Editing Endocrinology (section)

===Work===
The medical specialty of endocrinology involves the diagnostic evaluation of a wide variety of symptoms and variations and the long-term management of disorders of deficiency or excess of one or more hormones.<ref>{{Cite web |title=What Is an Endocrinologist? |url=https://www.aace.com/all-about-endocrinology/what-endocrinologist |access-date=2024-06-21 |website=American Association of Clinical Endocrinology |language=en}}</ref>

The diagnosis and treatment of endocrine diseases are guided by [[laboratory]] tests to a greater extent than for most specialties. Many diseases are investigated through ''excitation/stimulation'' or ''inhibition/suppression'' testing. This might involve injection with a stimulating agent to test the function of an endocrine organ. Blood is then sampled to assess the changes of the relevant hormones or metabolites. An endocrinologist needs extensive knowledge of [[clinical chemistry]] and [[biochemistry]] to understand the uses and limitations of the investigations.

A second important aspect of the practice of endocrinology is distinguishing human variation from disease. Atypical patterns of physical development and abnormal test results must be assessed as indicative of disease or not. [[Diagnostic imaging]] of endocrine organs may reveal incidental findings called [[incidentaloma]]s, which may or may not represent disease.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Grumbach |first1=Melvin M. |last2=Biller |first2=Beverly M. K. |last3=Braunstein |first3=Glenn D. |last4=Campbell |first4=Karen K. |last5=Carney |first5=J. Aidan |last6=Godley |first6=Paul A. |last7=Harris |first7=Emily L. |last8=Lee |first8=Joseph K. T. |last9=Oertel |first9=Yolanda C. |last10=Posner |first10=Mitchell C. |last11=Schlechte |first11=Janet A. |last12=Wieand |first12=H. Samuel |date=2003-03-04 |title=Management of the clinically inapparent adrenal mass ("incidentaloma") |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12614096/ |journal=Annals of Internal Medicine |volume=138 |issue=5 |pages=424–429 |doi=10.7326/0003-4819-138-5-200303040-00013 |issn=1539-3704 |pmid=12614096|s2cid=23454526 }}</ref>

Endocrinology involves caring for the person as well as the disease. Most endocrine disorders are [[chronic disease]]s that need lifelong care. Some of the most common endocrine diseases include [[diabetes]] mellitus, [[hypothyroidism]] and the [[metabolic syndrome]]. Care of diabetes, obesity and other chronic diseases necessitates understanding the patient at the personal and social level as well as the molecular, and the physician–patient relationship can be an important therapeutic process.

Apart from treating patients, many endocrinologists are involved in [[clinical science]] and [[medical research]], [[teaching]], and [[hospital management]].