Adrenal disease in women: symptoms and treatment

2024 Author: Curtis Blomfield | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 20:44

The endocrine system is designed to control and regulate the work of the whole organism. Human he alth depends on the quality of its functioning.

It is to the endocrine system that the adrenal glands belong. Their pathologies can lead to serious consequences. Consider in the article what symptoms of adrenal disease have. Treatment in women of this disease has its own characteristics.

Adrenal function

Before dealing with the pathologies of these glands, it is necessary to find out what their role is in the body. This is a paired organ that is located behind the kidneys in the abdominal cavity. In their structure, two structures are distinguished: the medulla and the cortex. The adrenal glands perform a number of important functions in the human body:

1. The cortex synthesizes the hormones corticosterone and cortisol.
2. Here, in the adrenal cortex, the synthesis of sex hormones occurs. They directly influence the formation of secondary sexual characteristics. If women experience excessive formation of such hormones, then you can observe the appearance of signs that are characteristic of men.
3. Hormones produced incortex, control the water and electrolyte balance in the body.
4. The medulla is responsible for the synthesis of adrenaline and norepinephrine. They stimulate the work of the heart muscle, increase blood glucose, blood pressure, expand the bronchi.
5. All adrenal hormones stimulate the body's response to stressful situations.

All these functions are performed by the adrenal glands, if nothing interferes with their work. But this, unfortunately, does not always happen. The work of this organ can also be disrupted, but it is important to detect diseases of the adrenal glands in women in time. Symptoms are easy to detect if you listen carefully and look at your body.

Any violations in the work of this body have their manifestations, it is important to pay attention to them in time and visit an endocrinologist.

Manifestation of pathologies of the adrenal glands in women

In the female body, both an excess and a lack of hormones lead to disruptions in the functioning of organ systems. First of all, this kind of pathology affects the ability of a woman to conceive and bear a baby. But the disease of the adrenal glands in women is also manifested by the following signs:

• Sun intolerance, most commonly seen as excessive sunburn.
• Permanent depression.
• Chest pain.
• Pigment spots appear on the skin.

• The monthly cycle is broken.
• The breasts are getting smaller, as is the uterus.
• Appears on the face and other areas of the skin acne.
• The clitoris grows.

Even with only a few symptoms, a woman should see a doctor immediately to take the necessary steps to correct the problem. That is why it is necessary to know how adrenal disease manifests itself in order to associate the existing signs with the pathology of this organ.

Adrenal disease in women

All doctors believe that problems in the work of this body can result in serious complications in a woman's he alth. Experts most often note the following diseases of the adrenal glands in women, the symptoms of which can be observed:

1. Hyperaldosteronism. With this pathology, the organs synthesize too much of the hormone aldosterone.
2. Cortex deficiency.
3. Hyperplasia of the adrenal cortex.
4. Pheochromocytoma.
5. Androgenital syndrome combines several congenital abnormalities at once.
6. Tumors of the adrenal glands.
7. Addison's disease is much less common than other pathologies.
8. Itsenko-Cushing Syndrome.

All these diseases have both their causes for development and signs. Diseases of the adrenal glands in women will be considered in more detail below.

How hyperaldosteronism manifests itself

This pathology is of primary and secondary forms. Manifested in increased production of aldosterone by the adrenal cortex. Doctors identify the following reasons for the development of this condition:

• Liver disease e.g.cirrhosis.
• Chronic inflammatory processes in the kidneys.
• Heart failure.
• The secondary form occurs if the primary was not completely cured.

Hyperaldosteronism is manifested by the following symptoms:

• General weakness and muscle weakness appears.
• Frequent headaches.
• Fatigue.

• Have frequent palpitations.
• Too much urine per day.
• A person is constantly thirsty.
• If you do a blood test, it shows a decrease in calcium.
• Feeling of numbness in some parts of the body.
• Frequent convulsions.

As soon as symptoms characteristic of a condition such as adrenal disease occur, women should be treated immediately. The first step is to eliminate the pathology that caused the development of the disease.

Adrenal Cortex Insufficiency

As a rule, such a pathology is accompanied by other painful conditions in the body. The reason for this is considered:

• Anterior pituitary lesion.
• Necrosis of the pituitary gland.
• Tumours.
• Infectious diseases.

Cortical insufficiency is manifested by the following symptoms:

1. Asthenia develops.
2. The patient feels a sharp decline in strength.
3. Suddenly begins to decrease body weight.
4. Loss of appetite.
5. Nausea and vomiting.
6. Pigmentation appears on the skinspots.
7. There is a decrease in blood pressure that is not amenable to drug therapy.
8. Stool disorders.
9. Profuse urine at night.
10. Blood glucose drops.

If adrenal disease is clearly showing its symptoms, treatment is prescribed in the form of taking glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids.

Hyperplasia of the adrenal cortex

Usually this pathology is congenital, it is accompanied by a clear violation of the production of cortisol. Experts call such a cause of a painful condition: a genetic mutation. Anything can provoke her.

