Common Myths
Answers to common questions about common myths.
Questions on this page
- “Complex diabetes always means type 1 diabetes.”
- “All difficult-to-control diabetes is because the patient is not following the diet.”
- “A bone density scan alone tells me how strong my bones are.”
- “Every adrenal mass is cancer.”
- “All endocrine tumours produce hormones.”
- “A rare disease cannot be treated.”
- WHEN SHOULD YOU SEE AN ENDOCRINOLOGIST FOR COMPLEX ENDOCRINE CARE?
“Complex diabetes always means type 1 diabetes.”
No. Diabetes can have many different causes and subtypes.
“All difficult-to-control diabetes is because the patient is not following the diet.”
No. Severe insulin resistance, progressive beta-cell failure, medications, hormonal disorders and other medical factors can contribute.
“A bone density scan alone tells me how strong my bones are.”
Not always. Fracture risk depends on bone density plus age, previous fractures, clinical risk factors and other aspects of bone quality.
“Every adrenal mass is cancer.”
No. Many adrenal incidentalomas are benign, although every significant adrenal mass requires appropriate evaluation.
“All endocrine tumours produce hormones.”
No. Some are functioning tumours and others are non-functioning.
“A rare disease cannot be treated.”
Not necessarily. Many rare endocrine disorders have specific treatments or effective long-term management strategies.
WHEN SHOULD YOU SEE AN ENDOCRINOLOGIST FOR COMPLEX ENDOCRINE CARE?
Consider specialist evaluation if you have:
- Diabetes that does not fit the usual type 1 or type 2 pattern
- Diabetes diagnosed at a very young age
- Severe insulin resistance
- Recurrent unexplained DKA
- Multiple endocrine disorders
- Unexplained high or low calcium
- Persistent phosphate abnormalities
- Recurrent fractures or unexplained bone disease
- A pituitary tumour
- An adrenal tumour
- Resistant hypertension with suspected hormonal cause
- Phaeochromocytoma or paraganglioma
- MEN syndrome or another hereditary endocrine condition
- Acromegaly or Cushing disease
- Difficult-to-diagnose hormonal abnormalities
Complex endocrinology is about looking beyond the individual abnormal test and understanding how hormones, metabolism, genetics and different organs interact.