Adrenal Gland Disorder
- The adrenal glands are small hat-shaped organs that are found on top of the kidneys.
- They are endocrine glands that produce various hormones that are essential to the function of the body, such as cortisol, aldosterone, androgens, and adrenaline.
- Adrenal glands disorders are characterized by abnormal production of hormones.
- Too little or too much of the hormones can cause harm to the body as they disrupt regular body function.
- The type of disorder you could suffer from depends on the hormone that is being produced abnormally.
Let’s look at adrenal gland disorders in detail:
Types
- The abnormal production of adrenal gland hormones can result in different types of disorders.
- Addison’s disease is one such disorder. Also known as primary adrenal insufficiency, it occurs due to a lack of production of cortisol and aldosterone, causing autoimmune complications.
- Conversely, Cushing’s disease occurs due to the overproduction of cortisol.
- The disorder usually causes weight gain in men and excessive body hair in women.
- The overproduction of adrenaline and nor-adrenaline by the adrenal medulla leads to pheochromocytoma, a condition leading to high blood pressure among other symptoms.
Causes
The major causes of adrenal gland disorder include:
- Presence of tumors in adrenal glands
- Pituitary gland malfunction
- Impact of steroids and certain medication
- Adrenal gland infections
- Genetic factors that cause problems in adrenal gland function
Symptoms
Symptoms of adrenal gland disorders usually depend on the condition you are dealing with, but there is quite some overlap in the symptoms you are likely to face. The symptoms commonly seen in adrenal gland disorders are:
- Sweating excessively
- Dizziness
- Excessive tiredness
- Increased craving for salt
- Vomiting and nausea
- Low blood pressure
- Low blood sugar
- Loss of appetite
- Dark patches on the skin
- Irregular periods in females
- Muscle and joint pain
Diagnosis
- A doctor will first ask for your medical history and will conduct a thorough clinical examination to check the cause of your symptoms.
- They are likely to order blood and urine tests, along with imaging tests if necessary.
- The blood and urine test helps check for the levels of adrenal and pituitary hormones in the blood.
- They also help assess blood sodium and glucose levels.
- Imaging tests such as MRI, ultrasound, CT, and X-ray scans can help check for possible tumors.
Treatment
- Treatment for adrenal gland disorders is dependent on the type of condition you are dealing with.
- Treatment options include medication for hormone replacement therapy, which helps increase the production of hormones and normalize it.
- Medication can also be used to slow down cortisol production to help treat Cushing’s disease.
- Surgery might be necessary to remove tumors if they are the ones causing the adrenal gland disorder.
- Tumors can also be removed with chemotherapy and radiation therapy.