The endocrine system uses glands and organs to create powerful chemical messengers called hormones. These hormones carry signals that influence how the body functions, like metabolizing food for energy. Imbalanced hormones can lead to endocrine conditions, like diabetes, which disrupt your body's metabolic functions.
Exploring the endocrine system
Hormones are chemical messengers that are essential to our health because they tell our organs, skin, tissues and muscles how to function. The endocrine system alone is the conductor for many major bodily processes, including:
- Emotions and mood
- Growth and development
- Metabolism
- Sexual function
- Sleep
Through research, we can better understand the roots of endocrine conditions and develop more effective treatments. We work hard so you can live a full life that isn’t defined by your endocrine condition.
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Conditions
We specialize in the management of the following conditions:
Acromegaly
Addisons disease
Adrenal gland cancer
Adrenal Insufficiency
Adrenal nodule
Atypical diabetes
Calcium and phosphorus disorders
Congenital adrenal hyperplasia
Conn’s syndrome
Cushing's disease
Cushing's syndrome
Empty sella syndrome
Gestational diabetes
Goiter
Grave's disease
Hyperlipidemia
Hyperthyroidism
Hypoglycemia
Hypogonadism
Hypopituitarism
Hypothyroidism
Impaired fasting glucose
Islet cell tumors
Latent autoimmune diabetes of adults (LADA)
Lipid disorders
Metabolic bone diseases
Metabolic syndrome
Monogenic diabetes
Neuroendocrine and endocrine neoplasia
Obesity
Osteoporosis
Pagets disease of bone
Parathyroid disorders
Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma
Pituitary and hypothalamus diseases
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
Pre-diabetes
Prolactinoma
Syndrome of Inappropriate Hypersecretion of ADH
Thyroid cancer
Thyroid diseases
Thyroid nodules
Turner syndrome
Type 1 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes
Diabetes
Diabetes is a condition where the body’s blood glucose (sugar) levels are too high. There are different types of diabetes, including:
- Type 1 diabetes: A condition where the pancreas produces too little or no insulin at all. People with type 1 diabetes require insulin injections to control their glucose levels.
- Type 2 diabetes: As the most common form of diabetes, Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body is resistant to insulin.
- Gestational diabetes: Diabetes developed during pregnancy.
- Pre-diabetes: When a person has higher glucose levels than normal, but not quite within the diabetic range.
Metabolic bone diseases
Metabolic bone diseases, like osteoporosis, occur when you lack important vitamins, hormones and minerals that are essential for strong, healthy bones.
Neuroendocrine + pituitary disorders
The pituitary gland, commonly referred to as the master gland, has the very important job of controlling how most other endocrine glands work to release hormones.
For the most part, the pituitary gland is made up of neuroendocrine cells. These cells receive signals from your nervous system and spring into action by making and releasing hormones that influence key bodily functions like growth and development, metabolism and sexual reproduction.
Neuroendocrine and pituitary disorders can affect your hormonal harmony, and ultimately take a toll on your body's natural processes.
Neuroendocrine + endocrine neoplasia
The endocrine system is made of of nerves and gland cells that make and send hormones throughout the body. Neuroendocrine and endocrine neoplasia occurs when those cells grow out of control, and can lead to rare conditions.
Thyroid disease
The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped organ in your neck that releases hormones to regulate many of your body’s functions, like your metabolism. So when your thyroid isn’t working properly, it can lead to a domino effect of thyroid diseases like hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism or even forms of thyroid cancer.
Testing
Most adults should have a regular physical with their primary care doctor, where they'll receive a fasting blood sugar test or an oral glucose tolerance test — especially if they're at high risk for developing diabetes.