This pathology manifests itself as follows:

• Severe hyperpigmentation of the vulva appears.
• Virilization.
• Armpit and pubic hair start growing too early.
• Skin acne.
• Girls have a late period.

With such a pathology, early diagnosis is important so that it is possible to take appropriate measures for the normal functioning of the body.

How adrenal tumors manifest themselves

Most often, tumors of this organ are benign. The exact causes have not yet been established, but for a hormonally active tumor, which is also called pheochromocytoma, the following provoking factors are called:

• Thyroid cancer.
• Systemic pathologies with congenital anomalies of brain vessels, skin, membraneseye.
• Excessive synthesis of hormones by the parathyroid glands.

With this pathology, the following symptoms of adrenal disease in women can be observed (the photo shows one of them):

1. High blood pressure.
2. Heart rhythm is disturbed.
3. There is weakness in the muscles.
4. Frequent urination at night.
5. Nausea and vomiting become frequent human companions.
6. Increased sweating.
7. Convulsions.
8. The patient's appearance is deteriorating.
9. Persistent shivering and chills.
10. Dry mouth.

Depending on the symptoms of adrenal disease in women, therapy is also prescribed.

Addison's disease

With this pathology, the adrenal glands stop synthesizing enough cortisol. The following conditions are considered causes:

1. Tuberculosis endocrine glands.
2. Chemical damage.
3. Adrenal insufficiency.
4. Autoimmune processes.

Signs of manifestation of this disease overlap with other pathologies:

• Heart starts beating faster.
• Nausea and vomiting appear.
• Blood pressure drops.
• Breach of stool.
• Dramatic weight loss.
• Fatigue sets in quickly.
• Memory and attention suffer.
• Axillary and pubic hair loss occursareas.
• Reduced sex drive.

Manifestation of Cushing's syndrome

Most often, this pathology is detected when various neoplasms appear in the adrenal glands or neighboring organs. Among the symptoms of this disease are the following:

• Women develop male-pattern fullness.
• Atrophy and muscle weakness appear.
• Permanent depression.
• Frequent headaches.
• The capillaries become brittle, causing bruising on the body.
• Furunculosis.

Whatever pathology develops, early diagnosis of adrenal diseases is very important.

How to recognize adrenal disease

To recognize diseases of these organs, doctors have a whole arsenal of methods. If there are signs of adrenal disease in women, "How to check for the presence of pathology?" - first question. When visiting an endocrinologist, a woman will be offered to undergo the following types of studies:

1. Donate blood and urine for analysis.
2. Get an MRI scan.
3. Computed tomography will also not be superfluous.
4. Take an X-ray of the skull to determine the size of the pituitary gland.
5. Pass hormonal tests.
6. X-ray of the skeletal system will determine the presence of osteoporosis.
7. Modern diagnostic method is an X-ray study, which makes it possible to obtain information about the state and functioning of the adrenal glands.

We detailstudied diseases of the adrenal glands in women. Symptoms, diagnosis of these pathologies are discussed in the article. It remains to explore the therapy of diseases of this organ.

Therapy of Adrenal Diseases

The task that doctors face when a pathology of the adrenal glands is detected is to restore the normal level of hormones. In addition, it is necessary to neutralize all factors that aggravate the course of the disease. Recommended for patients:

1. Taking hormonal drugs, but strictly under the supervision of a doctor and according to the prescribed scheme and dosage. Such therapy is prescribed only after a complete examination.
2. Antiviral and antibacterial drugs are often prescribed.
3. Taking vitamins and minerals is good.
4. It is very important to pay attention to your diet.
5. Keep he althy, get outdoors and move more.
6. Try to avoid stressful situations.

If all the recommended measures and methods of therapy have not brought the desired result, and adrenal diseases in women show their symptoms, then you will have to resort to the help of a surgeon.

Adrenalectomy

Surgical intervention is resorted to only in extreme cases, when hormone therapy has not brought the desired results. Taking into account the characteristics of the pathology, one or both adrenal glands can be removed. Surgeons take two approaches:

1. Traditional. An abdominal operation is performed, a small incision is made, if the neoplasm is small -on the back, in the lumbar region. Large tumors require a large incision in the abdomen.
2. The endoscopic approach involves surgery using endoscopes that are inserted through a small opening in the abdomen or back. This method has its advantages:

• The patient can go home in a few days.
• Minimal injury.
• Work capacity is restored in 2-3 weeks.
• No scarring after surgery.
• Bed rest - just one day.

If one adrenal gland is removed, then most often you can forget about the symptoms of the pathology, but with an ectomy of both, you will have to take hormonal drugs for life.

The endocrine glands are very important in the normal functioning of our body. Any of their pathologies must necessarily undergo adequate therapy under the supervision of a competent specialist. This is the only way to ensure the functioning of all organ systems in normal mode.