was in the same practice as his current one. So he switched. "With diabetes, if you don't have a good doctor, it just becomes a pain. This guy's not a specialist in diabeteshe's a primary care guy, but he seems to have a lot of experience with diabetic folks and really keeps up-to-date. And he works well with me," Verma says. The software developer likes to keep detailed logs of his blood sugar readings, and the doctor spends plenty of t Continue reading >>