To better understand what your hormone levels say about your healthcare story, we may perform the following tests:
- 24-hour urine collection test
- ACTH (Cortrosyn) stimulation test
- Bone density test
- Desmopressin stimulation test
- Dexamethasone suppression test
- Fine-needle aspiration biopsy
- 14-day continuous glucose monitoring
- Glucagon stimulation test
- Mixed meal tolerance test
- Oral glucose tolerance test for diabetes and growth hormone
- Saline infusion test
- Thyroid nodule fine needle aspiration biopsy
- Thyroid ultrasonography
Dynamic endocrine testing
Dynamic endocrine testing measures your hormonal and physical response to a specific agent. These agents could be in the form of an injection or drinkable solution. There are a variety of tests that can shed important light on how your endocrine system functions, including:
- ACTH (Cortrosyn) stimulation
- Glucose suppression of growth hormone
- Glucagon stimulation
- Oral glucose tolerance test
- Mixed meal tolerance test
By watching how your body responds to these agents, we can rule out or determine what condition may be causing your symptoms.
To prepare for the test, we may ask you to fast overnight or refrain from certain medications the day before. Your doctor will prepare you with instructions so you know what to expect.
Thyroid ultrasound + fine needle aspiration
When it comes to your thyroid health, you deserve the most accurate and safest testing available to biopsy nodules or growths in your thyroid.
A fine needle aspiration (FNA) for diagnosing thyroid disease is a non-invasive procedure that's a smart alternative to surgery. This procedure lets us quickly determine whether the thyroid growth or nodule is benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous).
Treatments
Caring for your endocrine system takes a village and you deserve a village of experts. When you turn to Tufts Medicine, you can trust that we will work together to fast-track your path to wellness.
Because the endocrine system touches so many key bodily processes, your care team may include specialists from:
Many endocrine disorders require lifelong care but rest assured, you don’t have to navigate yours alone. We’ll work with you to better manage symptoms so you can live your healthiest life. We can approach your condition with lifestyle changes, medications, surgery and support groups, including:
- Community education programs
- Comprehensive treatment planning
- Continuous glucose monitoring services
- Diabetes self-management education
- Diabetes support groups
- Insulin pumps
- Lifestyle Coaching Program for Diabetes + Weight Loss
- Medical nutrition therapy
- Minimally invasive endoscopic surgeries
Insulin pumps for diabetes
Everyone living with type 1 diabetes and some people with type 2 diabetes will need insulin injections to manage their blood sugar. Giving yourself daily insulin injections can be a time-consuming routine, and missing an injection can have a serious impact on your health.
To help manage your diabetes, an insulin pump may be recommended to continuously release insulin into your body so you don’t have to give injections a second thought.
Lifestyle Coaching Program for Diabetes + Weight Loss
Our Lifestyle Coaching Program for Diabetes + Weight Loss will teach you how to make key diet and exercise changes that can halt the progression of type 2 diabetes and prevent health-related complications. As part of this program, we'll explore diabetes self-management education and medical nutrition therapy.
Diabetes self-management education
You understand your lifestyle goals better than anyone else, so we're here to help you achieve them. We're committed to helping people with diabetes learn how to manage their condition so they can live their healthiest lives possible. It zooms in on 7 self-care behaviors, from being active to knowing how to reduce your risks of complications from diabetes.
Medical nutrition therapy
Medical nutrition therapy focuses on helping you manage your condition through nutritional testing, therapy and counseling.
A registered dietitian will map a wellness plan around your:
- Activity level
- Food preferences
- Glucose control
- Lifestyle
- Nutritional needs
Gamma Knife surgery
When pituitary tumors are recurrent or difficult to reach with minimally invasive surgery, conventional radiation therapy or Gamma Knife surgery are smart options.
Gamma Knife surgery is an effective, non-invasive alternative to traditional brain surgery. Gamma Knife treatment pinpoints problematic areas with high doses of radiation while sparing healthy tissue.
Our locations
From regular office visits to inpatient stays, find the healthcare you need and deserve close to home.
Our doctors + care team
Meet the doctors and care team devoted to supporting you every step of the way along your path to better health.