Endocrinology in Metro Manila

Endocrinology is the field of medicine that relates to the endocrine system, which is the system that controls hormones. Endocrinologists are specifically trained physicians who diagnose and treat diseases related to hormones, the glands, and tissues that produce them, as well as complications that may be caused by them. They work closely with other specialists, such as specialists in ophthalmology, obstetrics, radiation oncology, and otolaryngology. The conditions that endocrinologists commonly treat are as follows:

• Diabetes​​​​​​
• Menopause
• Osteoporosis
• Metabolic disorders
• Thyroid diseases
• Certain types of cancers
• Short stature
• Excessive or insufficient production of hormones
• Infertility
• Transplantation
• Gender dysphoria

Endocrinology treatment usually involves controlling the amount of hormone the body produces. The goal of the treatment is to restore the normal balance of hormones found in a person’s body. The following are some of the procedures that an endocrinologist perform:

• Bariatric procedures (such as gastric bypass surgery)
• Adrenalectomy
• CT scan
• MRI
• Pancreas transplant
• Thyroidectomy
• Thyroid fine-needle aspiration
• Minimally invasive parathyroidectomy
• Brain stereotactic radiosurgery
• Home enteral nutrition
• Biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch (BPD/DS)
• Lipid management
• Transnasal endoscopic procedures
• Wound care
• Feminizing hormone therapy
• Facial feminization surgery
• Feminizing surgery
• Top surgery for transgender men/women
• Voice feminizing therapy and surgery.

How Long Should I Stay in Metro Manila?

Your length of stay in Metro Manila depends on the type of procedure you underwent. In general, you may need to stay in the hospital for a few days after treatments, particularly after surgery, then plan to stay in Metro Manila for at least 7 to 14 more days. During your stay, you will attend follow-up checkups where your endocrinologist monitors your healing progress and, if needed, will remove any stitches. For diagnostic procedures, you may be able to leave the hospital on the same day, then plan to stay in Metro Manila for 3 to 7 days until the results are available.

What's the Expected Recovery Time?

While the recovery time can vary from one person to another, depending on the procedure you underwent and your overall health, you may be advised to take a week or two off of work. It may also take around 6 weeks until you fully recover and are allowed to perform strenuous activities, such as exercise. Your endocrinologist will give you a detailed recovery timeline.

What Aftercare is Required?

Your endocrinologist will give you a set of instructions that you need to follow after your treatment. In general, you may need to take the medicine (if any) as prescribed and have a healthy lifestyle, such as having enough sleep, follow a healthy and balanced diet, and exercise regularly. You may also need to attend regular checkups to check on your condition with your local doctor.

What's the Success Rate?

The field of endocrinology has advanced, with cutting-edge technology, new medicines, sophisticated imaging and diagnostic equipment, and innovative therapies that have helped to increase the success rate of endocrinology procedures. There are risks of side effects and complications which include infection, allergic reaction to the anesthesia, bleeding, and injury to nearby organs.

Are there Alternatives?

There is no alternative to endocrinology. If you have any conditions mentioned above, you may need to see an endocrinologist. If your condition is found out to be caused by other problems unrelated to endocrinology, your endocrinologist will refer you to the relevant specialist.

Endocrinology in and around Metro Manila

About Manila

Manila is the capital of the Philippines and is divided into 16 districts; it is one of the densest and populated cities of the world. Each district has its own history and cultural legacy. The city was under the rule of Spanish conquerors for almost three centuries. You can see the remains of that era in the ruins of the historical buildings. Today, the City is very modern with tall skyscrapers and modern architecture.

The Philippines is developing into one of the top countries in the world for medical tourism. Approximately 15 million people globally travel to other countries in search of quality medical care at affordable prices. Manila is a favorite destination due to the following reasons:

• It provides state-of-the-art procedures at affordable prices.
• With excellent infrastructure, the City can handle the large numbers of foreigners who visit Manila.
• The Hospital and clinic staff are very competent, friendly, and educated and have a good knowledge of English to communicate with their patients.  
• The doctors are very well-qualified and hold international certifications.
• The city has a reputation in providing excellent post-surgical care by the nurses and physiotherapists.
• The Medical Industry provides many alternative therapies at some of the best spa resorts. You can combine a surgical procedure with alternative healing therapies at the same time.

