Internal medicine, endocrinology, diabetology

Internal medicine is often recommended when a patient is unsure of their symptoms and does not know which specialty to refer to, or when a goto-surgery is needed and a patient pathway needs to be coordinated.

Internal medicine is the field of medicine that best integrates the different specialties at the level of general medical practice, be it prevention, treatment or rehabilitation. Over time, internal medicine has become highly specialised and has given rise to specialities such as gastroenterology (gastrointestinal diseases), diabetology (diabetes), endocrinology (diseases of the endocrine glands) and cardiology (cardiovascular diseases).

At the Korda Clinic, a highly qualified, experienced internist, endocrinologist and diabetologist aims to restore the imbalance in the body and optimise the function of the diseased internal organs.

About the services

General internal medicine

If you are feeling unwell, tired or have symptoms of unknown origin, it is worth having a thorough internal medicine check-up. However, prevention is also of paramount importance, and it is recommended that you have certain screening tests every year.

Often we may feel that something is wrong, but it is difficult to pinpoint exactly what is causing the problem. In such cases, it is a good idea to consult an experienced specialist in internal medicine at Korda Clinic. A thorough examination saves time and effort, avoiding the need to visit different specialists and undergo numerous tests. Prevention also plays an important role: regular check-ups can prevent the development of certain serious diseases.

Thyroid diseases

The most common thyroid problems include enlarged thyroid, under- and overactive thyroid, thyroiditis and thyroid tumours. As the thyroid gland is one of the endocrine organs, these diseases are treated by endocrinology.

Thyroid dysfunction mainly affects women and in the majority of cases is not preventable. According to medical opinion, the only nutritional factor is iodine deficiency, which can predispose to goitre and nodules. In iodine-deficient countries, including Hungary, the consumption of fish, seafood and iodised salt is recommended.

However, if you have already developed an overactive nodule - initially asymptomatic - extreme iodine intake should be avoided, as it can activate dormant lesions. Some multivitamins, some drugs taken for cardiac arrhythmias and CT contrast agents may contain significant amounts of iodine.

With a thyroid disorder, the chances of getting pregnant can be significantly reduced, miscarriages can be more frequent and developmental abnormalities can occur. Therefore, it is essential that thyroid hormone levels are regulated before becoming pregnant. Although the disease does not usually affect the fertility of men, over- or underactive thyroid glands can cause impotence.

Thyroid ultrasound

Ultrasound is an essential tool for examining the two lobes of the thyroid gland and the parathyroid gland. This method can detect even the smallest changes in the thyroid gland, accurately determine the size, shape and structure of the thyroid gland, and also reveal nodular lesions, inflammations and cysts. Ultrasound plays a key role not only in the diagnosis of the thyroid and parathyroid glands, but also in the examination of the soft tissues of the neck, the major salivary glands and the cervical lymph nodes.

An ultrasound examination of the thyroid gland is recommended in all cases where abnormal thyroid gland changes are suspected on palpation (endocrinological or internal medicine examination) or other symptoms.

Endocrinology

Endocrinology is a specialised field of internal medicine, which deals with diseases of the endocrine glands. These endocrine organs, which produce hormones, are the pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal and pancreas glands.

The main function of the endocrine system is to regulate the body's metabolic functions through hormones. Hormones are products of the endocrine glands, which, when released into the bloodstream, stimulate or inhibit the function of various organs.

Patients are often referred for endocrinological examination by a general internist, general practitioner or gynaecologist when they present with general clinical signs that may indicate an endocrine disorder.

Symptoms may include fatigue, dry skin, abnormal sweating, diarrhoea or chronic constipation, palpitations, and sleep disturbances.

If a patient presents with a bleeding disorder or lactation that cannot be explained by breastfeeding, they usually consult a gynaecologist. Often the doctor is consulted because of abnormal hair growth. Physical examination, such as knee-deep watery discharge or purplish stretch marks on the abdomen, or a family history (such as thyroid disease or multiple endocrine adenomatosis) may lead to suspicion of endocrinological disease, which triggers an endocrinological investigation.