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Hypogonadism

Hypogonadal disorders, which affect your gonads, occur when your sex glands produce little to no sex hormones. Our practice provides comprehensive care, treating the whole patient.

As hypogonadism may lead to abnormal development and infertility issues, our endocrinology specialists take a personalized approach, developing a treatment plan that best suits you.

Edward M Condon, M.D., F.A.C.E., E.C.N.U. serves families and individuals throughout Long Island with four convenient locations.

Hypogonadal conditions include a host of problems that affect your ability to produce sex hormones. These conditions affect the testes in men and ovaries in women.

Primary hypogonadism means that there is an abnormality with your gonads, and you may not be producing sex hormones (or are producing deficient amounts). These hypogonadal conditions develop for a variety of reasons, including:

  • Autoimmune disorders, including Addison’s disease
  • Genetic disorders, such as Klinefelter syndrome
  • Excessive iron absorption (hemochromatosis)
  • Liver or kidney disease
  • Undescended testes
  • Severe infections

Some people experience central or secondary hypogonadal issues, which means that the underlying issue may be in your brain. In this case, your hypothalamus or pituitary glands aren’t sending proper signals to your gonads to make hormones. This issue can stem from:

  • Inflammatory diseases, including tuberculosis
  • Nutritional deficiencies
  • Rapid weight loss
  • Pituitary disorders
  • Obesity
  • Tumor

It is also possible to struggle with hypogonadal issues if you have ever had surgery on your reproductive organs or on your brain or if you’ve been exposed to radiation.

Hypogonadal issues can lead to low sex drive (libido) in both men and women, as well as infertility and loss of body hair.

In women, hypogonadism can also cause:

  • Missed or infrequent menstrual periods
  • Minimal breast development
  • Milky breast discharge
  • Hot flashes

Hypogonadism in men can lead to:

  • Reduced growth of penis or testicles
  • Decreased muscle mass
  • Abnormal breast growth
  • Erectile dysfunction

If you are experiencing any of these issues or others, the team at Edward Condon Medical, P.C. can conduct comprehensive examinations and laboratory testing to diagnose them effectively. As soon as we better understand your condition, we will educate you about all possible treatment options.

Treating hypogonadal disorders depends on your specific diagnosis, as well as the severity of your symptoms. Your hypogonadism treatment plan may include a personalized hormone replacement therapy (HRT) plan, such as estrogen and progesterone for women or testosterone for men. These hormone treatments can be administered via:

  • Topical gels or ointments
  • Oral medications
  • Skin patches
  • Injections (while many of these injections can be self-administered, one of our specialists can perform the injection for you if you are uncomfortable doing so)

If you have a tumor on your pituitary gland that is causing your hypogonadal disorder, you may need radiation therapy or surgery to remove the growth. With more than 40 years of experience on Long Island, we have developed longstanding relationships with a trusted network of doctors and medical professionals, providing our patients with a list of recommended specialists when necessary.