Popular Areas in Manila

Manila Bay has many tourist spots and you will find many monuments that depict the Spanish occupation of the country. There are many Baroque Colonial Churches that will enable you to appreciate the artistic designs.

The National Museum of the Philippines, Bahay Chinoy, the National Art Gallery, and the Metropolitan Museum of Manila are some of the popular museums that you must visit in Manila. Rizal Park also known as Luneta is a historical urban park that is worth visiting.

There are also many organized tours that can help you get the best out of your sightseeing, for example, the Intramuros Tour, Rizal Park Tour, or the Skyscraper Gazing Tour and more.

Manila is a very modern contemporary city as the historical buildings have been replaced by modern architecture with better planning and layout and the buildings are earthquake resistant.

The city has many cultural and religious festivals throughout the year. There are plenty of shops, both big and small where you can buy branded goods at affordable prices.

Weather and Climate in Manila

The Philippines is a tropical country and in Manila, you will not experience too much temperature variations. January is the coolest month while May is the warmest month. The average temperature remains between 14°C and 38°C. The rainy season is between May and November. The rest of the months are dry. Manila is a humid city and bad weather such as Typhoons may occur during the months of June and September.

Getting around in Manila

People traveling from nearby countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia can use the City’s sea entry points. For all other passengers, the best option is to take the air route.

The Ninoy Aquino International Airport is the City’s major international airport. It has four different terminals that connect via bus transfers. If you are taking a connecting flight, remember to keep some time as a buffer, as transfers may force you to travel through the busy streets of Manila. Terminal 1 caters to International flights and Philippine Airlines uses T2 and domestic carriers and international carriers use T3 with budget carriers largely using T4.

You can take a bus from the airport to the city. Taxis have meters and you can hail a cab outside the airport. Buses and small vans or jeepneys are popular modes of transport within the city.

Manila has three light rail systems and one heavy train line. The light rail systems are the LRT-1, LRT-2, and MRT-3. You can also use the pedicabs and tricycles for shorter distances. In some areas, you can even find horse-driven carriages called calesa.

Tourist Visas in Manila

The visa process is not a very complex system as the Philippines has a visa waiver program for certain countries. All European nations, South American countries, and many others form part of this program. Citizens from these countries can stay in Manila for up to 30 days, whereas nationals from Brazil and Israel may stay in Manila for 59 days. Hong Kong, Macau, and Portugal residents can stay for 14 days without a visa. Tourists belonging to other countries need to apply for a visa to enter the Philippines, in the consulate in their respective countries.

You must also have a valid return ticket. Passport must also be valid for at least six months and beyond to stay in the country. Visa-exempt people may extend their stay by one or two months after which they will have to apply for a visa.

Additional Information

• The currency of the Philippines is Peso (symbol: ₱). It is strong in the world market and the usual exchange rate is 1 Dollar equals 50 Pesos. Dollars are easy to exchange compared to other currencies.
• Credit cards are acceptable in almost every place. The city also has many ATMs from where you can withdraw money without difficulty. However, ATMs will charge you a minimal exchange fee on foreign cards.
• Bargaining and negotiating are acceptable in most places and it can get you better deals.
• Restaurants may add a service charge of up to 10%. You can pay a cash tip of 5 to 10 %. People often round off the taxi fare.
• Manila is a city full of people who speak English proficiently. Filipino and English are the two official languages. Filipino is a variety of Tagalog, Austronesian languages.
• Hindu, Muslim, Buddhism, and Christian religions have left their mark on the Philippines at different periods. Today, a majority of the population is Roman Catholic.
• There are many public holidays in Manila. Some of the important ones are Christmas Eve, Christmas, Eid al-Fitr (Ramadan), Labor Day, New Year, and Good Friday, etc. The Independence Day falls on June 12th and Manila Day on 24th June.