Adrenal Diseases
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Adrenal Diseases
Adrenal diseases can cause the adrenal glands to produce too much or not enough hormones, including sex hormones and cortisol. These adrenal diseases can cause a variety of symptoms that range from mild to life-threatening. Destruction of the adrenal gland due to an auto-immune response is one cause of adrenal disease. Cancer, infection or other conditions may also lead to adrenal diseases.
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Other causes include:
- The use of corticosteroids as a treatment (such as prednisone). This treatment method can cause a slowdown in production of natural corticosteroids by the adrenal glands, resulting in adrenal disease symptoms.
- Certain drugs used to treat fungal infections may block production of corticosteroids in the adrenal glands.
Symptoms
Diseases that cause an overproduction of hormones from the adrenal glands have a variety of symptoms, including:
- Exaggerated male characteristics in both men and women, such as increased facial and body hair, baldness, acne, deeper voice and increased masculinity
- High blood pressure
- Symptoms associated with low levels of potassium (i.e., weakness, muscle aches, spasms and possible paralysis)
- Upper body obesity
- Round face
- Increased fat around the neck
- Thinning of the arms and legs
- Fragile and thinning skin
- Stretch marks on the abdomen, thighs, buttocks, arms and breasts
- Bone and muscle weakness
- Severe fatigue
- High blood sugar (hyperglycemia)
- Irritability and anxiety
- Excess hair growth in women
- Irregular or stopped menstrual cycles in women
- Reduced male sex drive
- Reduced male fertility