PLLC

Diabetes - Diabetes is a disorder of blood glucose regulation. It has various causes including autoimmune disease, genetic predisposition, environmental, and nutritional factors. Some forms of diabetes can go into remission while others are a lifelong condition.

 

Obesity - Obesity is a common condition affecting 40% of adults in the US. Obesity raises the risk of heart disease, diabetes, joint problems and certain cancers.

 

Metabolic Syndrome - This is a cluster of findings including elevated blood glucose, elevated cholesterol, elevated blood pressure and abdominal obesity. The presence of metabolic syndrome increases the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

 

Thyroid Conditions - Common problems affecting the thyroid include autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or Grave’s disease. These can cause the thyroid to be under-active or over-active. The thyroid gland is also prone to developing nodules. In fact, about 50% of people over age 60 will have some thyroid nodule that would be detectable with ultrasound. Most nodules are harmless though some can secrete thyroid hormone (which can cause hyperthyroidism) and some can be cancerous.

 

Parathyroid Conditions - The parathyroid glands control the level of calcium circulating in our bodies. Too much parathyroid hormone can weaken bones and cause kidney stones. Too little can cause wide ranging problems including muscle spasms, seizures, and arrhythmias.

 

Osteoporosis and Osteopenia - This is a reduction in bone density or bone quality that can place a person at risk for fractures resulting from minimal trauma (such as a fall from standing height).

 

Low Testosterone - Low testosterone (hypogonadism) has diverse causes, some of which are reversible and some are not. A testosterone deficiency can decrease bone strength, muscle mass, and sexual function.

 

Adrenal Conditions - These include low or high adrenal hormones, adrenal nodules or adrenal hypertension.

 

Pituitary Conditions - The pituitary gland is involved in several hormonal pathways. The pituitary can over-secrete or under-secrete hormones. It can also develop adenomas.