Endocrinology is a sub-specialty of internal medicine which deals with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases related to hormones.

Endocrinology focuses on endocrine glands that secrete hormones. These glands include the pituitary, thyroid, adrenals, ovaries, testes and pancreas. The word “endocrine” is derived from Greek endo meaning “secreting internally” and krinein meaning “to separate, distinguish” (Denoting glands having an internal secretion).

Endocrinologists are specially trained physicians who diagnose diseases related to the glands. These diseases often affect other parts of the body and symptoms are usually multiple and non-specific. While primary care doctors know a lot about the human body, for diseases and conditions directly related to glands they will usually send a patient to an endocrinologist.