Glossary

Browse through glands, hormones and endocrine conditions.
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screening

the practice of checking a person at regular intervals for signs or genetic predisposition of a condition before any symptoms have developed.

scrotum

the sac of skin that lies outside the body in men, behind the penis, in which the testes sit.

secondary sexual characteristics

a set of physical changes to the body that occurs during puberty in boys (growth of facial, chest and pubic hair; enlargement of penis and testes) and girls (breast development; growth of underarm and pubic hair).

sodium

an essential salt found in the body, which is important in the transmission of electrical signals between nerve cells in the brain.

sporadic

describes an event that occurs randomly.

sternum

the chest bone.

stroke

sudden damage to brain cells caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain, usually by a blockage in the brain’s blood supply. Symptoms include drooping of one side of the face, lack of feeling in one arm, difficulty talking. Immediate treatment is needed.

subfertility

reduced levels of fertility in a man or woman, where some form of assisted reproductive therapy may be needed to conceive a child; equally, a natural conception may be possible but may take longer than average to achieve.

surrogate

a woman who agrees to carry the child of another couple through pregnancy.

systemic lupus erythematosus

a chronic autoimmune condition (where the body attacks itself) that causes damage to tissues throughout the body. Symptoms are variable and extensive.

Somatostatin

Somatostatin is a hormone that inhibits the secretion of several other hormones, including growth hormone, thyroid stimulating hormone, cholecystokinin and insulin.

Secondary hyperparathyroidism

Secondary hyperparathyroidism is the release of increased amounts of parathyroid hormone (hyperparathyroidism), which is an appropriate response to low calcium or vitamin D levels in order to try to bring calcium levels back up to normal.

Sheehan's syndrome

Sheehan's syndrome is a rare condition affecting the pituitary gland that occurs as a result of heavy bleeding during or after childbirth.

Somatostatinoma

Somatostatinomas are rare neuroendocrine tumours that arise from tumour cells originated from specialised hormone-producing cells in the endocrine pancreas and duodenum (first part of small intestine).


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