Health Education

Endocrinology

MARYLAND ENDOCRINE, PA

Maryland Endocrine, PA specializes in Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolic disorders in adults, with offices in Columbia and Laurel. We limit the scope of our practice to endocrinology and ask all our patients to have a primary care physician to attend to their non-endocrine related health care needs.

Our areas of expertise include all aspects of:

Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes
Metabolic syndrome/insulin resistance including polycystic ovarian disorder
Thyroid conditions including underactive (hypothyroid) and overactive (hyperthyroid) thyroid disorders
Thyroid nodules, goiter, and thyroid cancer
Osteoporosis, vitamin D deficiency and metabolic bone disease
Unusual forms of high blood pressure
High and low calcium disorders as well as other blood salt disorders
High cholesterol, triglyceride and other lipid disorders
Pituitary and adrenal gland disorders
Endocrine disorders of pregnancy

We also provide sonographically guided fine needle aspiration of thyroid nodules, thyroid sonograms, and continuous glucose monitoring studies, download glucose meters, continuous glucose sensors and insulin pumps, host multiple monthly diabetes education sessions in our two offices, and perform a wide range of laboratory services in our CLIA and State of Maryland certified diagnostic laboratory. We believe in taking full advantage of advances in technology to improve patient care, and have been named a Diabetes Center of Excellence by Medtronic Diabetes, an award given to diabetes centers that have successfully implemented best practices for modern diabetes therapies including insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitoring.

We have used a fully implemented electronic medical record and prescribing system since May 2004, enabling us to send our consultation notes to other physicians almost immediately and minimize delays and mistakes with prescriptions.

Our website, www.marylandendocrine.com, provides more information about endocrinology, our practice and referral to reliable sources of medical information on the disorders we treat.

For further information, contact:
Anita Newman
Practice Manager
(301) 953-2081
Email: anitanewman1@aol.com

For more information on Endocrinology or our Medical Center please visit our website at
www.marylandendocrine.com or call (301) 953-2081.

Frequently Asked Questions

Diabetes
Q. How do I properly treat a low blood sugar reaction? Should I eat a piece of chocolate?
A. Chocolate is not usually the best choice because the fat in it slows down the absorption of the sugar. Instead, try drinking ½ cup of fruit juice, ½ cup of regular soda, 5-6 pieces of hard candy, 1 cup of milk, or glucose gel or tablets (take the amount on the package to add up to 15 grams of carbohydrate)

Q. What foods should I avoid to help control my diabetes?
A. Foods with higher amounts of simple sugars should be avoided, such as fruit juice, regular soda, sports drinks, candy, sugar, brown sugar, honey, syrup, jellies and jams.

Q. Why do I have to check my feet every day?
A. Diabetes often causes poor circulation in the legs and feet. Diabetics are likely to have foot problems, such as fungus, ingrown toenails, infections, bunions and ulcers. Any changes in your feet such as cuts, scratches, red areas, corns, cracks or itching should be reported to your podiatrist. Patients who have foot pain should see a podiatrist regularly. Most insurance companies will cover podiatry care caused by diabetes.

For more information on your diabetes, visit the American Diabetes Association. (link to http://www.diabetes.org/ )

Thyroid Disorders
Q. What is hyperthyroidism?
A. Hyperthyroidism, or overactive thyroid, is when the thyroid makes more thyroid hormones than the body needs.

Q. What are the symptoms of hyperthyroidism?
A. At first, you might not notice the symptoms of hyperthyroidism. They begin slowly, but over time, a speeded up metabolism can cause:

Weight loss, even if you eat the same or more food
Increased appetite
Rapid or irregular heartbeat or pounding of your hear
Anxiety
Irritability
Trouble sleeping
Trembling in your hands and fingers
Increased sweating
Increased sensitivity to heat
Muscle weakness
More frequent bowel movements
Less frequent menstrual periods with lighter than normal flow

In addition to these symptoms, people with hyperthyroidism may have osteoporosis, or weak, brittle bones. Hyperthyroidsim may affect your bones before you have any other symptoms of the disorder. This is especially true for postmenopausal women, who are already at risk of osteoporosis.

Q. What is hypothyroidism?
A. Hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid, is when your thyroid does not make enough thyroid hormones.

Q. What are the symptoms of hypothyroidism?
A. Symptoms of hypothyroidism can develop slowly, over several years. At first, you may just feel tired and sluggish, but later may develop sympoms of a slowed down metabolism, including:

Weight gain, even though you are not eating more food
Increased sensitivity to cold
Constipation
Muscle weakness
Joint or muscle pain
Depression
Fatigue
Pale dry skin
A puffy face
Hoarse voice
Excessive menstrual bleeding

People with hypothyroidism may also have increased levels of LDL cholesterol, the so called “bad” cholesterol that can increase the risk of heart disease.

For more information on your thyroid condition, visit the American thyroid Association. (link to http://www.thyroid.org/ )

Osteoporosis
Q. What is Osteoporosis?
A. Osteoporosis is a condition in which bones gradually become thin and lose bone mass, causing bones to become brittle, and break more easily. Osteoporosis is the most common bone disease in America, affecting about 10 million people.

Q. What causes osteoporosis?
A. The body is constantly producing new bone to replace old bone, just like growing new hair or skin. Osteoporosis occurs when the body does not make enough new bone to replace the old bone, or old bone is lost too fast for the new bone to replace it. A number of things can cause osteoporosis. As women become menopausal, they make less estrogen, the female hormone that helps keep bones strong. Other causes may be a diet low in calcium or vitamin D, heavy steroid use and alcoholism.

For more information on osteoporosis, visit the National Osteoporosis Foundation (link to http://www.nof.org/ )
|

For more information on Endocrinology or our Medical Center please visit our website at
www.marylandendocrine.com or call (301) 953-2081.

At the Medical Pavilion of Howard County we offer endocrinology services to Maryland
residents in Laurel and all surrounding areas.